Steph Smith, who manages the Hale, Altrincham and Sale area for Mums in the Know, chooses five great things to do with the kids over the next week.
1. Altrincham’s Easter Egg Trail (March 30th to April 11th)
Families are invited to ‘hop on down’ to Altrincham this Easter for Altrincham Forward’s free Easter Egg Trail around the town centre.
Activity sheets can be picked up from Altrincham Library from Monday 30th March until Saturday 11th April to lead participants on a fun Easter trail, spotting hidden Easter eggs and collecting chocolate treats along the way. All those completing the trail will be entered into a draw to win family tickets from Altrincham’s Vue Cinema.
2. Breakfast with the Easter Bunny at Wyevale Garden Centre
The Easter Bunny will be hosting a very special breakfast with an Easter biscuit for children to decorate, a Lindt chocolate treat, and a cuddly toy. This is a lovely event and tends to get booked up so make sure you book online. For prices and to book click here. Each session lasts for approximately 90 minutes and is best suited to children between two and 10 years old.
Dates: March 28th, April 1st and 2nd. Address: Green Lane, Timperley, WA15 8QP
3. Alt. Festival of Food at Market House (Saturday March 28th and Sunday March 29th)
There are some fab things for kids on Sat and Sunday morning at the Alt. Festival of Food & Drink, all centred around food! At 11am Jeremy Jackson, former Shap organic dairyman, cheese producer, award winning butter maker, world cheese awards judge, Alty market trader and proprietor of Winter Tarn Farm will be running a butter-making workshop where kids and kidults can find out how to make their own version of the butter that graces the tables of Simon Rogan’s Michelin-starred L’Enclume, now London’s Claridges restaurant and always at Alty Market!
At 11.30 Altrincham’s own Claire Burt, owner of multi-award-winning Burt’s Cheese, winner of Observer Food Monthly’s Producer of the Year in 2013, will be showing families about curds and whey and what goes in to making her very special Burt’s Blue, Drunken Burt and her new vine-wrapped cheese.
At 12pm Market House’s own Richard Carver from Honest Crust will run a pizza-making demo giving kids not only a chance to throw their own pizza but see it cooked on the mobile pizza oven where Rich started his career from.
In addition members of the Halle, Manchester Camerata and other amazing local orchestras will be rehearsing in advance of serenading diners at the Aiden Byrne-curated Sunday Supper in Market House. They will be in Altrincham Forward’s office on Shaw’s Road from 3pm Sunday, rehearsing and ‘busking’ in aid of Oxfam.
Altrincham Market, Greenwood Street
4. Skills Sunday (Sunday 29th March) and Let’s Play Toddler at The National Football Museum (Monday 30th March)
Skills Sunday sessions are a great opportunity for kids to learn fun footy skills with professional coaches from Halton Street Soccer & Futsal CIC. Sessions start at 12:00 and 13:00 and last 30 minutes. Booking for upcoming sessions at Eventbrite booking ends Friday before the sessions start. To book after this or check remaining availability please call 0161 605 8200.
Younger children can now enjoy the National Football Museum’s new toddler sessions which involve physical activity and imaginative movement with songs and take place fortnightly on Mondays at 10.30am.
These classes are suitable for toddlers who are confident at walking and the cost is £3 per child. Booking is advised – call 0161 8718 145 or email learning@nationalfootballmuseum.com to reserve a place. Sessions will take place either in the Discovery Zone on Level 2, or our Learning Zone on Level 4. Just check with staff on arrival.
Skills Sunday, 12-1pm on Sunday 29th March and Let’s Play Toddler at The National Football Museum, 10.30am-11.30am on Monday 30th March
5. Ramsbottom Chocolate Festival (Saturday 28th March and Sunday 29th March)
The eighth chocolate festival takes place this weekend and it’s a must for chocoholics! There’s a chocolate themed market on Bridge St running from 10am-4pm and there will be plenty for the family to enjoy around St Paul’s Church Gardens including a giant bouncy castle, the chance for kids to make their own Easter lollipop at the mini chocolate factory, face painting and glitter tattoos, a raffle stall with fantastic prizes to be won and of course lots of great food and drinks.
There will also be hot food stalls on Square St and on Sunday, Ramsbottom Rotary will be releasing 500 ducks into the Irwell at 1pm and 3pm on Sunday. At 2pm there will be a Boat Race where you can bring along your own handcrafted boats made from recycled materials. Click here for more info.
