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A place to share creative things to do for 0-5s in Manchester: Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester Museum and Whitworth Art Gallery.

To find out more about what we do for families check out the following links:

Manchester Art Gallery
http://manchesterartgallery.org/learn/families/

Manchester Museum
http://www.museum.manchester.ac.uk/learn/

Whitworth Art Gallery
http://www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk/learn/earlyyears/

28/09/2026

Could you and your baby do with a change of scene this week.
We'd love to welcome you to Art Baby, a perfect trip out with your baby. 👶

Art Baby
Friday 2 October
10.30am–2.30pm
Free | Drop-in | No need to book
The Whitworth Art Gallery

Join us for the first Art Baby session of the new term.

Whether you're visiting the Whitworth for the very first time or returning for another Friday of sensory play, we're here to welcome you and your baby.

Art Baby is a calm, friendly space designed especially for non-walking babies and their grown-ups. We'll have our beautiful collection of sensory objects available to explore together, alongside plenty of room to relax, connect and enjoy time with your baby at your own pace.

There's no structure, no pressure and no set start time. We know that getting out of the house with a baby isn't always straightforward, so we've made Art Baby completely flexible. Drop in anytime between 10.30am and 2.30pm and stay for as little or as long as you like.

If your baby is asleep when you arrive, take some time for yourself. Explore our exhibitions, wander through Whitworth Park, browse the shop, or enjoy a drink in our café amongst the trees before joining in when you're ready.

👶 Free and drop-in - no booking required

🚼 A spacious Family Toilet with room for your buggy

🛺 Plenty of buggy parking

🧷 Spare nappies and wipes available if needed

☕ Café, shop, exhibitions and park all on site

🌳 A calm, welcoming environment where you can take things at your own pace

Many parents and carers tell us that a visit to the Whitworth leaves them feeling refreshed, connected and restored. If you've been thinking about visiting but haven't quite made it yet, this is a lovely place to start.

📍 The Whitworth is on Oxford Road in Manchester, opposite the MRI. Find travel information on the Whitworth website.

We look forward to welcoming both familiar faces and new families for the start of a new season of Art Baby. 💛

21/09/2026

🍂 October Play Dates at the Whitworth 🎨

Looking for free family activities this October?
Join us for a month of creative play, outdoor adventures and sensory experiences for babies, children and their grown-ups. Whether you're exploring the gallery for the first time or returning for a favourite session, there's plenty to discover this autumn.

✨ Art Baby

Friday 2 October | Free, drop-in | 10:30am–2:30pm

Sensory play sessions in the beautiful surroundings of the gallery, specially designed for non-walking babies and their grown-ups. Explore textures, sounds and calming scents together in a relaxed and welcoming environment.

🌿 Eco-Art

Saturday 3 October | Free, booking required | 1–3pm

A playful outdoor art workshop for children aged 7–12. Young people are invited to slow down, look closely and reconnect with the natural world through creative activities inspired by the environment around them.

🛠️ PLAY Days

Friday 9 October | Free, drop-in | 10:30am–2:30pm

Our much-loved open-ended play sessions for under-fives and their families. The gallery is transformed with tubes, pipes, boxes, crates, tyres and loose parts, creating endless opportunities for imaginative play and exploration.

🍁 Outdoor Art Club

Saturday 17 October | Free, drop-in | 10:30am–1:30pm

Play-based outdoor workshops for the whole family, especially brilliant for children aged two to eight. Expect nature-inspired activities, creative challenges and plenty of opportunities for free play.

🌈 Sensory Mornings

Sunday 25 October | Free, drop-in | 10:30am–12:30pm

A quieter and calmer play session designed for families with additional needs. Enjoy open-ended play in a supportive environment, with space to explore at your own pace.

We can't wait to welcome you to the Whitworth this autumn.

For more info visit the Whitworth website or Whitworth Families bio

08/09/2026

What an amazing summer we’ve had.
Thank you to everyone who came along, played, made, explored and spent time with us at the Whitworth.

We’re taking a little breather, but we’ll be back in October with a brilliant new programme of free activities for babies through to teens.

