11 Dinosaur Days Out in the North West

My boy loves dinosaurs and for many years now we’ve been going on days out and trips to see them in museums and outdoors. The North West seems especially good for dinosaur days out. I’ve gathered a list of fun dino things to do in and around Manchester and the North West.

11 Dinosaur Days Out in the North West

Dino Falls Adventure Golf , Trafford Centre – with two courses and 36 holes of dinosaur-themed adventure, Dino Falls is a great place for dino dates, trips out with mates and families of all ages. Offering safe, outdoor fun for everyone, just book through their website https://www.dinofalls.co.uk/

Blackpool Zoo Dinosaur Safari – Come face to face with the terrifying t-rex, awesome pterodactyls and more than 30 other prehistoric creatures. The Dinosaur Safari at Blackpool Zoo will take you through four ages, with sound effects and thousands of plants and trees bring the prehistoric world vividly to life. Visit the website for more information

Dinosaur Days Out

Jurassic Cove Adventure Golf, Bents Garden Centre – The Jurassic Cove Adventure Golf course at Bents Garden & Home is nine holes of dinosaur excitement. Tucked away in a corner of the garden centre, out by the lake, the Jurassic Cove Adventure Golf is certain to appeal to all ages of dinosaur or crazy golf enthusiasts. To book, visit their website.

Cockfields Farm Park – Visit Jurassic Farm 2021, this new attraction at Cockfields Farm Park includes; meeting real life walking dinosaurs, the T-Rex, Velociraptor and Triceratops; dinosaur themed family stage shows; fossil excavation activities; panning for gems and gold; fossil making and handling sessions with the reptiles including snakes, lizards, tortoises and bugs. Visit the website for more information.

T-Rex Treks; Gullivers World – Journey on a Jurassic adventure and get up close to fearsome dinosaurs lurking deep within this Lost World. This one-hour experience is bookable now through their website.

Dinosaur Days Out

The Lymm Dinosaur – in the Cheshire town of Lymm, lurks the famous Lymm Dinosaur. The discovery of the chirotherium footprint at a Lymm Quarry in 1840 sparked some local dino fever. The dino footprint can be found near the lower dam in Lymm Village and there are some lovely local walks to help make a day of your visit.

Manchester Museum has a collection of around 100,000 fossils ranging from fossil algae from the dawn of life hundreds of millions of years ago. From ferns to Ice Age animals and dinosaurs. It’s a fantastic museum to visit for all kinds of reasons, but it’s well known for its excellent dino content and is one of my favourite dinosaur days out. For more information about what’s on, visit their website.

Love Exploring App – This app is free to download and use. There are many features including walks, audio guides and augmented reality games. Download the app and take part in a mini hunt in parks around Manchester and the North West.

Amazonia, Bolton – Deep in the heart of The Vaults at Market Place you will find Amazonia, Bolton’s finest adventure play area. Let your tribe run wild with a main play frame for ages 4 to 14 years. Not only this, but the Jungle express train will allow your tribe to ride through the valley. Don’t miss The Lost World which features some of your favourite dinos!

Dinosaur Days Out

World Museum, Liverpool – discover full size dinosaur skeletons and learn how these immense animals lived and died. Visit the Dino Diner display, which investigates dinosaur teeth, their food and even what they left behind as droppings! In the gallery are models of the very different dinosaurs which lived in the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, together with dinosaur bones, dinosaur droppings and rare dinosaur eggs. You can read about our visit here. For more information, visit the website.

Raptor Safari Dinosaur Park, Wilmslow – take a walk around the dinosaur safari park and experience dinosaurs from 65 million years ago. For more info, visit their website.

If you enjoyed this, you might like to read about these 15 farm days out in and around Manchester.

Have I missed any dinosaur days out? Do let me know in the comments box below.

11 Dinosaur Days Out in the North West

12 places to take Science mad kids in the North West

As the parent of a science mad child, we seem to spend a lot of our free time in science museums and visitors centres getting hands on with the sciences. As a result we’ve had some brilliant days out in our hometown of Manchester and across the North West. Today I’m sharing with you some of our favourite places to visit in the North West (and a little bit beyond) for science mad kids.

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12 places to take Science mad kids in the North West

Manchester Museum of Science and Industry

I can’t even contemplate writing about science in the north without mentioning the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry. It’s a huge and iconic site, you can pop in for a quick hour or very easily spend a whole day exploring, learning and getting hands on. They have a wide range of permanent and temporary exhibits as well as lots of hands on things to do.

They have a vast number of permanent displays including the Power Hall, Air and Space Hall, Textiles Gallery, Revolution Manchester and explore some artefacts from the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. Take a ride on one on the working steam trains along the track at the museum.

