What’s On in Manchester for Kids & Families Monthly Event Guides

What’s On in Manchester for Kids & Families – Monthly Round-Up three children sat with a paddington bear statue in spinningfields manchester

Published Date: 8 Jan 2026

Updated: 15 Jan 2026

Author: Gemma

If you’re looking for family-friendly events in Manchester, our monthly round-ups are the best place to start.

Every month, we pull together the best things happening across Manchester and Greater Manchester to help families plan fun days out with ease.

From weekend events and seasonal activities to school holiday ideas, family shows, and budget-friendly fun, our monthly guides are designed to make answering the question “What shall we do with the kids?” a whole lot easier.

Table of Contents

How Our Monthly Manchester Event Guides Work

Rather than listing everything in one huge calendar, we publish a dedicated What’s On guide for each month. This means you’ll always find up-to-date, relevant ideas for the time of year you’re planning for.

Each monthly round-up includes:

Family-friendly events happening that month
School holiday and half-term activities (where relevant)
Theatre shows, performances and concerts suitable for families
Outdoor events for brighter days
Indoor activities for rainy Manchester weather
Free and low-cost ideas for days out on a budget

Every event listing includes practical details like dates, times, locations, age suitability, prices and whether booking is needed, so you can quickly decide what works best for your family.

This Month’s What’s On Guide

If you’re planning something right now, start with our current monthly round-up:

What’s On in January in Manchester for Kids & Families

January can be a tricky month for entertaining kids, but there’s still plenty going on across Manchester. Our January round-up includes indoor attractions, winter events, family shows, free activities and budget-friendly ideas to help you start the year with fun days out.

Whether you’re planning a weekend treat, looking for something to do during cold or rainy days, or just want to try somewhere new, this guide has you covered.