Things to do in Manchester to entertain a 4yr old?

My little girl is 4 in a few weeks and we were considering a day out in Manchester. What things can anyone suggest we could do?
I was thinking a trip to science museum and then perhaps the cinema in the afternoon. But am I missing anything/something that she might enjoy more?

A train ride out to the Yorkshire dales would be nice!! 😉

Recommend the science museum, can’t help much more though

Legoland discovery centre if you are very bored/rich/easily pleased?

Legoland discovery centre

Waste of money; overpriced and only limited entertainment value.

Museum of Science and Industry is brilliant.

Museum of Science and Industry is brilliant.

+1. It is indeed. Theres loads of interactive stuff for the kids to muck around with. Have a look whats on at the Lowry too. They often have kids stuff on in the galleries there too. The City art gallery also have classes on, making stuff on at weekends and during the school holidays.

MOSI every time

Kid will love it and so will you

Legoland my kids enjoyed but i was massively underwhelmed and it was pretty pricey for what it was and you will spend 1/4 time there as you will at MOSI

ScottChegg – thanks for reinforcing my point. 😉

Your point was way too nuanced for me 😉

I did miss it actually 😳

MOSI and/or the steam train from Bury. My 4yr old (lad) was over the moon.

He was over the moon with the short steam train ride at MOSI too though and he gets over the moon at nicking one of my favourite yoghurts …easy to please.

Another vote for MOSI and the T-Rex in the Manchester Museum is good.

The Chew Valley is great for a kid-friendly bike ride (but has a very keen parking warden)

I was looking in to taking my girl to the Chill Factore on Saturday as she’s never seen snow.

£40, for an hour?!

Sounds lie we might be off to the MOSI as well at this rate

Sealife centre is on the small side but should keep a 4 yr old entertained for a while + there’s a soft play area towards the end

Sit in Wetherspoons in Piccadilly for a bit, surveying the pool of human misery. Anything would seem brilliant after that 😀

even death

Another vote for MOSI.

We were there (again) over Christmas.

There will be various shows on for kids, you can get a timetable from the information desk at the entrance. Also there is a big indoor picnic area if you want to take a packed lunch.

My kids (5 & 7) liked the shows, running round the sewers and the hands-on experiment stuff.

For the grown ups there is an interesting exhibition of 3D printing and at the moment there is a display of bikes in the old station.

My kids (5 & 7) liked the shows, running round the sewers and the hands-on experiment stuff.

Yours too Harry? What is it about the sewers? My two (7 and 10) would happily spend all day running around down there. Kids are weird!

We will be getting the train up from stoke so we will be sampling the delights of Picadilly. Science museum it is then! and then maybe see what’s on at the Imax.

Sewers- how/where?

http://www.mosi.org.uk/explore-mosi/explore-galleries/underground-manchester-gallery.aspx

Legoland my kids enjoyed but i was massively underwhelmed

The OP’s question was what will my kid enjoy.

another vote for MOSI – the plane hall is ace because they get to stand next to a real plane which you probably have never done if you’re 4years old

tip – there is a free bus service that runs round manchester city centre which is great for getting a tired child from one end of town to another
metroshuttle
purple one doesn’t run on Sundays

Legoland is horrific. Small, expensive and packed out.

MOSI again, I’ll be there again with some kids in few weeks.

MOSI again and try to take them on the simulator in the flight hall.

Sewers are good and the kids’ bit upstairs.

unless you see something specifically on the IMAX at the printworks, there is the AMC cinema close to mosi
there is also a really nice tapas bar on deansgate that sells nice wine by the glass 🙂 – and a ludicrously expensive bike shop for looking at shiny stuff

Sports direct? They have some ‘muddy fox’ gear in! 😡

really nice tapas bar on deansgate

Dimitris? Evuna?

El Rincon is better than both the above.

The OP’s question was what will my kid enjoy.

What things can anyone suggest we could do?

Yes it was just about that , forgive my error there and I cannot believe how unhelpful i was and how helpful you were.

You’re more than welcome.

Good boozer across from MOSI too should you fancy a spot of lunch

The Ox always smells of sick when I go in… or it could just be me.

Has the Ox’s Council cleanliness rating now improved? It was 1/5 last time I checked (couple of years ago). Seriously.

The Manchester Museum at the Uni is also pretty good for young-uns – it has mummies (the Egyptian kind), stuffed exotic animals and some live ones too.

My kids were too scared to go through the sewers at MOSI. And they were 8 at the time. 🙄

my kids were too scared to go through the sewers at MOSI

Its not the same since they stopped pumping out the accompanying sewage smell, same for the Gas light bit where they never seem to have the various gas lights lit any more showing off the different ‘mantles’,
Still a great place to visit though.

MOSI, ride behind the replica of Stevenson’s Planet locomotive, and the Manchester Museum for Stan the T_Rex, skeleton.

Off to MOSI this aft then the Kings Arms. Must be a dream aft for you too Binners 😀