There are dozens of cost-conscious ways to keep the kids happy during the February break from school, including fairground rides, theatre shows by favourite TV characters and craft activities.

Here are our picks...

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11

Blackpool Comes To Oldham All the fun of the fair – attractions for all ages, with sky-high rides, dodgems and waltzers (until Feb 26, except Feb 20-22). Hollinwood Avenue, Manchester Road, Chadderton. £5.99 – 1pm-9pm (weekends and school holidays), 6-9pm (Feb 23 & 24). blackpoolcomesto.com
Scarecrow Festival (Until Feb 19 except Monday; Sunday sees  crafts events and games). Tatton Park, Ashley Road, Knutsford. £5 adult, £3 child – 11am-4pm. 01625 374435
Walk With A Dinosaur Meet a 6ft animatronic stegosaurus  (also on Feb 18). Lowry Outlet Mall, Salford Quays. Free – midday, 1.30pm, 3pm. 0161 848 1850.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12

Once Upon A Wartime Launch of a festival on a theme of children’s wartime literature, with storytelling, creative workshops and masked performance (until Friday). Items from the film War Horse, will be on display, and national Storytelling Laureate Katrice Horsley, will give storytelling performances (Sunday only). Imperial War Museum North, Trafford Wharf Road, Trafford Park. Free – 11.30am-4pm, (Katrice Horsley, 1pm & 3pm, Sunday). 0161 836 4000.
Sesame Street Live: Monsters Make Music See Elmo, Big Bird, Bert & Ernie, and other characters . Stockport Plaza, Mersey Square, Stockport. £14, £12 – 2pm. 0161 477 7779.
Jurassic Face Painting Have your face painted to resemble a dinosaur (also on Feb 16 & 26). Lowry Outlet Mall, as above. 11am-4pm.
Chatterbox Challenge Interactive drama and poetry sessions  and the chance to meet Humf from Nick Jr. The Orient, Trafford Centre, Barton Dock Road, Trafford Park. Free – from 11am. 0161 749 1717.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13

Winter With Beatrix Potter Meet Peter Rabbit, Jeremy Fisher and other characters on Beatrix Potter-themed garden trail (until Friday). Lyme Park, Buxton Road West, Disley. £6 adult, £3 child – 11am-3pm. 01663 762023.
Children’s Holiday Club Arts, crafts and outdoor activities (until Friday; ages 3-11). William Hulme's Grammar School, Spring Bridge Road, Whalley Range. £14 half-day, £22 full day – 8.30am-5.30pm. 0800 756 6667, boshonline.com
Mask Movement Workshop Explore telling stories through mask-making, inspired by the Once Upon A Wartime exhibition (also on Wednesday and Friday; ages 10-16). As above. Free – 2pm.
Picture This! Illustrating Children's Books Exhibition of drawings from children's books (daily). Gallery Oldham, Greaves Street, Oldham. Free – 10am-5pm, (10am-4pm Sunday). 0161 770 4653.
Olympics Holiday Camp Taster sessions and competitions of athletics, fencing, racquet sports, football, rugby (until Friday; ages 8-16). Saddleworth School, High Street, Uppermill. £3 – 10am-3pm. 0161 770 3683.
Play In A Week: Groovy Greek Myths Week-long workshop with a performance on Friday (ages 7-12). Oldham Library, Greaves Street, Oldham. £60, £45 concs – 10am-4pm. 0161 624 2829.
Chocolate Treats Fun messy chocolate-making. Failsworth Library, Oldham Road, Failsworth. Free – 11am. 0161 770 5820.
Holiday Fun At Gallery Oldham Face painting and crafts-making (until Wednesday). As above. Free – 1-4pm.
Legoland Star Wars Star Wars-themed fun (also on Tuesday). The Orient, as above. Free – 11am-4pm.
Beyblade Metal Masters Learn how to play the Japanese-inspired battles with spinning tops The Orient, as above.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14

Red Riding Hood Classic tale  (ages 4+). The Met, Market Street, Bury. £6, £4 – 2.30pm. 0161 761 2216 or themet.biz
The Owl & The Pussycat Puppetry, live music and storytelling (ages 3-7). Waterside Arts Centre, Waterside Plaza, Sale. £7, £5 – 11.30am & 2.30pm. 0161 912 5616.
Fun With Feathers Crafts and hat-making fun (until Thursday). Hat Works, Wellington Mill, Wellington Road South, Stockport. £3.50 – 10.30am-midday. 0161 335 7770.
Wonderful Weaving Work on a loom and weave a bookmark (also on Thursday). Quarry Bank Mill, Styal Road, Styal. £3 - midday, 1pm, 2pm. 01625 445845.
Drama Zone: Billy Goats, Wolves & Bears Create a drama (until Thursday and on Feb 21-23). The Lowry, Pier 8, Salford Quays. £3.50 (£1.75 Salford residents) – 11am-12.30pm. 0843 208 6000.
The Sound Of Music By Rochdale Amateur Operatic Society (until Saturday). Gracie Fields Theatre, Oulder Hill Leisure Complex, Hudson's Walk, Rochdale. £12, £10 concs, £8 child – 7.30pm (& 2.30pm Sat). 01706 716689.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15

