Activities for Children & Families
Summer Reading Challenge 2021: Wild World Heroes
This year Oldham Libraries & Gallery Oldham are teaming up with WWF and The Reading Agency for a very special nature-themed Summer Reading Challenge 2021. Wild World Heroes will inspire children to get reading and stand up for the planet!
Visit Oldham Council’s Summer Reading Challenge webpage to find out about all of our Covid-secure creative activities and fun events for the whole family over the summer holidays at Gallery Oldham and all Oldham Libraries. We’ll be updating this page with activity videos along the way!
Animal Crafts
Missed out on one of our weekly in-person Animal Crafts sessions?
You can still take part and from the comfort of your own home! Click the links below for tutorials on our YouTube page. Happy crafting!
Origami Bookmark
Create a cute origami dog bookmark inspired by Doug the dog. You’ll never lose your place in your book again!
Web Weaving
Inspired by Webster the spider, weave your own beautiful web using different colours of wool and woving!
Paper Bag Squirrel
Scurry your way into making your own Hazel the squirrel to take on your outdoor adventures this summer!
WWF Webinars
WWF, partners of Summer Reading Challenge 2021, are delivering a fantastic series of family-friendly webinars relating to the Wild World Heroes and their mission to save the planet! Click the links below to register. Once registered you’ll be emailed the links to join the sessions from the comfort of your own home!
Wild World Heroes – Thursday 19 August, 11:00
Find out what the Summer Reading Challenge’s Wild World Heroes are fighting for and discover some of the fantastic wildlife we have here in the UK. Explore some of the threats facing our local nature and find out what you can do at home or in your community to stand up for our amazing planet! Suitable for ages 7-11.
A Life On Our Planet – Friday 20 August, 11:00
Inspired by the recent documentary ‘David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet’ join one of our WWF educators to find out about life of David Attenborough and the changes he’s witnessed on our planet over his lifetime. Discover some of the solutions to help tackle global issues such as deforestation and climate change and the changes we can all make to stand up for our planet. Suitable for ages 7-11.
Conservation Solutions – Tuesday 24 August, 11:00
Learn about some of the amazing wildlife in Kenya and Tanzania and recognise the consequences that occur when natural ecosystem connections are altered or damaged by humans. Understand how solutions are being used to manage human-wildlife conflict so that humans and nature can thrive together in East Africa. Suitable for ages 5-11.
Penguins and Polar Bears – Wednesday 25 August, 10:00
Take on the role of polar explorers and discover a world where temperatures fall far below freezing! Find out how penguins and polar bears are perfectly adapted to their polar environments and learn about the threats which are negatively impacting the polar regions. Suitable for ages 5-11.
Alexandra Park Heritage Trail
Alexandra Park: Saturday 24th July – Saturday 4th September
Explore the history and importance of Alexandra Park with this family friendly trail. Download the trail and complete it self-guided during park opening hours.
Alexandra Park Heritage Trail (PDF)
Super Saturdays – Join in the fun with new ideas online
We have loads of fun activities that you can get involved with from home. Download our latest activities sheets and follow our how-to films; all our activities use materials that you’ll find around the house.
Our most recent Super Saturday activities are all linked to our new exhibition Raindrop to Corporation Pop! which you can see online here! We’re exploring amazing ammonites and fish at came from the deep.
It Came From the Deep… | Visit OMA YouTube Channel
From the watery depths it came with a snap, snap, snap! The Ichthyosaur – a dolphin like creature from Jurassic times. Artist Dominic Harbot shows us how to make our own snapping puppet monstrosity based upon the largest fossil in Gallery Oldham’s geology collection!
Rain Cloud Mobile | Visit OMA YouTube Channel
Join artist Alison Cooper and make your own colourful rain cloud mobile to decorate your home. Using simple coloured paper you will be able to make a 3D cloud and a rainbow cascade of rain drops.
Fishy Fun | Visit OMA YouTube Channel
Discover how to make a fantastic 3D fish with artist Fay Buchanan. Raid the recycling for a plastic bottle, tissue paper and some card and get creative!
Amazing Ammonites| Visit OMA YouTube Channel
Ammonites were marine animals that lived 400 – 65 million years ago, they became extinct at the same time as dinosaurs. These fossils are amazing to look at with their mathematical spiral shape and the often pearl-like colours of the rocks.
