Gayle's Guide ✨ 19th September 24
Issue 24 - September Christmas panto, the Gruffalo at the zoo, Disney-themed family bingo, walk with real unicorns and much more...
Welcome back! For anyone who missed last week, I’m trying a new format where your usual week of family-friendly activities is now followed by an extra week’s worth for paid subscribers. My weekly posts going forward will likely be marked as “PAID” but ignore this, it’s just the way Substack tags them because of the paywall half way through.
✨I promise, the week ahead will always be free to read!✨
IF you do want full access, it’s 25% off for September which is only £3/month. Annoyingly, I think Substack will only discount brand new subs so just unsubscribe first if you’re on my free list already to get the offer price. Apologies, it’s a pain in the arse but I can’t change it. 🤷🏻♀️ …Anyway, on with the show!
🌻ASN 🐣Baby 🐤Preschool 🐔Primary
Friday 20th
86% of you wanted me to return to starting with Fridays so here you go! Again (for the last time) here’s last week’s Friday 20th so I’m not repeating myself.
📚 Bookbug (0-5y) 10.30 🐣🐤🆓
📍 Muirhouse Library
The brand new Muirhouse Library opened on Monday so go check out their funky sunshine yellow floor and drink in the extreme new book smell.
✂ Crafternoon (4y+) 14.00-15.00 🐔🆓
📍 Corstorphine Library
This runs weekly during term time so pop into the library after lunch for a lovely wee crafting session
Saturday 21st
🧵 Doro Globus: I am an Artist (4-8y) 10.00-11.30 🐤🐔🆓
📍 Fruitmarket Gallery, Market St
Doro Globus will read her storybook which asks “Who are artists? Why do they make art? What materials do they use? What tools do they work with? What forms do their artworks take?” Obviously, there’ll be some arts/crafts activities afterwards, inspired by the story. The kids’ events at the Fruitmarket are fantastic and usually go pretty quickly so don’t dilly dally.
🌳 Magical Woodland Walk 11.00-15.00 🆓
📍 Craigmillar Castle Park
Run by the Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust, this nature walk will be led by a storyteller who will explore the history and significance of the area. There will also be printmaking activities, campfire cooking and outdoor performances.
🐭 See the Gruffalo 11.00/12.30/14.00/15.30
📍 Edinburgh Zoo
A Gruffalo took a stroll in the deep, dark zoo… If you’re a member or looking for an excuse to visit the zoo, keep an eye out for the Gruffalo today. You can also book in for the Gruffalo Brunch option (honestly, some of the sentences I type in this newsletter) but we've forked out for a similar event before as a treat when friends were visiting and to be honest, it was very expensive for what we got: a breakfast roll and a cup of tea for the grown-ups and some pancakes and a couple of print outs of DIY crafts for the kids.
🎄CBeebies Panto: Beauty and the Beast (3+) 21st and 22nd 13.00/16.30
📍 Festival Theatre
Panto season already? OH NO, IT ISNT! But this one is showing over the weekend to be recorded for Cbeebies festive telly so why not confuse the kids and transport yourself into peak Christmastime!
💤 The Wee Sleep Coach 13.00-14.00 🐣🐤🆓
📍 IKEA, Straiton
The things I find trawling the internet! This workshop claims to be able to help your 0-5 year old get a decent sleep. You need to be an IKEA family member for this (that’s how they getcha) but it’s a small price to pay for your sanity if it works! 🤞🏻 Also running on the 28th Sept.
📚 Children's Sensation Pamela Butchart on The Great Crisp Robbery 14.30
📍 Toppings Bookshop, Leith
”Literary phenomenon Pamela Butchart joins us this September to celebrate publication of her latest Children's novel, The Great Crisp Robbery. Following the rip-roaring successes of The Spy Who Loved School Dinners and My Head Teacher is a Vampire Rat, The Great Crisp Robbery is another hilarious tale of primary school life from the Blue Peter award-winning team.”
Sunday 22nd
👩🏿🌾 Harvest Festival 12.00-16.00 🆓
📍 Royal Botanic Gardens, Inverleith
Celebrate the arrival of Autumn and this year’s harvest. There will be storytelling at 12.00/14.00, wildlife and gardening talks, crafts for all ages and more.
