Gayle's Guide ✨ 16th January 25
Issue 39 - A brand new children's choir, a Burns themed trad session, first aid and hairstyle workshops for parents and much more!
Spring seems to have sprung all of a sudden. I downgraded from my winter jacket and spotted a solitary crocus in full bloom in my garden. Strange times… I don’t trust this. Anyway, the city’s organisations seem to be warming up too so there’s a bit more to do out there this week. Let’s get stuck in!
🌻ASN 🐣Baby 🐤Preschool 🐔Primary
Friday 17th
📚 Under 5s Storytime 09.30-10.00 🐣🐤🆓
📍 The Edinburgh Bookshop, Bruntsfield
These drop-in storytelling sessions are on every Thursday and Friday morning in The Edinburgh Bookshop. The shop has a wonderful children’s book nook at the back and they also run kids’ book clubs.
🥳 Family Fun Day 10.00-16.00 🆓
📍 Fountainbridge Library
It honestly never ceases to amaze me how much great stuff Edinburgh’s libraries put on to entertain our kids! Check the link for timings but you can safely expect stories, songs, crafts, Lego, a draw-along and even free hot drinks and biscuits. 👏🏻
🎨 Little Artists Art Club (5y+) 12.45-13.45 🐔
📍 South Queensferry
A weekly after school art club by the sea.
🎶 NMC Babblers Choir (3-7y) 14.00-15.00 🐤🐔
📍 North Merchiston Club, Polwarth
How adorable! A brand new choir for 3-7 year olds, running every Friday. Not sure if parents stick around for this but there’s a wee cafe in the building with home baking and actually very nice (and cheap) coffee.
📚 Friday Friends 14.00-16.00 🌻🆓
📍 The Palace of Holyrood House
This session for visually impaired children will involve some fireside stories, telling the legends surrounding the Palace of Holyrood House.
Saturday 18th
💈 Hairstyle Workshop for Dads and Children 10.00-11.00 🆓
📍 Gorgie Memorial Hall
Free but recommended donation of £10 if you can afford it, expect to learn some basics like pony tails and plaits. My husband and one of his Dad-Pals went along to this and had a great time. Although the plaits continue to be questionable, there’s definitely been some new skills learned and the girls had fun playing hairdressers together. Don’t forget your hairbrush and bobbles.
🍿 Kids’ Club: Despicable Me 4 11.00
📍 Cameo Picturehouse, Tollcross
Tickets for an adult and a child for this is only £8.30 - not bad for a proper kids’ film in the cinema.
🏃♀️ Come and Try It Orienteering 11.45
📍 Cammo Estate
If you’re looking for something outdoorsy to do as a family, The Edinburgh Southern Orienteering Club are holding a family friendly event in the beautiful surroundings of Cammo Estate. The main event website has an abundance of information for anyone experienced or otherwise but there is more digestible info on their Facebook event page here. There’s a variety of courses, even one suitable for buggies/wheelchairs.
✂ Crafts and a Story (3-7y) 12.00-12.30 🐤🐔🆓
📍 Kirkliston Library
Just as it sounds. Runs every fortnight.
Sunday 19th
🖼 Family Print Club (6y+) 10.15-12.15 🐔
📍 Edinburgh Printmakers, Fountainbridge
”These Sunday Funday sessions are designed for different generations to share an experience, explore some printmaking techniques, and have some fun into the bargain.”
📽 Relaxed Screening: Aardman Double Bill 11.30 🌻
📍 Cameo Cinema, Tollcross
Here’s a double bill of two of Wallace and Gromit’s classic capers: The Wrong Trousers and A Matter of Loaf and Death. Aimed at anyone with additional support needs but all are welcome. There will be no trailers, lights will be left on low, the volume reduced and the audience is free to get up and move about if needs be.
Monday 20th
⛑ Mini First Aid 2 Hour Workshop 10.00-12.00
📍 Bellfield, Portobello
Ok, not one to bring your child to (although non-mobile babies are welcome), but if you’ve been meaning to book a baby/child specific first aid course, here’s your reminder.
🇪🇸 Colorines Playdate (0-5y) 11.00-12.00 🐣🐤
📍 MakeBelieve, West End
A weekly Spanish playgroup with storytelling, sensory trays, crafts and songs.
🎶 Rush Hour Chamber Music Concert 18.00 🆓
📍 Palmerston Place Church, West End
”Escape the Winter Chill with St Mary's Music School Chamber Music Showcase! Let the music be your warmth on a cold winter's evening.”
Tuesday 21st
🎈 Toddlers Group 10.00-11.15 🐤
📍 Barclay Viewforth Church, Bruntsfield
Not a particularly informative website but some of my daughter’s nursery pals go to this playgroup from time to time. Pretty standard fare by the sounds of things, toys in a hall, teas/coffees for the grown ups, but sometimes that’s all we need on a Tuesday morning.
🤱🏻 The Bonnie Sling Library 10.45-12.15 🐣🆓
📍 IKEA, Straiton
This is a monthly meetup in the restaurant at IKEA (sorry for shouting) where you can try out and hire various slings and baby carriers while connecting with other parents.
🧘♀️ Yoga with Babies Taster Class (5m+) 11.00 🐣
📍 Pregnancy and Parents Centre, Pleasance
Usually these classes are booked in 5 week blocks they're now offering one off taster sessions too which can be booked online. Opportunities to do an individual, commitment-free baby yoga class are very few and far between so give it a shot if you’re curious. Thanks to Ana for sharing!
Wednesday 22nd
🚼 Buggy Walk 10.30 🐣🆓
📍 The Botanics (East Gate), Inverleith Row
These weekly walks are a wonderful way to get some exercise, meet local parents and explore with some adult conversation. Lots of different walks take place all over the city so check them out here.
☂ Mary Poppins (7y+) 19.30 🐔
📍 Festival Theatre, Nicolson St
Starting its run today and continuing until the 22nd Feb. There are some 14.30 matinees at the weekends and a BSL/AD/TT showing on Tuesday 28th 🌻
Thursday 23rd
📚 Bookbug (0-4y) 10.30-11.00 🐣🐤🆓
📍 National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge
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. Check here for more Bookbugs!
🎻 Trad Tots (0-5y) 12.30 🐣🐤
📍 Gibson Craig Hall, Currie
Absolutely love the sound of this! A trad session where little kids can dance along to live fiddle and guitar while listening to the stories told in the tunes. And there will, of course, be a healthy dose of Rabbie Burns thrown in for good measure so a fantastic way to celebrate the bard’s upcoming 266th birthday. This could possibly become a regular session so if you’re keen to see more stuff like this for kids (I know I am!), then vote with your pocket and book some tickets. Thanks to Rachel for sending this in… turns out we were at the same wedding 10 years ago! Bloody love Edinburgh’s small worldness!
✨ Here’s another week’s worth of fun stuff for my paid subscribers. Thanks so much for your support!