Family & Children's Creative Workshops in Manchester

These fun creative workshops are designed for children and adults to take part together, creating space to slow down, play, and make something side by side. These sessions focus on simple, hands-on activities that feel welcoming for all ages, with a gentle emphasis on creativity, curiosity, and shared time.

Workshops are suitable for children aged around 6 to 10, though older children often enjoy joining in too. Sessions are designed to be flexible and adaptable, making them well suited to festivals, libraries, museums, community events, and family days in public spaces across Manchester and the North West.

Who This Workshop Is For

Family and children’s workshops work particularly well for:

  • Children and adults taking part together
  • Families looking for a shared creative activity
  • Community organisations, libraries, and cultural venues
  • Festivals and public events with mixed-age audiences
  • Groups where confidence levels and ages vary

These sessions are designed so everyone can join in, whether they’re keen to get stuck in or prefer to watch and ease themselves into the activity.

What the Session Involves

Activities are designed to be playful, engaging, and suitable for a wide range of ages. Fabric printing is often at the heart of these sessions, as it allows children and adults to create something quickly and confidently.

Other options include:

  • Fabric printing using stamps and inks
  • Stitching on cardboard for younger children
  • Cross stitch bookmark sessions for slightly older children
  • Adult and child embroidery workshops where pairs work together on complementary designs

The focus is always on letting children explore their own creative interests, rather than strict instructions. There are no mistakes - just creative choices!

The emphasis is always on building confidence and enjoyment, rather than perfection.

Teaching Approach & Atmosphere

Family workshops are guided in a way that feels calm and supportive, while allowing plenty of room for self-led learning. If a child is particularly drawn to one part of the activity, such as printing or stitching, we lean into that and gently suggest ways they might explore it further.

There is no “right way” to take part. Mess, experimentation, and mistakes are all part of the creative process. The aim is to create an environment where children feel confident to try things out, and adults feel relaxed enough to enjoy it too.

Format & Timing Options

These workshops are highly adaptable and can be shaped to suit your event or space.

Common formats include:

  • Drop-in sessions where families can take part at their own pace
  • Staggered start times over the day
  • Set-length workshops for adult and child embroidery sessions

This flexibility makes them particularly effective for busy public events and family-focused programmes.

What Participants Leave With

Families often leave saying things like:

  • “I can’t believe how into it they got”
  • “I’ve had just as much fun as they have”
  • “I’m so impressed they sat and listened”

Everyone leaves with:

  • Something they’ve made together
  • A sense of shared achievement
  • Increased creative confidence
  • A calm, positive experience to carry with them

More than anything, they leave having spent time creating together.

Past Workshops & Experience

I’ve delivered family and children’s creative workshops in libraries, festivals, museums, and community spaces across Manchester and beyond. Alongside my experience as a workshop leader, I also bring a strong background in event organisation, which means sessions are well paced, adaptable, and responsive to the energy of the day.

Organisers often value the way these workshops work for mixed-age groups, creating an experience that feels thoughtful, engaging, and easy to manage within a wider event.

Location & Availability

I’m based in Manchester and deliver workshops across Greater Manchester, the North West, and beyond. Sessions can take place at your venue, or I can help you think through what kind of space would work best.

Advance booking is recommended, particularly during busy periods such as Valentine’s Day, International Women’s Day, Mental Health Awareness Week, and Christmas.

Pricing Guide

I price workshops in a clear, straightforward way so it’s easy to understand what’s included.

  • Workshops start from £160, which covers planning, preparation, and delivery of the session
  • Materials are priced per participant, typically around £5 per person, depending on the workshop and materials used

Final costs may vary slightly depending on group size, format, location, and any bespoke design work, but I’ll always confirm pricing clearly in advance.

If you’re working to a particular budget, I’m very happy to talk this through and suggest options that fit.

Booking & Next Steps

If you're ready to book your Hoop & Fred workshop drop me an email at hoopandfred@gmail.com or use the contact form below. To get the ball rolling and help me plan the perfect session for you, let me know:

  • How many people you're looking to book for
  • Your Location (or if you need help finding a venue)
  • If you have a set design in mind, or a theme you are working with
  • When you are hoping to host the session
Or exlpore more workshop options

Get in touch to book