With a couple of hours to spare, we took the little ones over to Bean and Brush Cafe in Sale. Unsure of exactly where we were going we parked in the M&S car park, perfect, except it’s a maximum of an hour and a very efficient car parking attendant is on standby. So perhaps try the Tesco&r...

Situated within a parade of shops in Failsworth, this centre is essentially half-café and half-soft play. The soft play section I’d say is more aimed at the younger end of the market. Set out over two levels, it’s quite small in comparison to others, but our little ones found enoug...

The Fire Museum is a treasure trove of old fire engines, photographs and uniforms. Laid out as a Victorian street scene, it's aimed at slightly older children, but there's still loads to look at, and never underestimate the appeal of a big red fire engine to a small child. Whilst you aren't really a...