Fun for the youngsters

12:10pm Thursday 17th July 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

T’S the time of year that schoolchildren look forward to - and many parents dread - the start of the long summer holiday! Trafford mums and dads, however, can rely on a host of local venues to help them keep the youngsters occupied this summer.

The Red House Farm Maize Maze, for example, is in its seventh spectacular year. Each year the team at Red House Farm conjures up a concept and approaches the world-renowned Maze design team at Maze Maker Ltd to bring that concept to life …and this year is no exception.

For summer 2008, the team has donned a fedora hat, looked through ancient maps, checked the compass, packed supplies and set off in search of the golden cob. The stunning design is an ancient pyramid within a lost city, and youngsters are challenged to explore the miles of natural pathway in search of stolen treasures and ‘ancient gold’.

The Maize Maze is just a part of the activities available at Red House Farm. The Maze Courtyard hosts plenty of activities for all the family – the quad barrel train, pedal cars, bouncy castle, straw mountain, pedal quad bikes, mini-tractors, sand pits and more.

Lowry Outlet Mall, meanwhile, has a programme of storytime sessions and other activities throughout the holidays. Youngsters can meet storybook characters for sessions, with famous books being showcased each week. There will be storytime craft sessions, in which children can create a piece of the week’s story to take home with them. Among the books featured will be Alice in Wonderland, Treasure Island and Wind in the Willows. Contact the mall for full details of dates and times.

If your child loves horses, riding lessons can provide a fun way to exercise. Make sure you choose a reputable riding centre, such as the Carrington Riding Centre at Nursery Farm in Isherwood Road. Alternatively, you could take the youngsters to an indoor ski slope.

Make sure you also spend time together as a family. There are lots of places in Trafford where you can enjoy a picnic, as part of a day walking in the fresh air.

And, if the weather is inclement, you could organise a trip to the cinema or the ice rink in Altrincham, for example.

Whatever you choose to do, make the most of the long school holiday.