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Photo: mattbuck, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Christmas for SEND families

Relaxed, BSL and captioned pantos and shows, SEND grotto sessions, quiet Santa visits and quieter light-trail evenings, as listed by the people who run them. Sat 14 Nov to Wed 6 Jan 2027: in Trafford first, then further afield, then online.

Updated Fri 30 Oct. 64 things listed. Details change, so check with the organiser before you go. Regular weekly sessions are in every week.

Saturday 14 November 2

Relaxed screenings: Festive Fun with Peppa, The Light Stockport Stockport · The Light Stockport Fri 13 Nov, 09:30

Relaxed screenings: Festive Fun with Peppa, HOME Manchester · HOME Date unconfirmed · Sat 14 Nov, 12:00 (27 Nov 13:00)

Sunday 15 November 1

Relaxed screening: Festive Fun with Peppa, The Light Bolton Bolton · The Light Bolton Sun 15 Nov, 10:00

Friday 20 November 1

Light Night Wigan: relaxed hour in Mesnes Park Wigan · Light Night Wigan Fri 20 – Sun 22 Nov

Saturday 21 November 3

Quiet first hour: Yuletide light trail, Tatton Park Knutsford · Wild Rumpus Sat 21 Nov, 15:00 and 15:15 entry

Quiet hour: Winter Makers Market, People's History Museum Manchester City Centre · People's History Museum Sat 21 – Sun 22 Nov, 11:00–12:00

SEN Christmas Experience, Cockfields Farm Park Ashton-under-Lyne · Cockfields Farm Park Sat 21 Nov, Morning arrival slots

Sunday 22 November 1

Relaxed screening: CBeebies Panto 2026: Treasure Island, The Light Bolton Bolton · The Light Bolton Sun 22 Nov, 10:00

Monday 23 November 1

Reduced-capacity sessions: Magic Lamp light trail, Bents Glazebury · Bents Garden & Home Mon 23 Nov, 16:30

Friday 27 November 2

Quieter sessions: Christmas at Dunham Massey light trail Dunham Massey · National Trust, Dunham Massey Fri 27 Nov, 16:00 or 16:15 entry

Henshaws Christmas day at Gulliver's World, Warrington Warrington · Henshaws (Children, Young People and Families) Fri 27 Nov, 09:45–16:00

Saturday 28 November 2

SEN relaxed day: The Polar Express Experience, Victoria Warehouse Trafford Park · Plus Live Events Sat 28 Nov

SEND Family Santa Specials, East Lancashire Railway, Bury Bury · East Lancashire Railway Sat 28 Nov

Sunday 29 November 2

Relaxed sessions: Father Christmas at the Science and Industry Museum Manchester City Centre · Science and Industry Museum Sun 29 Nov

Whispering Winter sessions: The Grotto, Corn Exchange Manchester Manchester City Centre · The Grotto Date unconfirmed · Sun 29 Nov

Wednesday 2 December 1

Neurodivergent evenings: Northern Lights trail, Heaton Park Manchester · Northern Lights Manchester Wed 2 Dec

Friday 4 December 1

Relaxed Performance Festive Sing-along, Martin Harris Centre Manchester · Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama, University of Manchester Fri 4 Dec, 11:00–11:50

Saturday 5 December 5

Relaxed and BSL performance: Mr Popper's Penguins, Waterside Sale · Waterside Sat 5 Dec, 11:00

BSL-interpreted performances: Jack and the Beanstalk, Stockport Plaza Stockport · Stockport Plaza Sat 5 Dec, 19:30 (5 Dec); 10:30 and 14:30 (10 Dec)

Stockport Deaf Children's Club: Breakfast with Santa, Walthew House Stockport · Walthew House Date unconfirmed · Sat 5 Dec, 09:30–11:30

Audio-described performance: Cinderella: A Fairytale, Octagon Bolton Bolton · Octagon Bolton Sat 5 Dec, 14:15

Bolton Christmas disco for SEND ages 5 to 14 Bolton · Dragon Care Sat 5 Dec, 13:00–16:00

Sunday 6 December 4

SEN-friendly Breakfast with Santa: Bramley Farm, Altrincham Altrincham · Farmhouse Inns (Bramley Farm) Sun 6 Dec

SEN-friendly Breakfast with Santa: Coppice Wood Farm, Urmston Urmston · Farmhouse Inns (Coppice Wood Farm) Sun 6 Dec

SEN-friendly Breakfast with Santa: Barley Farm, Eccles Eccles · Farmhouse Inns (Barley Farm) Sun 6 Dec

BSL-signed performance: Cinderella, Middleton Arena Middleton · Your Trust (Middleton Arena) Sun 6 Dec, 17:00

Tuesday 8 December 1

SEN evening: RHS Glow light trail, RHS Garden Bridgewater Worsley · RHS Garden Bridgewater Tue 8 Dec, Entry slots from 16:15

Wednesday 9 December 2

BSL-interpreted performance: Christmas Carol, Shakespeare North Playhouse Prescot · Shakespeare North Playhouse Wed 9 Dec, 19:00

SEN evening: Enchanted light trail and Santa's Grotto, Knowsley Safari Prescot · Knowsley Safari Wed 9 Dec

Thursday 10 December 1

BSL-interpreted performance: Dick Whittington, Opera House Manchester Manchester City Centre · Opera House Manchester (ATG) Date unconfirmed · Thu 10 Dec, 19:00

Friday 11 December 3

A Quiet Visit with Father Christmas, Quarry Bank Styal · National Trust, Quarry Bank Fri 11 Dec, 30-minute slots, 09:30–12:00

