This winter we will be hosting 14 sessions in 6 libraries, especially for children aged 10 – 16 who are eligible for free school meals.
We have many exciting and creative sessions to book onto via mcractive.com haf where you can also check your eligibility, and find our sessions here Manchester Libraries HAF Sessions
Alternatively, pop into your local library to chat to a member of staff for help with booking.
All sessions are from 11am – 2:30pm and include a free lunch.
This year’s sessions:
Forum Library
22/12/2025 Christmas party at the library
Tis’ the Season to Get CRAFTY at the Library’s JINGLE-TASTIC Christmas Bash! Ho-ho-hoooold onto your Santa hats, folks—this party’s about to sleigh! Join us at the library for a holly-jolly explosion of creativity, games, and festive chaos that’ll make even the Grinch grin! CRAFTACULAR WORKSHOP Unleash your inner elf! We’re building mini winter wonderlands with sticks, pom-poms, strings, and allll the sparkly bits. Design showstopping Christmas cards using fabric, stickers, and double-sided tape. GAME ON, SANTA SQUAD Ready for merry mayhem?Wrap Up Wars: Team up and wrap your pals into the chunkiest snowman or the sparkliest Christmas tree! Will you be on the winning team?✨ Chuck Rudolph’s Nose!: Launch red pom-pom “noses” into twinkling gift boxes. Will you be the best shot?!
29/12 2025 Forum Leisure Centre/Forum Library Swim/Create Festive Sparkle
We have teamed up with Forum Leisure Centre for a day of swimming and crafts. In the morning bring your swim kit and have a splashtastic time then head to the Forum Library for lunch and to create Festive sparkle and creative constellations, celebrate winter night skies from the star at the top of the tree to shooting stars and signs of the zodiac. Make a willow star. Make a paper bag fold out star decoration. Creative constellations and embroidered constellations.
Withington Library
22/12/2025 Winter Solstice Lantern Making
Get creative making lanterns to light up and mark the shortest day of
the year. Work with artist, Emma Martin, to create your own lantern. For over 10,000 years humans have celebrated the Winter Solstice on21st December, which is only one day before our workshop! Come together to bring some warmth and light, as we build lanterns from willow and paper. We will be able to carry them home with us, as the winter sun is setting and it begins to get dark!
23/12/2025 Christmas Party at the Library
Tis’ the Season to Get CRAFTY at the Library’s JINGLE-TASTIC Christmas Bash! Ho-ho-hoooold onto your Santa hats, folks—this party’s about to sleigh! Join us at the library for a holly-jolly explosion of creativity, games, and festive chaos that’ll make even the Grinch grin! CRAFTACULAR WORKSHOP Unleash your inner elf! We’re building mini winter wonderlands with sticks, pom-poms, strings, and allll the sparkly bits. Design showstopping Christmas cards using fabric, stickers, and double-sided tape. GAME ON, SANTA SQUAD Ready for merry mayhem?Wrap Up Wars: Team up and wrap your pals into the chunkiest snowman or the sparkliest Christmas tree! Will you be on the winning team? ✨ Chuck Rudolph’s Nose! Launch red pom-pom “noses” into twinkling gift boxes. Will you be the best shot?!
29/12/2025 Words of Welcome for 2026!
Get creative making sculptures to welcome in the new year! Work with artist, Emma Martin, to create a group and individual sculptures inspired by words of welcome in multiple languages. Our group sculpture will be to be installed on the shelves in the library to welcome visitors and the individual sculptures can be taken home.
02/01/2025 Fairy and elves’ workshop with artist Lorraine Rudyard
Join Artist Lorraine in this creative arts workshop to create your very own fairies and elves to take home. Bring your creations to life and use them to make your very own worlds and stories.
Newton Heath Library
22/12/2025 Junior STEM Lego Robotics
Love building Lego and want to know how to take it a step further? Then this is the session for you! We will learn how to use the Lego software to program/control a motor, motion sensor, sounds, lights etc. We will use instructions to build the ‘Vertispin Ride’ which spins and rises up to vertical. Next, we will program the model and upgrade/decorate/modify it using spare Lego pieces. There will be lots of fun and creativity involved as well as picking up some great skills. In the afternoon we will learn more features of the programming and we build a drumming monkey that uses cameras and a motion sensor. Been before? Nick will give you a new model to try.
