Welcome to the very first newsletter! As a children's nurse on maternity leave with zero background in writing or tech, I am a total novice so please bear with me as I figure all this out. I’ve done my best to make sure all information is accurate but double check the links just in case my sleep-deprived brain fog has gotten the better of me. And if you have any feedback or event suggestions, give me a shout. Enjoy!✨
🐣 Babies 🐤 Preschool 🐔 School age
Friday 12th
🐻 PADDINGTON IN CONCERT 15.00
📍 Usher Hall, Lothian Road.
If you love bears in duffle coats and have cash burning a hole in your pocket, head along to Usher Hall this afternoon for a screening of Paddington with live orchestral accompaniment. (With enough time for a leisurely lunch and turnaround after school finishes!)
Fri/Sat/Sunday
🎨 YOUR ART WORLD 10.00-17.00 🆓
📍The National Gallery, The Mound.
This is the last weekend exhibiting a collection of children’s artworks which aim to inspire and empower kids to think and act creatively. There's an interactive zone too and if that wasn't enough, it's totally free and sheltered from the rain! ☔
🌱 FRANKENSTEIN'S PLANTS 12.00-16.00 🆓
📍 Royal Botanic Gardens, Inverleith.
The weather isn't looking great for the weekend but don't rule out a trip to the Botanics just yet! Part of the Edinburgh Science Festival, this drop-in event lets you design and make your very own herbarium specimen to take home. I attended one of these events around 15 years ago with kids I babysat and the plant I came home with is still going strong!
🐇 EASTER TRAIL HUNT 10.00-16.30
📍 Royal Botanic Gardens, Inverleith.
Squeeze every last drop out of this year’s Easter themed events and take a wander round the Botanics to hunt for the golden egg. Drop into Frankenstein's Plants while you're there for some bonus botany!
Saturday 13th
🚲 SPRING CAPER 10.00-14.00 🆓
📍 Meadows Compass, The Meadows.
Cycle along to the Meadows for a chat with the friendly folk at the Cargo Bike Movement and have a go on a cargo bike. I don't say this lightly but ours has changed our lives and the kids love it! Plus, Dr Bike will be on hand with mechanical help and you can get your bikes security marked by Police Scotland.
🎸 DADS PLAYGROUP 10.00-11.30 🆓🐣🐤
📍Gorgie War Memorial Hall, Gorgie.
Organised by the amazing team at Dads Rock, this playgroup runs weekly on Saturdays and Sundays for dads/male carers and their 0-5 year olds. They also run weekly family music lessons out at Edinburgh College on Tuesday evenings which sound like great craic!
Sunday 14th
🚣🏻 ROWING BOAT LAUNCH 12.00-17.00 🆓
📍Harrison Park West, Shandon.
Come soak up some pure community spirit by the picturesque Union Canal, enjoy some home baking and test your luck with a good old fashioned raffle! If you have some pocket money, hire a row boat - no experience required and life vests provided. My husband and I took our 3½ year old on one the day before my youngest was born so I am very thankful that she didn’t decide to arrive a day early!
🚲 SLOW & EASY FAMILY RIDE 13.00-16.00 🆓
📍 Porty Active Travel Hub, Portobello.
A leisurely 3.3 mile one-way group cycle to Lochend Park. Porty Community Energy suggests it’s likely most suitable for kids aged 10+ on their own bikes but younger kids in cargo bikes or bike seats are also welcome. The ride will be along a mixture of tracks, traffic-free paths and quiet roads so a great opportunity to increase confidence to cycle with your kids. They also hire out cargo bikes which I cannot recommend highly enough for transporting little ones about!
Monday 15th
📚 BOOKBUG 11.00-11.30 🆓🐣🐤
📍 McDonald Road Library, Leith.
Bookbug sessions are held weekly on various days in libraries all over town for 0-4 year olds and are a wonderful way to introduce your little ones to the magic of books and storytelling. This particular library also runs sessions in Gaelic, Spanish and Polish so can help connect your family to others within the same community. Check here for more Bookbugs!
Tuesday 16th
🎈 SOFT PLAY 10.30/12.30 🐤
📍 North Merchiston Club, Polwarth.
One of our regular haunts is this cheap and cheerful community hall filled with lots of climbing and ride on toys plus two little bouncy castles to burn off serious preschooler energy. My almost 4 year old ends up a pink, sweaty mess every time! You can easily see the kids from the sidelines too which means less chasing around than typical soft play sessions. Home baking, snacks and surprisingly decent coffee available. Held weekly during term time on Tuesdays and Fridays (ASN session Friday afternoon).
Wednesday 17th
🎬 BABY CLUB: DUNE PART 2 13.30 🐣
📍 Dominion Cinema, Morningside.
Not your typical cinema, the Dominion is a real treat with its plush sofas, classy snacks and wine. Exclusively for people with babies under 1, there's dim lighting, lower sound and subtitles in case the weans start wailing! Last time the little ones were amazingly subdued actually so fingers crossed Dune will be as calming as Barbie!
💻 PREWIRED 17.30-19.30 🆓🐔
📍 CodeBase, Castle Terrace.
This volunteer run, weekly class for under 19s supports young coders of all abilities to develop new skills. Under 11s need a guardian to remain with them but this is optional for 11 and older.
Thursday 18th
🧩 Toddler Group 09.30-12.00 🐣🐤
📍 Marchmont St Giles Church, Marchmont.
A weekly play group for babies/toddlers under 5 and their grown-ups which runs every Thursday during term time. Not sure if there's a charge for this one but almost certainly less than a fiver.
🎻 Family Story Ceilidh 18.45 🆓🐔
📍 National Library of Scotland, Old Town
This celebration of Gaelic story and song is suitable for age 6+… I’m not convinced this is an actual ceilidh though so check the link for full details before expecting a school-night shindig!
Friday 19th
🎬 MARY POPPINS 10.00 🐤
📍 Everyman Cinema, St James Quarter
For those of you wanting a massive 2hr 20mins of entertainment, the Everyman's Toddler Club for 1-5 year olds is showing an absolute classic. Tickets include a hot drink, slice of cake and a warning of some discriminatory language! 😳
💖 FRIDAY FRIENDS 14.00-16.00
📍 Holyrood Palace, Canongate
This session will be held at the Abbey Strand Learning Centre and offers a welcoming space for visually impaired children and their families. More dates and details on the website including sessions for D/deaf children.
☔RAINY DAY RETREATS
Here’s a wee bonus section for anyone who's made it this far down the newsletter! Since the weather has been so miserable lately, I've put together some places to take the kids to weather the storm and save your sanity.
CITY ART CENTRE 10.00-17.00 daily 🆓
Activity area full of art materials and worksheets relating to the exhibitions.MODERN ONE 10.00-17.00 daily 🆓
Drop in picnic and play space on level 2 with art books and materials to create your own masterpiece!NATIONAL MUSEUM 10.00-1700 daily 🆓
The museum is an incredible place to spend time and spark curiosity in your kids come rain or shine but it is massive and it’s easy to miss stuff. You can bring a picnic to eat in the Group Space in the entrance hall on level 0. There's also the Imagine Gallery on level 1, Adventure Planet on level 5 and a new buggy park in the Kingdom of the Scots gallery, level 1. Phew!
✨That's all folks! Hope you enjoyed our maiden voyage together. I'll be back next Friday morning with another week’s worth of family fun stuff so subscribe and share if you're keen!