A day off with my son Dominic was the perfect excuse for a day filled with family activities, which meant a trip into the city to visit the Manchester Museum of Science & Industry. Their website tells you: “Prepare to be amazed and entertained as we bring science and history to life with interactive shows, fun-filled machinery demonstrations and of course, a bit of good old-fashioned dressing up. We also have an offer tailor-made for our youngest visitors, using the power of play to spark young imaginations and help to create future Einsteins, Brunels and Curies.” Activities for young families On the first floor of the main museum building is Experiment!… the kids soft play and discovery area. There are 25 hands-on exhibits where kids can get a really good introduction to some basic scientific principles. It is suitable for all ages and there’s a separate play area for very young children. Gears, tornadoes, even thermodynamics are covered with interactive games and activities that kids can easily understand. Dominic enjoyed being able to touch and play with different elements of the exhibits. Activities for older children For families with older children, age 5 and above, there are a range of demonstrations on things like engines, how working mills operated over 150 years ago and robots. Such demonstrations are held throughout the year and their website is regularly updated with information about different attractions and dates. With free entry it’s well worth a visit if you find yourself in Manchester looking for an alternative to running riot in the great outdoors! Visit the Museum of Science and Industry website for more information.