The Little Northerners

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The weather may be a mixed bag this summer, but our welcome is always sunny in Libraries! If you haven’t joined the Summer Reading Challenge already, what are you waiting for? You can sign up at your local library for free! We have lots of other activities to keep you busy including a Saturday Spectacular and the re-opening of Abraham Moss Library too! Head into nature with the Creatures of Cottonopolis guided nature trail

Heaton park, it’s possible to have a full day out here. There’s plenty of space to walk, two great children’s play areas, cafes, a tram museum, an animal centre (free), a boating lake and more. As well as letting the good vibes roll on the rink with roller boots to fit young and old, the StarWash experience has a fresh and funky photo booth to capture your star quality StarWash vibe – dang you look good! For art lovers, The Lowry in collaboration with publishers Macmillan Children’s Books and Scholastic, is hosting a new exhibition celebrating the acclaimed partnership between Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. The two have created some of the world’s best-loved and best-selling children’s books, including The Gruffalo, Zog, Room on the Broom, The Smeds and the Smoos, and most recently, The Baddies. Summer Daze at Trafford CentreFrom April to July 2023, Experitots will take place in Experiment, our family-friendly interactive gallery. Just head to Odeon and it’s there," she said. "For step-free, we enter the complex by Alex's Bakery, head past the sandpit towards Almost Famous GN, and go inside to take the lift up 1 level." From glitter-tastic face bling action and disco flashmob dances, to jive-talking banter, you never know what will be happening at the StarWash! Summer Daze is an ace day out featuring live music, an outdoor cinema, sport event live streams, a summer-themed funfair, a new outdoor food & entertainment hub, a beach, AND a splash park!

There are plenty of sensory experiences for toddlers in the Salford museum. They also have a nursery rhyme trail in the Victorian gallery. With other attractions nearby including the Science and Industry Museum, Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester Central Library and the People's History Museum, she added: "This is such a great location for a free play space and I wish every town had one." Welsh Ellie says: “People from Wales are much nicer, I feel like Londoners don’t really care about each other. Maybe it’s because there’s so many of them. And they always complain about the tube. I literally don’t care about your Oyster card.” The lookout area of The Lowry has an activity room and a small soft play area that can be used for free. They run activities in the week for under 5s including little creatives and baby playtime. Find out more and book a session here – Little Creatives | Workshops | The Lowry Manchester Museum A next-generation office and education campus spread over four buildings comprising 650,000 sq. ft of office and retail space, Republic is at the forefront of East London’s commercial and cultural regeneration. Brought on board by Trilogy Real Estate and fund manager LaSalle Investment Management, Workman’s role is to manage the property effectively, while also helping it become a part of the local community.Beyond The Music is a new global music conference and festival set to take place in Manchester. More dates here Lucy, from Hampshire, told me: “My boyfriend is a Londoner and you’d think he was born in Bethlehem the way he talks about the city. It’s like being born in South West makes you a Demi God. I’m not saying he’s not kind and funny and friendly and decent but dear god why do Londoners think their city is so great and that that by default makes them the leaders of the western civilisation? For more information or to book a free session, please visit here. Channel your inner-zen with Amphitheatre Yoga Sarah, who has two boys aged four and two, said it initially took her a while to find the place, but once you know where you're going 'it's actually really easy'. year-old Jen, from Leicestershire, says: “The London accent is just so grating, and everyone is so rude. No one thanks the bus drivers. Everyone is always rushing off to brunch or to work in the City, and they’re all hyper-trendy. Everything is about 20 times more expensive in London. I’m not entirely sure Londoners realise that there is a world outside London. The only redeeming feature of the Londoner is that they’re generally quite fit.”

It has developed strong ties with local schools, most recently working in conjunction with Solihull Council to run a competition where local schools were invited to create a flag for their chosen Commonwealth country made of entirely recycled material. The 16 flags then featured as a trail around the centre, with visitors answering quiz questions as they identified each flag. The centre has also fostered links with a local special needs school, with three students attending each week to do work experience. One has since been employed as part of the centre’s housekeeping team. Republic: collaborating with charities Looking to keep the kids entertained this summer whilst enjoying a meal out? Then head down to MOTLEY Manchester to enjoy their brand new Kids Cinema Club movie screenings, complete with complimentary popcorn for your minis throughout the school summer break. Z-Arts is a fantastic place to take young children. Did you know that they have a children’s library too with loads of free activities for under 5s? I have written a full guide to Z-Arts Manchester here. Ellie, 20, from Bridgend in Wales, says: “The thing about people from London is you always know they’re from London. It’s like a compulsion where they have to tell people.”

School’s out for summer, as Alice Cooper once said. That means six weeks to, ahem, enjoy with the kids. Lose yourself in a kaleidoscope of colours, neon floor and funky tunes as you zoom around the rink under the sparkling disco ball! To make the experience even sweeter, MOTLEY will treat kids to a portion of complimentary popcorn per showing, adding a touch of delight to the movie magic. Screenings will include much-loved Disney classics like Encanto and family favourites like Sing. Screenings will be shown in the plush and comfortable karaoke room from 2pm every Sunday, allowing parents to relax and enjoy a meal or drinks while the little ones are entertained.

The recently reopened Manchester Museum has some incredible exhibits mainly to do with animals and ancient history which little ones will find fascinating. Manchester Central Library Discover the wonder and delight of science at work whilst making memories with your favourite tiny people.Whether you are an experienced Yogi or you’re looking to improve your skills, the free sun-kissed outdoor Amphitheatre Yoga sessions are suitable for the whole family. With yoga mats provided, the Amphitheatre Yoga sessions take place every Sunday throughout August, between 11am – 11.45am. Although the sessions are free, places must be booked in advance. For more information or to book a space on the next session, please visit here Kids Cinema Club and eat free at MOTLEY Manchester