Join artist Isobel Pickup as we use the spiral as our starting point and experiment with cardboard and collage to create a beautiful mixed media relief picture of an ammonite.
Oldham Owl | Visit OMA YouTube Channel
Did you know that the symbol of Oldham was an owl? Join artist Fay Buchanan to create a beautiful feathery friend. Her easy step-by-step guide is simple to follow and you can customise your owl with buttons and patterned material to give it a unique look!
Colours of Autumn | Visit OMA YouTube Channel
We’re back for another Super Saturday activity this weekend. Artist Dom Harbot is experimenting with the colours of autumn inspired by Gallery Oldham’s painting Scarlet and Green in Brown by Patrick Heron. Learn some painting techniques & create your own masterpiece.
Nature Frames | Visit OMA YouTube Channel
Artist Isobel Pickup shows us how to create an autumn picture frame in this online workshop. We’re getting weaving with some lovely strips of fabric. Just watch the film below and get inspired by the natural materials around you.
Paper Flowers | Visit OMA YouTube Channel
Follow this step by step guide created by artist Alison Cooper. Craft some beautiful paper flowers inspired by the artwork Tradition by Bangladeshi artist Abdus Shakoor Shah which is part of Gallery Oldham’s art collection. All you’ll need are scissors, coloured paper, a pencil, ruler and glue.
Watch below or follow the link to take part: https://youtu.be/CXJPz9QYIpk
This week we’re creating our own shadow puppet theatre and sock puppets. What stories can you tell using your own mini theatre. Why not put on a production for friends and family via Zoom or FaceTime?
Do It Yourself Art Gallery At Home
Fancy curating your own art gallery at home? We’re learning about Matisse’s masterpieces created with cutouts, sculpting our own Picasso faces, crafting our own posh picture frames and creating colourful circle paintings inspired by Kandinsky.
Please share your masterpieces with us on Facebook and Instagram @galleryoldham using the hashtag #galleryoldham.
You can also download all our past fun craft ideas below.
Make a Shoebox Football Game PDF
Girl in a Wood Colouring Sheet
White Mountain Colouring Sheet
The Drinking Place Colouring Sheet
More Creative challenges and crafty makes!
We have been working with local artists and makers to create some brilliant video guides to help you make something at home. We will be adding more so watch this space! You can also find loads more creative challenges from our arts, heritage and libraries teams at Take Part Oldham
Granny’s Gallery Treasure Hunt
Meet Gran, a lovely ol’ octogenarian from Yorkshire who has made a special treasure hunt just for you…yes you. It’s designed to be played in your home. The aim is to find all 7 clues and complete all 7 tasks before tea time! To take part in the fun, click here, and in the words of Gran, ‘Off you go!’.
Make a Rainbow Mobile Window Decoration
Artist Gordon Banks demonstrates how to create and decorate your own rainbow mobile with a variety of materials, inspired by our outdoor and indoor environment. You can watch his video here
Download the template or choose your very own designs!
Kids in Museums – Museums of the Year shortlisted nominee 2015>
Manchester Life Magazine – Exhibition of the year nominee 2015
Museums and Heritage Award for Excellence – Project on a limited budget shortlist 2016
Visit England – Family Friendly Finalist 2017
Curious Minds – Northwest Cultural Education Awards, Inclusive Partnership nominee 2017
Henshaws – Visual Impairment Friendly Business of the Year nominee 2018
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Being Benedict Phillips: Performance and Tour
Being Benedict Phillips: Performance and Tour
Artist Benedict Phillips talks about his exhibition Being Benedict Phillips or How to be Dyslexic currently on display at Gallery Oldham.
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Oldham Histories Festival 2021: Launch
Oldham Histories Festival 2021: Launch
We're launching Oldham Histories Festival on Sat 11 Sept with vintage cars, live performances, talks and a special cinema showing.
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Cotton On Manchester: Art Theory and Practice workshop
Cotton On Manchester: Art Theory and Practice workshop
We are delighted to be partnering with the brilliant team at Cotton On Manchester for our first craft workshop back! Join artists Sarah Riccardi and Alice Copley as they take you through the techniques and processes of Oil Painting, featuring our very own collection as inspiration you will learn about and then practice how to […]
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