Out and About – August

Family Film Festival
Friday 30 July – Sunday 15 August

The Family Friendly Film Festival is packed full of events and activities perfect for keeping your little monsters entertained during the holidays. From the best in children’s cinema from across the globe, to special events and workshops, the festival is the only place to be every summer.

Various locations across Manchester, Bolton and Stockport. Please visit familyfriendlyfilmfestival for more information. Suitable for all ages.

Bugs Walk at Dunham Massey
Thursday 5 August, 11am, 1pm and 3pm

Join the park experts and discover the creepy crawlies living in the magnificent 300 acre park. Walks last about 45 minutes. Sturdy footwear is recommended.

Dunham Massey, Altrincham,Cheshire, WA14 4SJ, www.nationaltrust.org.ukSuitable for ages 5 upwards. No booking require. Normal admission charges apply.

Eat My Hat at Hat Works
Friday 13 August, 10.30am-12 noon and 1pm-2.30pm

The hats in the decade parade exhibition were inspired by a local market place and many of them reflect the various food delicacies sold at a market. Can you make a hat good enough to eat? Come and create with edible materials and make a hat that will taste as good as it looks. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Hat Works, Wellington Mill,Wellington Rd,South,StockportSK30EU, www.hatworks.org.uk

Suitable for ages 5-11, Booking Essential - Call 0161 355 7770, £3.50 per person, Leisure Key £3 per person.

See you soon animals at Manchester Museum
Now until Friday 27 August, 11am-4pm

This summer is your last chance to see the stuffed animals until they reappear in their amazing new home in spring 2011. Looking at issues such as habitat loss, extinction and climate change, their new Living Planet gallery will reveal how we are all part of the natural world and how we can make a positive difference. Wish our animals well on their journey, build a rainforest for our tiger and much more.

Manchester Museum, 250 Oxford Road, M13 9PP, www.museum.manchester.ac.uk, 0161 275 2634. Suitable for all ages. Most activities are free and drop-in. Some activities may need to be booked on the day and may cost up to £1.50.

Art Zone – Colour Crazy at The Lowry
Now until Monday 30 August, 12pm-3pm

Brighten up your summer holidays by exploring all the colours of the rainbow. Using fun materials and creative crafts you’ll have the chance to stretch your imagination and make bright and brilliant works of art to take home and enjoy. Each week a different colour will be the inspiration, so you can go back as often as you like.

The Lowry, Pier 8, Salford Quays, M50 3AZ, www.thelowry.com, 0843 208 6000. Suitable for all ages. Drop in– no booking required, Free. For more information please visit the website.

Fun Dog Show, Tatton Park
Sunday 15 August, 12-5pm, last entry 4pm

Ten novelty classes including saddest eyes, waggiest tail and scruffiest dog. Fun agility. Try it if you are fit enough. Show champion trophy to be won and rosettes to sixth place. £1 entrance fee per class plus normal entrance charges.

Tatton Park and the Old Hall, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 6QN, www.tattonpark.org.uk,Adult £4.50, child £2.50 (5-15years) Normal park entry charge applies.

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, Stockport Art Gallery
Tuesday 31 August, 10-11am, 11.30-12.30pm or 2-3pm

Join Tell Tale Hearts Children's Theatre Company for this fun filled family activity where you will work together to bring the story 'Going on a Bear Hunt' to life through drama, movement and creative play.

Stockport Art Gallery, Wellington Road South, Stockport, SK3 8AB. www.stockport.gov.uk.

Suitable for children aged 5-7years. Booking is essential please call 0161 474 4453 to book. Free.

Family Film Club at Spinningfields
Now until Saturday 28 August, 11am

Spinningfields is hosting a family extravaganza this summer as part of their free Screenfields season. Their brand new family film club will run on Saturdays. Films include Madagascar, Up, Fantastic Mr Fox and High School Musical. More information is available on www.spinningfieldsonline.com. Free.

Monster Thursdays at Manchester Art Gallery
Thursday 5 and Thursday 12 August , 12pm-4pm

Play music, write poems and make a costume. Little ones can make monster music while older children create spine-chilling rhymes in our performance workshops. Make a monster costume to take home and you can turn into a something scary whenever you want. Even if you can’t make it to one of the costume-making workshops, why not bring your own costume (superhero, princess, monster, anything you like) to wear on your hero quest around the gallery?

Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley Street, M3 3JL, www.manchestergalleries.org, 0161 235 8888. Suitable for families with children of any age. No need to book but can sign-up for places on this workshop from 12.30 on the day. Free.

Shipshape Summer at Imperial War Museum North
Now until 1 September, 1-4pm

Shipshape Summer is packed with family fun – from craft to theatrical performances. Get creative in the special craft sessions. Make your own pop-up character, whether it is Simon the ship’s cat or your own sailor. Decorate your own wind-up clockwork character. A ship's mascot or a sailor? You decide Ship Shape Paper modelling. Get a feel for historic naval items in the object handling sessions. Watch dramatic films and footage from Imperial War Museum’s Archive. Follow the trail to explore even more remarkable objects from war at sea, on permanent display in the main exhibition space, by picking up a family friendly Gallery Pack.

Imperial War Museum North, The Quays, Trafford Wharf, Trafford Park, M17 1TZ, www.north.iwm.org.uk, 0161 836 4000. Recommended for ages 4 and upwards. Free.