29/12/2025 New Year Party at the Library
Get Ready to Party! New Year’s Eve Bash @ The Library! The Library is throwing the ultimate New Year’s Eve party, and you’re invited! Let’s make some noise and welcome 2026 together! What’s in store for you? Games Galore! Prepare for fun and giggles as we deliver “In-It 2 Win It” challenges! Get into your team and be prepared to mingle & jingle into the New Year with our Team Olympics that are fun and inclusive for one and all – Get ready to cheer, compete, and celebrate your wins to end the year! Craft Attack! Time to get your creative juices flowing with; Magical Manifestation Station! Turn tin foil into pure inspiration and craft your New Year’s resolutions into reality! (We’ve got the foil, water spray, felt tips, and markers!) Confetti Cannon Central! Build your own New Year’s Eve confetti party cracker and blast into 2026 with a shower of sparkles! (Recycled toilet rolls, balloons, sparkles, confetti, and wishes provided!) Don’t be a party pooper! Join us for an unforgettable New Year’s Eve celebration at the Library! Let’s make some memories with love from 2025 and aspirations for 2026!
Abraham Moss
23/12/2025 Abraham Moss Leisure Centre and Library Swim/Lego and Lino Print festive creativity.
Join us for a morning of swimming in the pool, head to the library for lunch and then an afternoon of print making, use Lego to print artworks and cards and even learn how to carve Lino to create your own festive stamps to print with
30/12/2025 New Year Party at the Library
Get Ready to Party! New Year’s Eve Bash @ The Library! The Library is throwing the ultimate New Year’s Eve party, and you’re invited! Let’s make some noise and welcome 2026 together! What’s in store for you? Games Galore! Prepare for fun and giggles as we deliver “In-It 2 Win It” challenges! Get into your team and be prepared to mingle & jingle into the New Year with our Team Olympics that are fun and inclusive for one and all – Get ready to cheer, compete, and celebrate your wins to end the year! Craft Attack! Time to get your creative juices flowing with; Magical Manifestation Station! Turn tin foil into pure inspiration and craft your New Year’s resolutions into reality! (We’ve got the foil, water spray, felt tips, and markers!) Confetti Cannon Central! Build your own New Year’s Eve confetti party cracker and blast into 2026 with a shower of sparkles! (Recycled toilet rolls, balloons, sparkles, confetti, and wishes provided!) Don’t be a party pooper! Join us for an unforgettable New Year’s Eve celebration at the Library! Let’s make some memories with love from 2025 and aspirations for 2026!
Gorton Library
23/12/2025 Christmas Party at the Library
Tis’ the Season to Get CRAFTY at the Library’s JINGLE-TASTIC Christmas Bash! Ho-ho-hoooold onto your Santa hats, folks—this party’s about to sleigh! Join us at the library for a holly-jolly explosion of creativity, games, and festive chaos that’ll make even the Grinch grin! CRAFTACULAR WORKSHOP Unleash your inner elf! We’re building mini winter wonderlands with sticks, pom-poms, strings, and allll the sparkly bits. Design showstopping Christmas cards using fabric, stickers, and double-sided tape. GAME ON, SANTA SQUAD Ready for merry mayhem? Wrap Up Wars: Team up and wrap your pals into the chunkiest snowman or the sparkliest Christmas tree! Will you be on the winning team? ✨ Chuck Rudolph’s Nose! Launch red pom-pom “noses” into twinkling gift boxes. Will you be the best shot?!
30/12/2025 Festive sparkle and creative constellations
Festive sparkle and creative constellations, celebrate winter night skies from the star at the top of the tree to shooting stars and signs of the zodiac. Make a willow star. Make a paper bag fold out star decoration. Creative constellations embroidered constellation.
Longsight Library
23/12/2025 Film day: Minecraft Movie and Craft
Watch “A Minecraft Movie” in the morning and make movie inspired key rings after lunch. We’ll provide the popcorn and card and board games for anyone who lives to combine “doing” with their movies. Expect: Serious chill!
30/12/2025 New Year party dancing, and crafts with Longsight Art Space
Join us at Longsight library for a day of craft’s and bhangra dancing to bring in the new year and celebrate the past year. We invite young people to join us for an inspiring hands-on arts session designed to spark imagination and creativity. Children will have the opportunity to create their own animal bead charms, using colourful beads, pipe cleaners, and simple weaving techniques. Each participant will take home a beautifully crafted animal-beaded keyring, perfect for attaching to school bags. Alongside this, young people will design a star-inspired 2026 calendar, incorporating coloured wool, threads, and paper to produce a unique, textured artwork that can be proudly displayed and enjoyed throughout the year. This workshop will be facilitated by Artists Rizwana Farooq Hassan & Nadia Sultana, who bring their creative expertise and community arts experience to the session. All materials will be provided, and every participant will leave with both their personalised 2026 calendar and bead-craft keyring. Followed by an afternoon of energising and exciting Bhangra dancing.
Whatever your child’s interest we have something for everyone this winter. Head to MCR Active to secure your child’s place NOW! HAF – MCR Active and find our sessions here Manchester Libraries HAF Sessions