Here’s what’s coming up this term:

Art Baby
Sensory play sessions in the beautiful surroundings of the gallery, especially for non-walking babies and their grown-ups.
Free, drop-in: 10:30am–2:30pm
Dates: 2 October, 6 November, 4 December

PLAY Days
Open-ended play sessions for under-fives and their families, with the gallery full of tubes, pipes, boxes, crates, tyres and more.
Free, drop-in: 10:30am–2:30pm
Dates: 9 October, 13 November, 11 December

Outdoor Art Club
Play-based outdoor workshops for all the family, especially brilliant for two to eight-year-olds, encouraging children to play freely while exploring nature.
Free, drop-in: 10:30am–1:30pm
Dates: 17 October, 21 November, 19 December

Sensory Mornings
Quiet and calm open-ended play sessions for families with additional needs.
Free, drop-in: 10:30am–12:30pm
Dates: 25 October, 29 November

Eco-Art
A playful and inspiring outdoor art workshop for children aged 7–12, inviting young people to slow down, look closely and reconnect with the natural world around them.
Free, book through website: 1–3pm
Dates: 3 October, 7 November and 5 December

School Holidays: October Half Term
Save these dates in your diaries for Japanese inspired activities linked to Beneath the Great Wave exhibition currently on display.
Dates: Wednesday 28 & Thursday 29 October
More info coming soon 👀

Keep an eye on our website and Whitworth Families for more details. Link to website in our bio.

03/09/2026

Upcoming events | The Labour of Care

Join us the Whitworth this October for two events connected to The Labour of Care, an exhibition shaped by the experiences of midwives and maternity healthcare professionals.

Care-led Co-Creation
Friday 23 October, 11am–3pm
A generous day of shared learning, conversation and creative activity with the Still Care project team, participants, artists and partners. Together, we’ll explore what it means to work with care in participatory and co-created practice.

Hear lively contributions from those involved in the project including Project Producer, Lucy Turner Whitworth Still Parents, Project Curator , Project Partner , Evaluator Dena Bagi, Project Counsellor The Counsellor Midwife as well as participants and artists.

Midwifery Today
Saturday 24 October, 2–4pm
A thoughtful panel discussion hosted by NHS midwife, activist and bestselling author Leah Hazard, exploring the realities, pressures and possibilities of midwifery today.

Both events are open to anyone interested in care, creativity, womens health, maternity services, co-creation, lived experience and socially engaged practice.

Book your place through the link in the Whitworth Still Parents bio.

25/08/2026

Only 3 days left of this year's PLAYTIME!!!

If you've run out of ideas (and money!) and you're looking for something to do with the kids this week then come along for a day at the Whitworth.

We know how expensive the holidays get so we've made sure we have enough activities to fill a full day and all for FREE. You can even bring a picnic and eat it in our Art Garden or in our Living Room if the weather is wet.

As well as our activities there are 12 galleries to explore, workd-class art to see, a playground, a park, a shop and a cafe.

Make sure you join us on Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays to create, play, stitch, weave, build and explore across the Gallery and gardens. 🧵🌿

PLAYTIME is free, drop-in and open to everyone, with activities on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 1-4pm, unless otherwise stated. ✨

🧵 Stitch School - Wed, Thu, Fri, 1-4pm
Take a seat at our shared embroidery table and add your stitch to a growing artwork.

🌈 Weaving Studio - Wed, Thu, Fri, 1-4pm
Add ribbons and threads to our giant loom and help create a colourful collective piece.

🌿 PLAY Garden - Wed, Thu, Fri, 1-4pm
Step outside to build, explore and imagine as you bring the artworks around the Gallery to life through play.

🎨 Everyday Art School - Tue-Sun, 10am-5pm
Enjoy our loose parts play area, Whitworth Minecraft arcade machines, and time to sketch, draw and explore.

All activities are free and drop-in. For more information visit www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk

You can find us on Oxford Road, opposite the MRi. Postcode M15 6ER. All travel information can be found on our website.

*This year’s PLAYTIME activities are inspired by the exhibition Hyundai Translocal Series: Entangled and Woven. The exhibition is co-organised with the Cheongju Craft Biennale 2025, in collaboration with the National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy, and presented in partnership with Hyundai Motor Company.

19/08/2026

Have you joined us for PLAYTIME yet?

Today is the first day of our penultimate week so don't miss out.

We know how expensive the holidays get so we've made sure we have enough activities to fill a full day and all for FREE. You can even bring a picnic and eat it in our Art Garden or in our Living Room if the weather is wet.

As well as our activities there are 12 galleries to explore, workd-class art to see, a playground, a park, a shop and a cafe.

Make sure you join us on Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays to create, play, stitch, weave, build and explore across the Gallery and gardens. 🧵🌿

PLAYTIME is free, drop-in and open to everyone, with activities on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 1-4pm, unless otherwise stated. ✨

🧵 Stitch School - Wed, Thu, Fri, 1-4pm
Take a seat at our shared embroidery table and add your stitch to a growing artwork.

🌈 Weaving Studio - Wed, Thu, Fri, 1-4pm
Add ribbons and threads to our giant loom and help create a colourful collective piece.