It’s such a great day out, slap-bang in the heart of Manchester City Centre. Find out what’s on at the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry on their website.

National Science and Media Museum, Bradford

The National Science and Media Museum, located in Bradford, West Yorkshire. The museum explores the science and culture of light and sound technologies and their impact on our lives. With the aim of inspiring the scientists and innovators of the future, it invites visitors to see more, hear more, think more and do more. It was previously the The National Museum of Photography, Film & Television and has its own cinema and lively collection of events. It was also the first place outside of London to show Soyuz TMA-19M – the space capsule that brought British astronaut Tim Peake back to Earth after his months-long stint on the International Space Station.

For more information, visit their website.

Catalyst Science Discovery Centre, Widnes

The Catalyst Science Discovery Centre is the only museum in the UK which explores the science and technology behind the chemical industry. Packed with lots of hands-on exhibits, activities and demonstrations it’s one of our favourite places to visit with our son. They have an ever-changing programme of hands on exhibits as well as a fabulous observatory, a “Scientrific” Gallery and the Alchemy Theatre & Catalytic Discovery Lab.

It’s a brilliant science-packed place to visit, we love it there! For more information about the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre, visit their website.

Jodrell Bank Observatory, Cheshire

Most people will recognise the Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire as the place where Stargazing Live is filmed. Jodrell Bank is owned and run by the University of Manchester and it is the home of the Lovell Telescope, the third largest steerable radio telescope in the world. It is open to the public and has a lovely new visitors centre as well as fantastic hands-on exhibits and gardens to explore, as well as the chance to have a look at the Lovell Telescope up close and personal.

You can read about our visit to Jodrell Bank Observatory here. For more information about Jodrell Bank Observatory visit their website.

Jodrell Bank science

Manchester Museum

Manchester Museum is such an iconic place to visit for Mancunian children. It has so many interesting things to explore and is packed full of science exhibits. There are lots of natural history exhibits, plus geology, archaeology, botany and Earth sciences to go and see. The big draws for us are Stan the reproduction cast of a fossilised Tyrannosaurus rex and upstairs the frog filled Vivarium, home to a large collection of endangered Costa Rican Frogs.

We visit Manchester Museum with almost alarming regularity. It’s a brilliant place to spend a few hours exploring and learning about all kinds of things. For more information about Manchester Museum, visit their website.

Eureka! The National Children’s Museum, Halifax

Eureka! is an interactive educational museum for children in Halifax, West Yorkshire, with a focus on learning through play. Ideal for children up to the age of 11, and a great day out in general. There are six unique zones to discover, each filled with hundreds of interactive exhibits designed to inspire enquiring minds to find out about themselves and the world around them. With a name like Eureka! you know there’s a heavy leaning towards science and discovery there too!

For more information, visit their website.

World Museum, Liverpool

The World Museum is home to exhibitions about space and time, as well as the natural and physical sciences. My son especially loved the Clore Natural History Centre, which is packed with geological finds, as well more than 20,000 of the most unusual and fascinating items from their huge natural science collections. You can get hands on with many of the exhibits, which is very exciting. Up on the fifth floor, you’ll find their space and time gallery, and they also have a planetarium where you can watch all kinds of spaced themed shows. Read about our visit here.

For more information, visit their website.

Visiting the World Museum, Liverpool

Magna Science Adventure Centre, Rotherham

Magna Science Adventure Centre is an educational visitor attraction, located in Rotherham’s former Templeborough steelworks. It’s a fantastic day out, packed with hands-on experiences and interactive exhibits. Explore the wonders of science and technology in the four pavilions – Air, Earth, Fire and Water.

Splash in water, work a real JCB, wow at the fire tornado and even explode a rock face! Magna is a coats-on experience set in the vast, former Templeborough steelworks. The awesome Big Melt Show brings the story of steelmaking to life. The fun continues outside with our huge adventure playground and summertime splash park.

For more information, visit their website.

The National Videogame Museum, Sheffield

The National Videogame Museum collects, preserves, exhibits and interprets videogames for everyone. It’s an incredible interactive museum dedicated to exploring the culture, playfulness, design and people behind videogames, as well as encouraging visitors to develop their own game-making abilities. A visit is a must for any aspiring gamer!

For more information, visit their website.

11 places to take Science mad kids in the North West

Eureka! Science + Discovery, Wallasey

New for 2022, Eureka! Science + Discovery in Wallasey brings together the interactive experience of Eureka! in Halifax with science and discovery centre innovation, created for children aged 7-14.

For more information, visit their website.

MathsCity, Leeds

MathsCity is the home of hands-on maths, located in the heart of Leeds. Climb inside a giant bubble or a kaleidoscope. Try their laser Ring of Fire. Meet the challenge of our fascinating puzzles. Explore and discover the wonderful and surprising world of mathematics at MathsCity with over twenty interactive exhibits. You can count on MathsCity to show you a good time!

