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. Easter Fun at Red House Farm (Friday 3rd April to Friday 17th April)
Red House Farm is a local gem to keep the kids entertained. Located in the beautiful surroundings of the Dunham Massey countryside and with plenty of parking, there’s a lovely range of activities available. There’s also an excellent cafe serving fresh, tasty food as well as a great farm shop. It’s a really fun and relaxed place to take the kids with plenty of picnic benches scattered around the grassy area so you can sit and enjoy a coffee and a cake whilst watching your children playing.
This Easter, Red House Farm has all its usual favourites lined up including the barrel train, bouncy castle, big inflatable slide, balloon typhoon, gem mine and climbing wall (weather permitting). There’s no need to book, just turn up between 10am and 4pm to join in the fun.
Each child can collect an Easter hunt form – they just need to look out for all the Easter-themed signs hidden around the courtyard. Once they’ve completed the form, they can return it to the desk for a prize.
The event is open every day throughout the Easter holidays – you don’t need to book, just turn up and pay in the Farm Shop. Entrance grants access to all the activities for the rest of the day. The Easter events are best suited for little ones up to around eight years old. The entrance over Easter is £6.95 per child but there’s no charge for adults and little ones aged two and under.
Open: 10am-4pm. Red House Farm, Red House Lane, Dunham Massey, Altrincham WA14 5RL. Please note the event is not open on the weekend of 18th and 19th April.
2. Hop Along to Easter Story Time at Tatton Park (until Sunday 19th April)
If you visit Tatton Park during the Easter holidays you may well see a flash of gold bunny ears or hear the gentle tinkle of a bell as the Lindt Gold Bunny joins in once again with this year’s enchanting Story Time theme.
A magical journey through the world of the Brothers Grimm awaits in the gardens and spring will most certainly have arrived at the farm with the likely arrival of their first lambs to join the Lindt Gold Bunny. There’s a new resident in the woods this year – THE BEASTIE – and the farm animals need help to get their honey without waking him!
Visitors to the mansion are invited to come dressed up as pirate Long John Silver and go searching for the Lindt bunny amongst Tatton’s treasure.
And there’s plenty more Story Time magic, laughter and fun in the Stableyard during the Easter weekend where Poz the magician will dazzle with his repertoire of magic shows and one of the North’s best loved entertainers, Mr Bimbamboozle, will be topping up the fun with Punch and Judy puppet theatre.
For more of whats on over Easter at Tatton look here.
3. Easter Fun Day at Altrincham’s Silver Blades Ice Rink (Wednesday 8th April)
Silver Blades Ice Rink in Altrincham is a great place to enjoy a fun day over the holidays, especially if the weather isn’t kind to us! On Wednesday, Silver Blades is holding a Easter Fun Day with lots of activities to keep the kids busy. You can skate all day for just £4 and there will also be FREE learn to skate taster sessions, face painting, toys on and off the ice and an Easter Egg Hunt! It’s best to pre-book your tickets online at www.silver-blades.co.uk.
Silver Blades Ice Rink, Oakfield Road, Altrincham, WA15 8EW
4. Go Wonkers this Easter at Lowry Outlet (Friday 3rd April to Monday 6th April)
This Easter weekend, The Lowry Outlet at MediaCityUK will host four days of family-friendly fun with its Chocomania event at the Outlet shopping and leisure complex.
Across the four-day event, children and parents are invited to immerse themselves into a chocolate-fuelled fantasy world, featuring an interactive Chocolate Factory experience with creative décor and effects and free stage shows for all to enjoy.
Children will get the opportunity to pose for photos with characters inspired by Willy Wonka and his Oompa Loompas in the Chocolate Factory! In addition, families can enjoy the twists, turns and thrills on the 50ft high traditional lighthouse Helter Skelter which will be erected outside of the centre (a small charge applies).
Lowry Outlet, The Quays, Salford Quays, M50 3AH
5. East Lancashire Railway (Wednesday 8th April)
Come and see everyone’s favourite bear, Paddington, as he visits the East Lancashire Railway for the first time on Wednesday 8th April. Join in with all the fun including craft activities, a best-dressed bear competition, up-the-line treasure hunt and of course meet Paddington at intervals throughout the day.
Tickets include unlimited travel and access to Bury Transport Museum. For more details on this one day only event look here.
Visit the East Lancashire Railway’s website for more information and to take advantage of a 10% discount on tickets bought online here.
East Lancashire Railway, Bolton Street, Bury, Lancashire BL9 0EY