Audio-described performance: Dick Whittington, Opera House Manchester Manchester City Centre · Opera House Manchester (ATG) Date unconfirmed · Fri 11 Dec, 19:00

Signed and captioned performance: Cinderella: A Fairytale, Octagon Bolton Bolton · Octagon Bolton Fri 11 Dec, 19:00

Saturday 12 December 7

Relaxed performance: Robin Hood, Altrincham Garrick Altrincham · Altrincham Garrick Playhouse Sat 12 Dec, 17:30

BSL-supported sessions: Father Christmas at the Science and Industry Museum Manchester City Centre · Science and Industry Museum Sat 12 Dec, 13:15–14:45

Captioned performance: The Sorcerer's Apprentice, HOME Manchester · HOME Date unconfirmed · Sat 12 Dec, 14:00

Quiet session: Enchanted Winter Walk, Quarry Bank Styal · National Trust, Quarry Bank Sat 12 Dec, 16:15–17:00

Relaxed performance: Sleeping Beauty, Contact Manchester · Contact Sat 12 Dec, 13:30

Christmas decorations workshop for neurodivergent young people, My:ND Space, Leigh Leigh · My:ND Space CIC Sat 12 Dec, 13:00–15:00

Relaxed and BSL performance: Peter Pan, Oldham Library Oldham · Oldham Libraries (Live@thelibrary) Sat 12 Dec, 14:00–15:30

Sunday 13 December 3

Henshaws children and families Christmas party, Hotel Football Old Trafford · Henshaws (Children, Young People and Families) Sun 13 Dec, 11:00–15:00

Relaxed performance: A Christmas Carol, The Grange Theatre, Hartford Northwich · The Grange Theatre Sun 13 Dec, 15:00

Relaxed performance: Jack and the Beanstalk, The Met, Bury Bury · The Met, Bury Sun 13 Dec, 11:00 Selling fast

Wednesday 16 December 1

Captioned performance: The Jolly Christmas Postman, Lowry Salford Quays · Lowry Wed 16 Dec, 13:00

Thursday 17 December 2

Audio-described performance: Christmas Carol, Shakespeare North Playhouse Prescot · Shakespeare North Playhouse Thu 17 Dec, 19:00

Relaxed performance: Cinderella, Middleton Arena Middleton · Your Trust (Middleton Arena) Thu 17 Dec, 13:00

Friday 18 December 3

Captioned performance: A Christmas Carol, Lowry Salford Quays · Lowry Fri 18 Dec, 19:30

Relaxed showings: David Bowie: You're Not Alone, Aviva Studios Manchester · Factory International (Aviva Studios) Fri 18 Dec, 10:00 (18 Dec); 14:30 (27 Dec)

BSL-interpreted performance: Jack and the Beanstalk, The Met, Bury Bury · The Met, Bury Fri 18 Dec, 18:30 Selling fast

Saturday 19 December 3

Audio-described performance: The Sorcerer's Apprentice, HOME Manchester · HOME Date unconfirmed · Sat 19 Dec, 14:00

Audio-described performances: A Christmas Carol, Lowry Salford Quays · Lowry Sat 19 Dec, 14:00 (19 Dec); 19:30 (29 Dec)

Audio-described performances: The Jolly Christmas Postman, Lowry Salford Quays · Lowry Sat 19 Dec, 10:30 (19 Dec); 13:00 (29 Dec)

Sunday 20 December 2

BSL-interpreted performance: Sleeping Beauty, Contact Manchester · Contact Sun 20 Dec, 17:00

BSL-interpreted performances: A Christmas Carol, Lowry Salford Quays · Lowry Sun 20 Dec, 14:00 (20 Dec); 19:30 (8 Jan)

Tuesday 22 December 2

BSL-interpreted performances: The Jolly Christmas Postman, Lowry Salford Quays · Lowry Tue 22 Dec, 13:00 (22 Dec); 10:30 (2 Jan)

SEN Breakfast with Santa, Charlie Park, Atherton Atherton · Charlie Park Atherton Tue 22 Dec, 09:15

Sunday 27 December 1

Relaxed performance: The Jolly Christmas Postman, Lowry Salford Quays · Lowry Sun 27 Dec, 10:30

Wednesday 30 December 2

Relaxed performance: Dick Whittington, Opera House Manchester Manchester City Centre · Opera House Manchester (ATG) Wed 30 Dec, 13:30

Autism-friendly takeover day: Twixmas at Gulliver's World, Warrington Warrington · The A World UK CIC Wed 30 Dec, 10:30–16:00

Sunday 3 January 2027 1

Relaxed performance: Cinderella: A Fairytale, Octagon Bolton Bolton · Octagon Bolton Sun 3 Jan 2027, 13:00

On throughout 4

Running across several days or weeks; see each listing for the dates.

SEND Santa grotto sessions: HARIBO Holly Jolly Grotto, Trafford Centre Trafford Park · Trafford Centre Fri 20 Nov – Thu 24 Dec

SEN first hour: The Magic of Christmas, Freight Island Manchester City Centre · The Magic of Christmas at Freight Island Sat 21 Nov – Thu 24 Dec, 09:00–09:45 arrival slots

Santa's Grotto by Warrington Disability Partnership, Walton Hall Warrington · Warrington Disability Partnership Sat 28 Nov – Tue 22 Dec

SEND skating sessions: Skate Manchester, Cathedral Gardens Manchester City Centre · Skate Manchester (Tamarisk Events) Every Monday, 15:00–16:00

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