This autumn we’re hosting an assortment of family events at HOME, and across Manchester.
Visit The Fire Garden
Turn up the heat at our Fire Garden, an otherworldly landscape of flames, shapes and sculptures to be enjoyed after dark. This event is part of the Corridor of Light Festival in Manchester.
Explore the winding pathways through the sculptures in a fun, safe way at this outdoor event, near to the HOME building. Free, unticketed event in association with award-winning pioneers of outdoor art, Walk the Plank. In partnership with Ask.
Open 18.00 – 22.00, Fri 22 and Sat 23 Oct.
Music and Storytelling
Join storyteller and musician Emmanuela Yogolelo for a family-friendly performance of Tales from the Congo Basin on the afternoon of Fri 29 Oct at 2pm. This interactive session uses music and storytelling to gently explore climate change and its links to colonialism, race and migration.
Audience members will be encouraged to join in with the traditional songs including call and response, clapping, body percussion and hear music and stories from the region. Tickets are £5.
We’re hosting free drop-in workshops out around Manchester at Moss Side Powerhouse, Mon 25 Oct, 3-5pm; Central Library, Tue 26 Oct, 11am – 1pm and Longsight Library, Wed 27 Oct, 2pm – 4pm. Using the relaxed and rhythmic sounds of steelpans, these interactive artist-led sessions will transport you to the sunny Caribbean in a fun, musical and movement session.
Family Activities Online
Until Sun 31 Oct, you can access Storytime Sessions: The Discarded Oil Drum by Henry & Steel online, a bite-sized, audio play for all the family.
Join Steely the Steel Drum on his musical journey to discover the beauty of how he was made and what he was made from.
Parent and Baby Screening – The Outsiders: The Complete Novel
Looking for somewhere to visit with your baby? Our latest Parent and Baby Screening takes place on Thu 28 Oct at 11am, with the classic 1980s movie The Outsiders, featuring Patrick Swayze, Tom Cruise and Rob Lowe.
These events are designed for parents and carers with children under 12 months.
During our Parent and Baby Screenings we’ll make adjustments to the cinema environment to make it as convenient and comfortable for you and your baby. The sound will be at a lower volume and the lights in the cinema will be kept on throughout the screening at a dimmed level.
Visiting HOME
Our cafe bar team are able to provide high chairs and hot water for bottles on request. Baby changing facilities are available, and we have a kids menu option in our restaurant.
Other Family Events in Manchester
There are plenty of great places for families to visit and enjoy activities in Manchester. You can also check out visitmanchester.com/culture and browse all that the city has to offer.
Visit Castlefield Gallery to be transported to the CYBERJUNK universe and the planet Durt 1,000 years after the Quantum Crash; a botched experiment that saw the first humanoid quantum teleportation result in a disaster of apocalyptic scale.
Follow the Cat-themed Trail around Elizabeth Gaskell’s House with a series of toy cats to spot, each wearing an outfit made by the House’s team of volunteers. Get creepy crafting in the Servant’s Hall, with all the materials and creative guidance on hand for young visitors to make either a witch’s cat or a ghoulish ghost.
Running from Sat 23 – Sun 31 Oct, Story Seekers at IWM North will allow families to get hands on with real artefacts and learn about the global impact of conflict. Dig deeper into the museum’s collections and uncover the moving stories they tell, from people who braved shark-infested waters to ingenious nurses.
During the October school holidays, family visitors to Manchester Art Gallery will be able to pick up a Keep Curious Kit. This match box of activities will include a sketch book, pencil, photography filter and prompt cards to help connect families to artworks and ideas.
The newly reopened Manchester Jewish Museum has baking for children and adults alike on Sunday 31 October at 12.00 and 13.00. Bring a sprinkle of colour and pattern to your autumn with their Stained Glass Window Cookie Baking workshops, inspired by their beautiful synagogue windows. £6 full, £5 concessions, £4 children.
The National Football Museum hosts The Children’s Football Writing Festival on Thursday 28 October from 11.00 – 15.00, encouraging children to pick up a pen and transfer some of their football flair to paper.
At the People’s History Museum, The Migration Passport Trail invites children and their families to follow one of three trails around the gallery and step into the shoes of those who have migrated to the UK.
Look out for expert Explainers at Science Stops around the Science and Industry Museum, who are on hand to reveal some of the different ways we can see inside our bodies, from microscopes and magnets to high-tech cameras. Get creative with craft activities and make your own model of a cell to wear on a badge.
The Whitworth and City of Trees have teamed up for a Spooky Scavenger Hunt with City of Trees on Sat 30 Oct 12.00 – 14.00. Explore the park whilst solving a series of spooky clues or if you’re feeling creative you can grab some apples and paints and create a spooky scene! Suitable for ages up to 11 years old. Book your free place here