Things To Do For Toddlers In Manchester
If you’re looking for things to do for toddlers in Manchester, we have put together a list of our top picks to keep the little ones entertained.
It is not always easy to decide on fun things for toddlers to do around Manchester City and across Greater Manchester.
There are of course lots of days out around Manchester to choose from but not all of them are suitable for an under 5. To help you decide on the best attractions, days out, fun sessions and things to do in Manchester with a toddler, we have put together our top picks for 2025.
Children’s Library, Manchester Central Library
Open Mondays to Saturdays (Excluding Bank Holidays)
Located in the heart of Manchester City Centre, Manchester Central Library’s Children’s Library is a great place for toddlers.
Refurbished in 2021 it offers a jungle theme ideal for sharing a book or two with your little one.
The space is free to visit and drop in within opening hours.
More >>> Manchester Central Library Children’s Library
Little Northerners, Great Northern Warehouse
Open Daily
Little Northerners is a free play space located in Great Northern Warehouse in Manchester City Centre.
Open daily from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm, it has been designed with toddlers and pre-schoolers in mind.
They also run activities on Tuesdays but are unmanned on other days.
Science and Industry Museum Manchester
Open Daily
The Science and Industry Museum Manchester is a great place for a toddler.
The Experiment Floor has lots of hands-on, fun science activities, plus there is a designated Experiden just for 0 to 4-year-olds.
If that’s not enough they have construction packs designed for under 5’s.
The museum also runs special monthly under 5 classes and sessions – see below.
Manchester Museum
Open Tuesdays To Sundays
The newly refurbished Manchester Museum makes a great day out for toddlers.
They have a brand new dino area with hands-on activities, an eye spy wall in the new Asia exhibition and lots of objects to explore.
Plus you meet Stan the T-Rex fossil, see the famous sperm whale skeleton and see some of the rarest frogs in the world.
Read More >>> Top Tips For Visiting Manchester Museum
The Fireground, Rochdale
Open Thursdays to Saturdays
The Fireground in Rochdale is an ideal museum for under 5’s.
Full of restored fire engines, hand-operated pumps and even an immersive Victorian Street complete with lighting and sound effects there is lots to see.
Best of all there is lots of hands activites, interactive displays and a small play area complete with a firemans pole to slide down.
The Museum is open Thursdays to Saturdays from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm. Under threes and free to enter , children age 4 to 15 cost £5 and adult tickets £7.00. Family tickets are also available.
Play Factore
Open Daily
The ultimate soft play area Play Factore, is great for toddlers.
Although they have lots to offer for older children, they do have a separate play frame for under 5’s.
They are safely gated and filled with tunnels, 3 slides, soft shapes, tricycles and a soft play area.
Plus the LUMOplay interactive floor features games designed to further children’s development using movement and colours.
Off peak prices start at £9.95 for under 4’s and £4.95 for adults and they accept Tesco Vouchers.
Little Kicks at Kick Air
Daily
Little Kicks at Kick Air is a soft play dedicated to toddlers only.
The Little Kicks pass allows under 5’s hour session in the play frame and toddlers aged 2 to 5 years re permitted to go on the main Trampoline Zones (Kick Aire Socks required)
The sessions cost £9.00 per child and must be supervised by a parent or guardian at all times. Booking required.
More >>> Little Kicks at Kick Air
Mini Shredders, Graystone Salford
Daily
Designed for under 6’s Mini Shredders are aimed to be fun and get comfortable on their vehicle of choice from skateboard, scooter or balance bike.
Weekday sessions take place at 10.00 am (9.00 am during school holidays) and free play.
Weekend sessions take place at 9.00 am when a coach will be around to help point them in the right direction.
Sessions cost £10.00 and need booking in advance.
More >>> Mini Shredders at Graystone
Inflata Tots at InflataNation Manchester
Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays and Sundays
Inflationation Manchester not only has a dedicated toddler zone (open daily) but they also run Inflata Tots for under 5’s. These classes allow littles ones have the run of the park without the fear or bigger kids or adults.
The sessions are weekly usually on Mondays Wednesdays Fridays and Sundays at set times. The classes cost £6.99.
Toddler Time, Flip Out Manchester
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays – Term Time Only
Toddlers and their adults can enjoy unlimited bouncing at Toddler Time sessions at Flip Out Manchester.
The sessions are from 11.00 am to 4.00 pm term time only and cost only £7.00 for a toddler and adult. Additional adults cost £12.00
More >>> Toddlers sessions at Science and Industry Museum
Treetot Nets at Zipworld, Heaton Park
Treetop Nets in Heaton Park makes a great family day out, and toddlers and pre-schoolers can enjoy the place to themselves.