🦄 Fairy Tale Family Fun Day 12.00-16.00
📍 Hopetoun House, South Queensferry
A bit out of town but I’d imagine there will be plenty of you interested in this day of fairy tale fun. Expect magical storytelling, crafts and even a chance to walk some actual unicorns (£4 cash needed for this on top of entry ticket). Don’t forget your fairy wings!
🥳 Isney Disney Family Bingo 12.30-15.00
📍 Tynecastle Stadium, Gorgie
This title made me chuckle! Expect a load of Disney themed family fun like: crowd karaoke, bingo, a quiz as well as meet and greets with the likes of Mickey & Minnie, Winnie the Pooh, Stitch, Buzz & Woody, Mirabel and Elsa. Don’t be fooled though, it isney actually Disney.
🚣🏻 Rowing Boats 14.00-17.00
📍Harrison Park West, Shandon
Drift along on the picturesque Union Canal on a sweet little blue row boat. These are only for hire until the end of September so you’re running out of Sundays to see this gorgeous part of town from the water.
Monday 23rd
🌕 Bertie The Moon Dragon (0-5y) 10.30 🐣🐤🆓
📍 Portobello Library
The folk behind the sell-out Fringe Dragon shows are reading their storybook, Bertie The Moon Dragon and will be delighting the little ones with puppetry, crafts and music.
🪄 Relaxed Magic Carpet (0-6) 10.30/14.00 🌻🐣🐤
📍 National Museum of Scotland, Chamber St
”This is a monthly, relaxed version of our Magic Carpet event, for babies, toddlers and children aged 0-6 with additional support needs or for anyone who would prefer a calmer session and a slightly more relaxed pace.”
🍼 Wee Feeders 13.00-14.00 🐣🆓
📍 Kin Collective, Leith
An informal and non-judgemental group with a qualified breastfeeding facilitator for anyone feeding a baby, in whatever way.
Tuesday 24th
🎶 Sing and Sign (5-14m) 10.00 🐣
📍 Joy Tots, Ferry Road
Sing and Sign classes are usually only available in block bookings but here’s a wee taster session that includes a hot drink and a play afterwards. We did a few zoom classes during the pandemic with our older daughter and are teaching our baby what we signs we know from that too so it’s really cute seeing her being able to communicate before she can talk. Even if it’s usually just saying “milk” over and over.
🐕🦺 Therapets (5+) 16.00-17.00 🐔🆓
📍 Newington Library
Head along on the last Tuesday of the month to meet a friendly dog and read them a story. What a fantastic and very sweet way to build a child’s confidence, both with reading and dogs. Booking is essential so call the library for your 15min slot.
Wednesday 25th
SOLD OUT 🚫 Magic Carpet Explorers: Maths Tales Special (2-4y) 10.30/14.00 🐤🆓
📍 National Museum of ScotlandThese Magic Carpet sessions are usually run in nice wee blocks of 3 sessions so if you’d like to check one out for free as part of Maths Week Scotland, you and your little one will get to discover numbers, shapes and more through sensory play and song. There will be more maths related kids’ stuff at this week’s Find Out Friday and Science Saturday too - also at the museum and also 🆓
📚 Chatterbooks / Boardgames (8-12y) 16.30-17.30 🐔🆓
📍 Sighthill Library
Running alternate weeks (but don’t ask me which one is next), take the kids along to chat about books or play some board games with their new pals.
Thursday 26th
📚 Maths Tales (0-5y) 09.30-10.00 🐣🐤🆓
📍 The Edinburgh Bookshop
Wow, these Maths Week Scotland folk really are popping up everywhere. This time, they’re taking over The Edinburgh Bookshop’s story time sessions on Thursday and Friday. Drop in for some maths and numeracy themed stories and check out the beautiful new bookshop. Here’s the Scottish Book Trust’s list of books that support numeracy if you want a shopping list. Maybe see you there? 👋🏻
🏃🏽♀️ Postnatal Fitness 10.00 🐣🆓
📍 Dr Bell’s Family Centre, Leith
Take your baby along and get some gentle exercise while they play. This weekly class is exclusively for those living within EH6/EH7 and you must have at least one child under 1 year of age.
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