National Clown Theatre Circus Funshow Ramsbottom Civic Hall, Market Place, £4.50 – 2pm. (Also on Thursday at Bacup Hub, Burnley Road, at 1.30pm). 01384 423496.
Jedi Moss Show Become a Jedi knight. The Orient, as above. Free -midday, 1.30pm, 3pm.
Children’s Explorer Tour Descend into the darkened tunnels and see how children experienced life during the Second World War. Air Raid Shelters, 61 Chestergate, Stockport. £3.95 child, £2 adult, call 0161 474 1940 – 6.45-8pm. 0161 474 1940.
Meet Tommy Atkins Discover how soldiers of the First World War lived. Museum of the Manchester Regiment, Ashton Town Hall, Market Place. Free – 11am-3pm. 0161 342 2254.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16

The Owl Who Was Afraid Of The Dark Told through puppetry, music and live action (ages 3-7). The Met, as above. £8, £6 – 11am.
Darth Vader Mask Making Workshop. The Orient, as above. Free – 11am-4pm.
Vampirates Tale about twins who are evicted from their lighthouse (age 9+). Waterside Arts Centre, Waterside Plaza, Sale. £7, £5 – 2.30pm. 0161 912 5616.
Big Whistle Festival Workshops and folk gigs based on the tin whistle, (until Saturday; some suitable for teenagers). The Met, as above. £45 full event ticket, £32 Saturday only.
Children’s Craft Club – Deft Deception Mask-making and artwork on a theme of camouflage and disguise (also on Friday; ages 6-12). Silk Museum, Park Lane, Macclesfield. £6 – 10am-midday. 01625 612045
CAT Foundation Class Learn contemporary dance moves (also on Feb 23; ages 11-18). The Lowry, as above. £3 – 5-6pm.
Blanca Li Elektro Kif Dance Workshop Learn about contemporary and urban dance styles (age 14+). The Lowry, as above. £15 – 11.15am-12.45pm. 0843 208 6000.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17

Dinosaur Fridge Magnets Craft workshops (also on Feb 17, 23, 24). Lowry Outlet Mall, as above. Free – 11am-4pm. 0161 848 1850.
Luke Skywalker's Lightsabre Workshop Learn how to be a Jedi knight. The Orient, as above. Free – 11am-4pm.
Chinese State Circus Show featuring incredible acrobats (until Sunday). The Lowry, as above £15-£24 – 5 & 8pm (Friday), 2 & 7.30pm (Saturday), 2 & 6pm (Sunday). 0843 208 6000.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18

MediaCity Open Day A host of fun and activities to celebrate 10 years of CBBC. The Lowry arts centre, Imperial War Museum North, and Ordsall Hall. Free – 10am-4pm. 0370 901 1227, bbc.co.uk/showsandtours
Dino-crafts Workshops with experts from Manchester Museum. Lowry Outlet Mall, as above. Free – 11am-3pm.
99th Garrison Meet characters from the Star Wars empire (also on Sunday). The Orient, as above. Free – hourly from 11am-3pm (Saturday) and midday-4pm (Sunday).

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19

The Ultimate Reptile Experience! Get up close and personal with a range of snakes, plus tarantulas and scorpions (also on Feb 25). Lowry Outlet Mall, as above. Free – 11am-4pm.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20

Nesting Week Help the park ranger make bird boxes. Winton Park, Sutherland Street. Free – 1-3pm. 0161 793 4219.
Crafty Ordsall Crafts-making (also on Wednesday; age 5+). Ordsall Hall Museum, Ordsall Lane, Salford. £1 – 10-4pm.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22

Mardi Gras Madness! Design a mask to wear at your own mardi gras parade. Salford Museum & Art Gallery, Peel Park, The Crescent, Salford. £1 – 10.30am, 11.30am, 1.30pm, 2.30pm. 0161 745 9490.
The King & I Musical (until Saturday). The Lowry, as above. £22-£35 – 7.30pm (& 2pm Thurs & Sat). 0843 208 6000.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22

Ice Magic Learn why the Tudors loved to ice skate. Ordsall Hall Museum, Orsdall Lane, Salford. £1 – 10.30am, 11.30am, 1.30pm, 2.30pm. 0161 872 0251.
Feed The Birds Help feed feathered friends. Eccles Recreational Ground, Oxford Road. Free – 1-3pm. 0161 793 4219.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23

Sketchcrawl Sketch pictures inspired by what you see. Salford Museum & Art Gallery, as above. £1 – 2-3pm.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24

Titan The Robot 8ft robot who loves to sing and dance. Salford Shopping Centre, Hankinson Way. Free – 11am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm. 0161 736 8089.
Daffodil Planting Help plant daffodil bulbs. Langworthy Park, Langworthy Road. Free – 1-3pm. 0161 793 4129.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24

Sculpture Trail Follow a new sculpture trail around the park. Victoria Park range hut, Manchester Road, Swinton. Free – 1-3pm. 0161 793 4219.
Legoland Star Wars Days Celebrate the fun of Star Wars with Chewbacca and pals (also on Sunday). Legoland Discovery Centre, Barton Square, Trafford Centre, as above. 0871 222 2662.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25

X Factor Live Tour 2012 Manchester Arena, Hunt's Bank. £32.50 – 2.30pm.

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