Manchester

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Lauren Child's 'Green Drops and Moonsquirters' at Manchester Art Gallery

Get arty and interactive with the kids at Manchester Art Gallery's summer show

Thinking of things to do with the kids over summer is the perennial parental conundrum. Luckily, Manchester Art Gallery has got in early with their new family exhibition, 'Green Drops and Moonsquirters'. This diverting interactive show is based on the work of award-winning children’s author, Lauren Child. Better known as the creative brain behind the much-loved Charlie and Lola series, Child has also published Clarice Bean, That Pesky Rat and Hubert Horatio Bartle Bobton-Trent.

Part of the reason for Child’s success is the fact that her tongue remains firmly in cheek as she comes up with new book ideas. She’s not afraid to be clever or irreverent (much like her predecessor Roald Dahl), while her illustrations combine drawing, collage, watercolours, magazine cuttings and photography.

As you’d expect for an exhibition aimed squarely at little ones, there’s much scope for kids to get their hands dirty here. Interactive exhibits are very much hands-on (and aimed at the under-7s), so young ‘uns can dress up in Charlie and Lola’s favourite outfits, play with a magna-doodle or perform their own puppet shows. The Gallery will also be running free activities every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday during the school holidays (Jul 30-Aug 29, 1-3pm).

Green Drops and Moonsquirters: The Utterly Imaginative World of Lauren Child Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley Street M2 3JL (235 8888/www.manchestergalleries.org). Jun 21-Sep 21, Tue-Sun 10am-5pm (closed Mon except Bank Holidays); free.

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