Baby Massage and gentle stretch and flex Baby Yoga classes are also programmed at intervals during the day – showing carers how to enjoy moments of calm and connection with their babies amongst all the activity and noise they may experience day to day.
There will also be plenty of practical advice on offer for parents and carers – from preventing common accidents in the home and first aid taster sessions, to Tiny Talk Baby Signing sessions to help teach even the youngest babies to begin to communicate long before they’re able to speak, helping parents and their babies to understand each other from the earliest of days together.
The rest of the week sees many of the same events and more taking place across the city, in cultural venues, leisure centres, libraries, local Family Hubs, children’s centres, and also in the city’s parks – which will host free family fun days for all on Saturday 21 June.
With family splash and swim sessions, pool parties, sensory play, and groovy dance classes, as well as walk and talk rambles round local areas and healthy child drop-ins with Health Visitors, there are plenty of free activities of all kinds for families to get involved in during the week.
Manchester’s annual Baby Week takes place at an important time for Manchester as the city journeys towards being recognised by UNICEF as a Child Friendly City – the best possible place for a child to grow up in, a place where children’s rights are understood and the voices of children and young people matter.
Councillor Julie Reid, Executive Member for Early Years, Children and Young People, Manchester City Council, said:
“As any parent or carer will tell you, parenting or caring for a baby or toddler can be both the most joyous and the most challenging of experiences – and sometimes even both these things in the space of a minute!
“Having people around you to share these experiences with and help you navigate the hard things whilst enjoying all the great stuff is really important. And that’s where Manchester Baby Week comes in.
“We want to make sure that Manchester is the very best place it can be for all our babies and children to grow up in. The week provides a brilliant platform for parents, carers and babies to meet each other, learn from each other, and really enjoy themselves as they explore what’s available for tiny tots and their grown-ups in the city.”
Manchester Baby Week runs from Monday 16 to Saturday 21 June.
For information on all the activities happening across the city throughout the week, visit: childfriendlymanchester.co.uk
