Resources for Families
The summer holidays are back in full swing once again! We know this can be a difficult time to keep your children engaged, active and entertained, and so we have put together a list of free resources and activities around Manchester to help you make the most of these holidays.
2771 enc 3 summer offer for children parktastic summer 2025.pdf
SAFE OVER SUMMER
We hope you have a wonderful summer holiday and find time to have fun as a family. Below are some top tips in staying safe during the holiday:
1. Keep children safe around water
- Go swimming at properly-supervised sites
2. Follow the five Ss of sun safety:
- Sunscreen – slop on SPF 30+ broad-spectrum waterproof sunscreen every two hours
- Sun hat – put on a broad-brimmed hat that shades your face, neck and ears
- Sunglasses – wear wrap-around sunglasses with UV protection to shield the eyes
- Shoulders – slip on a T-shirt or UV protective suit for children and remember to keep your shoulders covered
- Shade – seek shade, particularly during the hottest time of the day between 11am and 3pm
3. Make sure your children know how to cross the road safely
- Sounds very basic, but when young children are out and about with their friends, they can easily get distracted or might take risks when crossing roads. Ensure they have the skills and understanding to deal with roads and traffic safely.
4. Temporary tattoo (of your phone number) in case they get lost
- This is a great tip to ensure your child will always be able to contact you, even ifthey have not got access to their own phone or have forgotten your number. It is a particularly good idea at busy events like festivals or theme parks where you could get separated in a crowd.
5. Don’t keep personalised items
- It is a good idea not to have anything visible with your child’s name on like rucksacks, tops, and bracelets. If a stranger is able to easily read their name, they’ll be able to address them by it, meaning your child is more likely to trust them.
6. Talk to your child about what to do if they separate from you
- If your child gets separated from you in public, a police officer would be a good person for them to ask for help, but they’re not always around. While you’ll never exactly know who is safe and who isn’t, a mum or dad with their own children is usually a good choice, they are likely to want to help and will know what to do.
7. Make a family code word
- Come up with a code word which you and your children can use to reassure or warn each other in potentially dangerous situations
- Pick something that is easy to remember, but unusual and impossible for anyone else to guess.
This is useful for a few different situations:
- When at a friend’s house, if your child feels unsafe or wants to leave without seeming rude, ask them to call you and use the code word.
- If, when out in public, there’s a safety threat, you can use the word to warn your children to get close to you and leave quickly.
8. Staying safe online
- Children and young people will have more free time to spend with friends and family online. Click on the link below for advice on staying safe on line: Staying safe online in the summer holidays - UK Safer Internet Centre
9. Have fun and plan activities together
- The summer holidays can be a great chance to spend time with friends and family. Some children may feel a bit lonely or may miss the routine they have when they are in school. Try to keep children’s sleep routines the same as this will help when returning to school. Plan plenty of opportunities to go out as a family and have fun. See link for free activities
FREE THINGS TO DO
Click on the link to find out more and to register your child
HAF - MCRactive - Get active in Manchester
Check out this creative tourist guide to free, fun and educational activities in Manchester this summer. Click on the blue box to find out more.
FOOD/ KIDS EAT FREE
The £1 kids eat free offer will commence again in June and has been extended until the end of 2025.In addition, children will receive a free piece of fruit such as an apple, pear or banana when purchasing the hot kids £1 meal deal.
Kids can enjoy Kids Pasta with Tomato Sauce for 95p, served with a drink and a piece of fruit. More information can be found here.
Kids eat free all day, every day in Morrisons cafes nationwide, daily. Get one free kids meal with every adult main meal over £5.
Tesco is bringing back its Kids Eat Free scheme to its 317 Cafés and Coffee Shops across the UK over the summer holidays (excluding weekends).Kids eat free, worth £4, when you purchase anything of the Cafe menu e.g 65p fruit with clubcard until August 31st.
SUMMER READING CHALLENGE
Hi Families
Your child (age 0–11) can join the Summer Reading Challenge this summer. It’s fun, free and helps keep up reading skills over the holidays!
🏆 Set a reading goal
📖 Read whatever they like – books, eBooks, audiobooks
🎉 Earn stickers, rewards & even a medal / certificate
Available in Manchester Libraries until 13 September https://manclibraries.blog/summer-reading-challenge-story-garden/
It’s a great way to boost confidence and make reading fun!
2773 enc 2 summer reading challenge 2025 print version.pdf
What you need to know about the Summer Reading Challenge in Manchester
- The theme for the Summer Reading Challenge 2025 is Story Garden
- It runs 1st July – 13 September
- Children need to come along to the public library to sign up for the Summer Reading Challenge
- There is no charge to join in
- If children are not already library members, they can join on the day. There are no charges for library membership and borrowing, and no fines for books returned late
- Children complete the Challenge when they have borrowed (and returned) 6 library books
- They can read any library book they choose (fact, fiction, poetry etc)
- They will receive their medal and a special bookmark in the library when they have finished the Challenge
- We will send named certificates to primary schools in the autumn term for children who completed the Challenge (for children in Y1 to Y6)
- Year 6 pupils (and any child not returning to a Manchester primary school) can ask for their certificate and medal in the library
- In a change to previous years, we will not be sending any joining resources directly out to ‘pilot/target’ schools
- Teacher booklet – we will be posting you a copy of this booklet and a sample joining pack so please watch out for this.