Gayle's Guide ✨ 5th July 24
Issue 13 - Bluey at the Zoo, outdoor cinema at Dalkeith Country Park, Meet the Gruffalo and much more...
I’ve been away with my family this week so hopefully this issue holds up to what you’ve come to expect, despite me being in Holiday Mode. Unrelated, but I've noticed a lot of folk have been reading Gayle's Guide on Thursdays which is the day before I usually post the newsletter… Maybe some of you would like an extra day to plan?
🌻ASN 🐣Baby 🐤Preschool 🐔Primary
Friday 5th
🐲 Marvellous Makers (5y+) 14.30-15.30 🐔🆓
📍 Morningside Library
Part of the Summer Reading Challenge, Marvellous Makers craft sessions will be delivered in libraries all over Edinburgh and beyond during the summer holidays. Head along to Morningside to make Rocky the Dragon and see which books your child might like to take home. They also have a bunch of board games available to borrow.
Saturday 6th
🐀 Storytime Special with the Gruffalo 09.30-10.15 🆓
📍 Christ Church Hall, Morningside
Head along to the Edinburgh Bookshop’s celebrations for the 25th anniversary of this children's classic and meet the star of the show in person.
⚙️ Mesmerising Mechanisms 10.00-16.00 🆓
📍 Water of Leith Visitor Centre, Lanark Rd
This interactive exhibition will showcase the work of local clockmaker, Ian Graham with all sorts of wooden machines like ball runs and drawing apparatus. While you're there, why not take advantage of the water play contraptions in the visitor centre where kids can do some next level water play, causing floods and controlling water wheels on stainless steel models. Plus there's a cafe and an easy access point to the water nearby for plopping stones and splashing about so don't forget their wellies!
🐾 Bluey and Bingo's Day Out at the Zoo 11.00-15.30
📍 Edinburgh Zoo
Bluey and Bingo will be visiting the zoo on Saturday so check the link above to see when you can spot them. The breakfast event is sold out but we've forked out for this before and to be honest, it was very expensive and we realised too late that we could have seen them dotting about the zoo anyway.
🐅 If two adults dressed as giant cartoon dogs, wasn’t enough, there's also a Brick Safari running from the 24th May - 31st July (pictured in the header photo) where there will be a trail all around the zoo featuring animals made out of bricks.
🌼 In the Night Garden Live 6th/7th July
📍 EICC, Morrison St
More folk dressed as preschool cartoon characters, this time taking to the stage to delight your little ones.
🏳️🌈 Rainbow Families 13.00-15.00 🆓
📍 McDonald Road Library, Leith
This group meets the 1st Saturday of the month so LGBTQ+ parents and their kids of all ages can meet and play together. Click the link above to request to join the WhatsApp group chat. Thanks to Kirsty for sharing this!
🎬 Frozen Sing-A-Long 13.30
📍 Dalkeith Country Park
An outdoor screening of Frozen. Bring a blanket and a picnic and get ready to sing! More on Sunday…
✂️ Collaging Edinburgh 14.00-16.00 🆓
📍 City Art Centre, Near Waverley Station
A craft session inspired by the Adam Bruce Thompson exhibition where kids can make collages of the Edinburgh cityscape.
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Sunday 7th
🍿 Toddler Club: Leo 10.00 🐤
📍 Everyman Cinema, St James Quarter
Get your preschooler out of the house bright and early for this film about a classroom pet lizard (voiced by Adam Sandler). A hot drink and piece of cake is included with your ticket.
😌 Relaxed Morning 10.00-12.00 🌻🆓
📍 National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street
These monthly sessions at the museum are for anyone who would prefer a quieter and calmer experience, although the museum in general is likely to have lots of school kids about. There is a quiet space on level 4 and sensory backpacks available to borrow.
🎬 Jurassic Park 15.00
📍 Dalkeith Country Park
Here's a chance to show the weans the original, 31 year old (!) Jurassic Park on the big screen. They're also showing a double bill of the Julia Donaldson classics, The Gruffalo and Stick Man at 11.00 for the younger ones.
🍲 Kids Supper Club 16.00-18.00
📍 Turtledove Play Cafe, Davidson's Mains
Take your kids to learn to make their own supper and try lots of foods along the way. Great for fussy eaters to help broaden their wee taste buds while learning to cook.
Monday 8th
🧸 Pop Up Play 09.00-14.00 🐣🐤🆓
📍 LifeCare Centre, Stockbridge
This cafe has a great free play area for under 5s every Monday with plenty of space for prams. Your baby/toddler gets to play and you can enjoy a well deserved coffee while supporting charity too. Win-win-win!
📚 Storytime 14.00 🐤🆓
📍 McDonald Road Library, Leith
Lots of the usual term-time preschool activities have paused over the summer but thankfully there are still a few options, this being one of them which is running weekly all summer. The link above will show you what else is planned over the next few weeks.
Tuesday 9th
🎥 Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1 09.45 🐣
📍 Everyman Cinema, St James Quarter
If you fancy 3 hours of Kevin Costner in the Wild West with your baby (and many others), then consider your wish granted!
🐳 Magical Machines! (6-12y) 13.00-15.00 🐔🆓
📍 Whale Arts, Wester Hailes
”Come and make your own magical machines out of found and recycled objects. Spend the afternoon bringing your machines to life!”
Wednesday 10th
🚲 Family Cycling Group (8+) 10.00 🐔🆓
📍 49 Pennywell Rd, Pilton
“A new, family friendly cycling group that will take short rides around the local North Edinburgh area. The rides will be led by two qualified cycle leaders and we have a limited number of bikes available to borrow if you need to.”
🐛 Magnificent Minibeasts 13.00-16.00 🆓
📍 Holyrood Park
Calling all budding entomologists! Head along to Holyrood Park to learn all about what wee beasties call it home and take part in a bug hunt with the rangers.
🎲 Family Games Night 18.00-19.30
📍 IKEA, Straiton
IKEA are hosting these events monthly on the second Wednesday where you can get together and play a good old fashioned board game.
Thursday 11th
✂️ 3D Edinburgh 11.00-13.00 🆓
📍 City Art Centre, Near Waverley Station
Here's another free drop-in craft session inspired by their Adam Bruce Thompson exhibition. This time, kids will have the chance to design and create their own 3D model of a building.
Friday 12th
🦕 Summer Family Fun 10.30-15.30 🆓
📍 National Museum of Scotland, Chamber St
The museum is running drop-in family sessions every Monday and Friday during the summer holidays where there will be lots of activities and games based on a different theme each week. This week's theme is dinosaurs!
☀️ It's Summertime! ☀️
In case you missed this, Edinburgh Council has a really comprehensive list of free and low cost activities for kids during the summer holidays. You can find it here: What's on for families in the holidays. I’ve highlighted a couple of their suggestions but have a read yourself. What a great piece of work, fair play to the cooncil! 👏🏻
Speaking of sharing events, don't forget to add your recommendations for festival shows by clicking below or you can reply directly to this email too.