🌿 PLAY Garden - Wed, Thu, Fri, 1-4pm
Step outside to build, explore and imagine as you bring the artworks around the Gallery to life through play.

🎨 Everyday Art School - Tue-Sun, 10am-5pm
Enjoy our loose parts play area, Whitworth Minecraft arcade machines, and time to sketch, draw and explore.

All activities are free and drop-in. For more information visit www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk

You can find us on Oxford Road, opposite the MRi. Postcode M15 6ER. All travel information can be found on our website.

*This year’s PLAYTIME activities are inspired by the exhibition Hyundai Translocal Series: Entangled and Woven. The exhibition is co-organised with the Cheongju Craft Biennale 2025, in collaboration with the National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy, and presented in partnership with Hyundai Motor Company.

14/08/2026

Today is another special day - it's Grandparents Day!

Our age-friendly group will be running creative activities alongside our usual PLAYTIME activities so there's soooo much to do.

Drop in Friday 14 August anytime between 1pm and 4pm to join in.

You don't have to be a Grandparent to join in though- everyone is welcome.

08/08/2026

It's Baby Day!

1-4pm
Free | Drop-in | no need to book
Grand Hall
The Whitworth Art Gallery

Join us in the gorgeous, calming surroundings of our Grand Hall for this extra special day dedicated to you and your babies 👶

We'll have our beautiful collection of sensory objects out that are created especially for non-walking babies and their grown-ups to explore together.

Baby Day offers a calm, welcoming, restful space for babies and carers to spend time together through sensory play.

There's no structure to these sessions making them stress-free.

⏰ We know, from our own experiences of having babies, that it is hard to get out of the house on time with a baby. Whether it's a poo-nami just as you're setting off or multiple stops to feed on the way! We’ve made things easier by having no start time and a giant 3 hour window of play so you never feel like you're late or missing out.

You can drop in to this special session anytime between 1pm and 4pm and stay for as little or as long as you like. So, if your baby is asleep when you arrive, take some time for you. Have a wander round our world-class exhibitions, our park or have a calm cuppa in our cafe in the trees. No pressure to join in until you and your baby are ready.

🆓 There’s no need to book & it’s absolutely free to attend.

🚾 A Family Toilet with space to take your buggy in (these are the little things that are important)

🛺 There's loads of space to park your buggies.

🧷 We’ve got spare nappies & wipes should you need (we've all been there!)

🖼️ There's great art, a beautiful cafe, a gorgeous shop and a park for a walk too.

☁️ Many of our parents tell us they feel renewed and restored after a visit. The Whitworth really is a special place and if you've not visited us yet then give us a try.

🌳 The Whitworth is on Oxford Rd in Manchester, opposite the MRI. For travel guidance visit the Whitworth's website.

This is just for non-walking babies. If you have toddlers or older children then PLAYTIME is for you - Wed Thur and Fri 1-4pm throughout the summer holidays.

Thanks to Sarah Evelyn Marsh for creating our beautiful sensory baby collection & Lucy Sugden-Smith & for the great photos.

05/08/2026

Wednesday 5 August is National Play Day 🥳

Not only do we have our usual PLAYTIME activities taking place outdoors and around the gallery but we have EVEN MORE.

As well as Stitch School in Gallery 3, Weaving Studio in the Clore Garden Studio and PLAY Garden in the Art Garden....

WE ALSO HAVE South Korean dancing 11-11:45am and 2-2:45pm and South Asian Dancing at 12-12:45pm and 1-1:45pm.

There's literally nowhere better to spend National Play Day than the Whitworth Art Gallery today.

The gallery is jam packed with stunning artworks, there's also a beautiful cafe in the trees, a great shop and a gorgeous park and playground for even more play.

You can easily spend a whole day here and the best bit... entry to the gallery and all activities are completely FREE.

There's no need to book, just drop in anytime between 11am and 3pm.

30/07/2026

Some little moments from PLAYTIME so far - full of colour, stitching, weaving, building, imagining and families making the gallery their own. It’s been lovely to see so many hands adding to the growing artworks and exploring the spaces together.

PLAYTIME continues throughout the summer holidays, with free family activities inspired by the Hyundai Translocal Series: Entangled and Woven exhibition.

Join us Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 1–4pm, to take part in Stitch School, add to our giant loom in the Weaving Studio, play outdoors in the PLAY Garden, and explore Everyday Art School during gallery opening hours.

There are also special events still to come, including National Play Day, Grandparents Day, Baby Day and Sensory Day. Find the full programme via the link in bio.

Thanks to for the gorgeous pics 📸

TheWhitworth

Address

Oxford Road
Manchester
M15 6ER

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