For more information, visit their website.

A little bit further afield…

Xplore! Science Discovery Centre, North Wales

Xplore! Science Discovery centre is where science lives in North Wales. They are chock full of spellbinding science, incredible experiences, and it’s a chance for the whole family to get involved with science and to learn more about the world around us.

For more information, visit their website.

There are so many fantastic places to visit in the North West. Where are your favourite places to take the kids to learn about science?

12 places to take Science mad kids in the North West

Five things to do in Manchester in May Half Term

It only seems like five minutes since the kids when back to school after Easter and the May half term is just around the corner. It’s often hard to think of things to do to entertain the troops. Playdates and trips to the park always feature heavily, but it’s good to have a few bigger things in the diary too.

I’ve picked a few things to do in (and around) Manchester with the kids this May half term. We’ll definitely be popping along to some of these.

The Lost Carnival

If you’ve ever been to the Just So Festival, A Day at the Lake or event The Lost Carnival last year, you know that Wild Rumpus know how to put on an event. Last year we went to The Lost Carnival which was in Bury, this year you can experience an evening of wonder in Crewe, and trust me, it is an experience to remember for all the best reasons.

This year features a “Battle of the Carnivals” between the rival carnivals, The Ingenues and the Birds. Together they will meet for a thrilling evening of spellbinding theatre and enthralling installations, circus, music, visual trickery and sideshows galore. Last year was so good it gave me goosebumps and this year looks set to be even bigger and better!

The Lost Carnival will take place on May 28/29/30 (4-9.30pm) at Queen’s Park, Crewe, Cheshire CW2 7SE. Early Bird tickets cost £10 per ticket. Under 3s go free. Carnival goers should dress for the weather, and wear sturdy shoes.

LEGOLAND Discovery Centre & SEA LIFE Manchester

Over the May half term, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre and SEA LIFE Manchester at the Trafford Centre will have lots to entertain families come rain or shine. better still, guests only have to buy one ticket and will have the freedom to explore two brilliant attractions!

In the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre visit the brand new play area, City Builder. Visitors can create their own buildings and structures in the City Builder zone. The only limit is your imagination!

For movie enthusiasts, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre has another new 4D movie starring the LEGO Nexo Knights. Experience this fantastic new 4D film with all the elements – wind, water and smoke – bringing the battle to life all around the cinema.

May Half Term

Down at SEA LIFE Manchester, families can dive deep to the fascinating world of new exhibition, Octopus Hideout and spot the star of the show, the Giant Pacific Octopus called Hank and his Cephalopod friends. A visit to SEA LIFE is always a fascinating, fun and educational day out.

For more information and to buy tickets, visit the LEGOLAND website and the SEA LIFE website.

Roald Dahl’s Tremendous Adventures at Tatton Park

From Easter until the end of 2016, Tatton Park is is bringing Roald Dahl’s imagination to life, with a host of children’s trails and events for all the family. Join Danny the Champion of the World in the gardens, Fantastic Mr Fox at the farm and Matilda in the mansion and you’ve got to be careful of The Enormous Crocodile out in the parkland!

We’ve already visited and explored the farm at Tatton Park where we found Fantastic Mr Fox, and we’ll be visiting again over half term to explore some of the other fabulous Roald Dahl goings on. You can read the full preview of the Roald Dahl adventures at Tatton Park here.

May half term

GeronimO Festival at Tatton Park

The Geronimo Festival is on at Tatton Park (May 29th and 30th) and will feature CBeebies star live shows, a full circus, 3 theatre companies, amazing bands, a full county fair arena including jousting, sheep shearing, motorcycle displays, funfair rides, tortoise encounters, spy school den building and 100 other amazing activities.

This year CBeebies megastar Justin Fletcher will be there, as well as Mr Bloom, presenters Andy Day and Alex Winters and Cook and Line from Swashbuckle. As well as Les Enfants Terrible who present their Imaginary Menagerie. We’ve seen this show before and it is fantastic, so we won’t be missing that particular festival highlight! You can read my preview here.

What else?

Manchester is a lively, vibrant city full of museums, art galleries, things to see, do and explore. Just a short drive out fo the city you have a wealth of unspoilt countryside and fresh air to fill your lungs with.

If the weather is decent then you could visit and explore outdoors at Dunham Massey, Lyme Park, Delemere Forest or Quarry Bank Mill. There’s Manchester Museum to explore; the Museum of Science and Industry, The Police Museum, Manchester Airport Viewing Park, Stockport Hat Museum, the air-raid shelters; as well as Wythenshawe Community Farm and the utterly fantastic Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire.

There’s lots to do this May half term, do you have any interesting ideas for things to do during May half term?