The sessions run at 10.00 am on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. They offer after-school sessions are aimed at 1 to 5-year-olds and cost just £5.00.
To book >>> Treetot Nets at Heaton Park
Toddler Waddle Mondays, Dino Falls Adventure Golf, Trafford
Mondays – Term Time Only
Dino Falls Adventure Golf’s Toddler Waddle will be available on Monday mornings, 9 am to 12 pm term time.
It give little ones the chance to try their hand at golf and explore the dino-themed course at their own pace.
The sessions cost just £5 per person including a FREE Starbucks for adults and juice and a biscuit for the little ones. No charge for babies under one year old.
More >>> Toddler Waddle Mondays, Dino Falls Adventure Golf, Trafford
Rock Tots and Rock Kids, Depot Climbing, Trafford
Fridays and Sundays
Depot Climbing in Tafford offers toddlers to channel all that climbing energy at their Rock Tot and Rock Kids sessions.
Rock Tots is designed for children aged 1 to 4 years old, whilst Rock Kids is for those aged 3 to 6 years. Both help kids learn to climb through games and songs for the younger.
Before joining the classes supervising adults need to participate in a one-off Rock Tots induction.
Sessions cost £7.50 per child with one supervising adult, an additional child costs £4.00. The indiction costs just £5.00. Booking required.
More >>> Rock Tots at Depot Climbing Manchester
Toddler Climb at Rock Up, Trafford Centre
Various Days Each Week.
Rock Up at the Trafford Centre run dedicated climbbing sessions just for pre-schoolers and toddlers.
No big kids are allowed and they have special harnesses to help them explore.
The sessions are 2 hours long, run in the mornings on various days of the week and cost £10.50 each.
They also have a soft play area designed for under 5’s cost from just £2.50 – pay on the day.
More >>> Toddler Climbing at Rock Up Trafford
Stoller Story Sounds, Stoller Hall Manchester
Saturdays
Perfect for children aged 3-5 (and their grown-ups!) the Stoller Story Sounds offers a musical journey which will transport you a beautiful world of new and exciting sights. An interactive session of music, art, storytelling and more.
Sessions run at 1.00 pm, 2.00 pm and 3.00 pm and cost £6.00 including one adult.
More >>> Stoller Story Sounds, Stoller Hall Manchester
Mini Movers and Storytime, Science and Industry Museum Manchester
Weekends – Term Time Only
On Saturdays and Sundays Science and Industry Museum Manchester offer two fun sessions for toddlers and pre-schoolers.
Mini Movers is a Makaton-friendly class where little ones will find out how their bodies work like a machine as you go on a creative journey.
Their Storytime sessions run in the afternoons and allow you to join a special mission to help return a bear found at Liverpool Station. You will discover different ways to travel, listen to sounds, play with projection and more.
The sessions are free and drop in.
PLAY Days The Whitworth
Second Friday Of The Month – Term Time Only
The Whitworth on Oxford Road just outside Manchester city centre offers PLAY Days sessions designed for those under 5s.
Great for imagination, their gallery space will be packed full of huge tubes, pipes, boxes, crates, tyres and lots more.
The sessions are free and drop in. Check before setting off in case of changes.
They also run Art Baby sessions for non-walkers on the First Friday of the month.
More >>> PLAY Days at the Whitworth
Experitots, Science and Industry Museum Manchester
Monthly
Designed for children from 0 to 4 years, these play sessions offer lots of fun for little ones.
Located in the Experiment gallery at the Science and Industry Museum Manchester, Explainers will be on hand to help you explore with your toddler.
Sessions cost from £3 and require booking. You also need to book a free admission ticket to the museum.
More >>> Experitots
Music Makers, Bridgewater Hall
Monthly
Music Makers sessions at Bridgewater Hall give the chance for babies and toddlers to enjoy creative sensory play and music.
Each session is inspired by either a much-loved piece of classical music or a specific genre of music. Kids will be introduced to many different families of instruments, allowing them to explore stories, songs and visual art through music.
Sessions cost £4.00 per child and need to be booked online in advance.
More >>> Music Makers at Bridgewater Hall
The Lowry Theatre
Thursdays and Fridays, Term Time Only
The Lowry Theatre run two sessions for under 5’s.
Babies Playtime, Thursdays, at 10.30 am and 11.30 am for ages 1 to 2 years.
Under 5’s Little Creative, Fridays at 10.30 am and 11.30 am for ages 2 to 5 years.
The sessions are free but booking is required.
More >>> The Lowry Theatre Under 5’s Sessions
