FEATURE - A Family Day at HOME Manchester: Creativity Corner, Crafts and Family Fun
- Sarah Monaghan
- 23 hours ago
- 5 min read
Family Activities at HOME Manchester
If you've ever attended a family show at HOME Manchester, chances are you've spotted children busy colouring, reading or playing in Creativity Corner before the performance starts. As a family who visit HOME regularly, it's become a familiar part of our theatre trips, so when we were invited to attend HOME's Family Creator Day, we were excited to experience more of the venue's family offer.
HOME is one of our favourite family venues in Manchester. We've attended family theatre productions there for several years, enjoyed the Little HOME family festival for the past two summers and already have events booked for this year's festival. While we know the venue well from a theatre-goer's perspective, this was our first opportunity to spend time exploring more of HOME's wider family programme.
One of the things we have always appreciated about HOME is how easy it is to reach. Located in Manchester city centre, it's accessible by bus, tram and train, with Deansgate-Castlefield Metrolink stop and Deansgate railway station both within a short walk of the venue.
On arrival, Alice and Leo were delighted to receive colourful HOME Family balloons and sticker, which immediately helped create a fun atmosphere for the day.
Creativity Corner
The morning began in Creativity Corner, HOME's dedicated family space.
As regular visitors, Creativity Corner is already a familiar part of our visits. We usually arrive early before family performances and the children almost always make a beeline for the space while we wait for the auditorium doors to open.
Both Alice and Leo enjoy arts and crafts, but they each have their own favourites. Alice loves imaginative play and can often be found dressing up, playing with puppets or creating stories with the toy castle and dolls. Leo is usually drawn towards colouring activities, crafts and books, happily spending time drawing or reading.
The Family Creator Day session offered a range of creative activities suitable for different ages. Alice enjoyed drawing and creating colourful artwork, while Leo proudly made his own jellyfish craft using coloured card and tissue paper.
What stood out most was how relaxed the session felt. There were no strict instructions and no pressure to create anything specific. Instead, children were encouraged to use their imagination and explore the activities at their own pace.
Watching the children proudly show off their creations was a lovely reminder that sometimes the simplest activities can be the most enjoyable.
Beyond the organised activities, Creativity Corner itself is a fantastic resource for families. The space includes books, toys, dressing-up costumes, imaginative play areas and creative activities that children can enjoy before performances and events. It's become a regular and much-loved part of our visits to HOME.
A Welcoming Family Venue
While we often think of HOME as a theatre venue, the Family Creator Day highlighted just how much more it offers families throughout the year.
The atmosphere throughout the morning felt welcoming, relaxed and inclusive.
Families were encouraged to explore, create and spend quality time together, and there was a genuine sense that children were free to engage with the activities in whatever way suited them best.
It was also interesting to learn more about HOME's wider family programme, including its relaxed cinema screenings, creative activities and seasonal family events.
Lunch at HOME Bar & Kitchen
After the creative session, families headed upstairs to HOME Bar & Kitchen for lunch.
A selection of pizzas, chips, salads and drinks was provided, giving everyone the opportunity to relax after a busy morning of crafting and creativity.
Despite visiting HOME regularly for theatre performances and family events, this was actually our first time eating at the venue.
The pizza and chips were a big hit with all of us. Alice, Leo, Lawrence and I thoroughly enjoyed our lunch and were pleasantly surprised by how good the food was. Having now tried it for ourselves, we'll definitely consider arriving a little earlier and having lunch at HOME before a future family show.
The relaxed setting also gave families the chance to chat and unwind before the afternoon activities were due to begin.
Before leaving, the children were given a small goody bag containing a few treats and information about upcoming family events and theatre productions. It was a thoughtful finishing touch and gave us the chance to find out more about what HOME has planned for families over the coming months.
Looking Ahead to Little HOME 2026
Unfortunately, we weren't able to stay for the afternoon relaxed screening of Monsters, Inc. as we already had plans elsewhere later in the day. However, it was useful to learn more about HOME's cinema programme and relaxed screenings, something we hope to experience in the future.
As regular visitors to Little HOME, we were pleased to hear more about this year's festival. Returning on 1 and 2 August 2026, Little HOME will once again bring a packed programme of free family activities to the venue, including theatre performances, storytelling, circus workshops, film screenings, crafts and creative experiences.
We've already booked several events and screenings for this year's festival and are looking forward to exploring even more of HOME's family programme over the summer.
Ending the Day with Malory Towers
Although our Family Creator Day experience ended after lunch, our day at HOME wasn't quite over.
Later that evening, I returned with Alice to watch Malory Towers, giving us the opportunity to experience both HOME's family activities and family theatre programme on the same day.
After spending the morning crafting, drawing and exploring Creativity Corner, it felt fitting to end the day sitting together in the theatre. It was a lovely reminder that HOME isn't just somewhere we go to watch shows - it's a venue that genuinely welcomes families and gives children opportunities to be creative, explore and have fun.
Final Thoughts
This special Family Creator Day provided a wonderful introduction to some of the family activities available at HOME Manchester throughout the year.
From Creativity Corner and family crafts to welcoming spaces, great food and exciting upcoming events, the day highlighted why HOME continues to be one of our favourite family venues in Manchester.
Having attended family theatre productions, Little HOME festivals and now Family Creator Day, we've experienced many different sides of what HOME has to offer families. Whether you're visiting for a show, a workshop, a festival or simply spending time in Creativity Corner before a performance, HOME continues to be one of Manchester's most welcoming family venues.
Watch the Little HOME 2026 Trailer
Little HOME returns to HOME Manchester on 1 and 2 August 2026 with a packed programme of free family activities, theatre performances, workshops, film screenings and creative experiences. Take a look at the trailer below to see what families can look forward to this summer.
More Information
For more information about Little HOME 2026 and to book any ticketed events, visit HOME Manchester's website.
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