Gayle's Guide ✨ 20th February 25
Issue 44 - North Edinburgh Arts Film Festival, The Big Streetart Drop In, Princess Sing Along, a free keeping kids safe online webinar and much more!
I’ve spread myself too thin this week between £3 Edinburgh Leisure classes, friends visiting and general life so I’ll keep the intro brief! Feel free to get in touch with event suggestions, ye are usually a very quiet bunch, but I’d love to hear more from ye since it can sometimes feel like I’m typing into the void… hello?… is anyone out there??
🌻ASN 🐣Baby 🐤Preschool 🐔Primary
Friday 21st
🤱🏻 La Leche League Breastfeeding Support Group 14.00-15.30 🐣🆓
📍 LifeCare Centre, Stockbridge
This meeting is for anyone breastfeeding their child, at any stage of their journey and is definitely not just for those who are struggling. On the 3rd Friday of the month, the theme this month is “Loving support” so is open to partners and those supporting you to breastfeed. I definitely couldn’t have managed without my husband’s support so it’s great that this session will welcome partners too so they can share their experiences.
🐞 Friday Friends 14.00-16.00 🌻🆓
📍 Edinburgh Zoo
This session offers a welcoming space for D/deaf children and their families to learn together and make connections with others with similar experiences. The theme this month is all about the amazing adaptations animals have evolved so will take place at the Zoo.
🖌️ CREATE calm – ASN taster sessions (0-7y) 14.45-16.15 🌻🆓
📍 West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre
These creative sessions are for local children (Muirhouse, Pilton, Drylaw, Granton) that might benefit from a calm, quieter experience in a small group. “This could include children with disabilities or health concerns; autism; neurodivergent; those struggling with school or other learning environments; challenging family or care circumstances; or other social or emotional support needs.”
Saturday 22nd
❄️ Curiosity Club (7-11y) 10.30-12.00
📍 National Museum of Scotland, Chamber St
These sessions are for kids to enjoy without their parents so a cheeky bonus child-free coffee break opportunity for you! Through activities and games, the kids will explore the museum’s treasures while learning all about Ancient Egypt. There's also the Relaxed Curiosity Club 🌻 for children with additional support needs at 14.30.
🎞️ North Edinburgh Arts Film Festival 11.00-17.00 🆓
📍West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre
North Edinburgh Arts are putting on a great spread of activities this week! Here’s a full day of free fun with family screenings, kids’ workshops and food sharing. Check the timings in the link above.
👑 Princess Sing Along 13.00-15.00
📍 Marchmont St. Giles Church
Here’s some folk dressed up as Disney characters, belting out the tunes, hosting kids’ games and posing for photos. £5 from each ticket will go to CHAS.
🚲 Critical Mass 14.00 🆓
📍 Middle Meadow Walk, The Meadows
“We're not blocking the traffic, we are the traffic!” These monthly mass rides happen all around the world as a form of activism, demanding better infrastructure and safer conditions for cyclists. Everyone cycles together as one large vehicle and folk are exceptionally mindful of little ones, keeping them in the centre of the pack, well away from any motorists. We've been to lots of these rides and they're really well run, very safe and great craic for all the family!
🎨 The Big Streetart Drop In (6y+) 14.00-17.00 🐔
📍 Edinburgh Palette, London Road
If you missed the session last month, here’s another chance to for your kids to don their “I don’t care streetwear”, get creative with stencils and spray paint and unleash their inner Banksy.
🎻 Family Ceilidh 14.00/15.15 🆓
📍 Bellfield, Portobello
We’ve been to a few of these family ceilidhs and they are so much fun! The dances are highly simplified so even very young children can keep up. Aimed at 3-9 year olds but all welcome. Free or by donation, just drop in.
Sunday 23rd
🎸 Sunday Playgroup (0-5y) 10.00-11.00 🐣🐤🆓
📍 Gorgie War Memorial Hall, Gorgie
Organised by the amazing team at Dads Rock, this is the only free playgroup in Edinburgh aimed at dads and male carers. Runs weekly on Saturdays and Sundays.
🌍 Relaxed Opening Hours 10.00-16.00 🌻
📍 Dynamic Earth, Holyrood
Here’s an opportunity for children with additional support needs to experience Dynamic Earth with fewer visitors and reduced sensory stimulation. There will be additional accessibility resources available, including sensory bags, social stories, sensory maps and specially trained staff. Also a BSL interpreter will be at the 15.00 planetarium show.
⛔ SOLD OUT Rainbow Families: Pride and Planet Protectors 10.30-15.00 🆓
📍 Dynamic Earth
They must have either released new tickets or had some returns for this cos it was sold out so be quick if you’re keen. This is a free, all day event for LGBTQ+ families with a tour, workshops, crafts and even a free lunch. All with the bonus of connecting with other Rainbow Families.
Monday 24th
🪄 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.”
🗣️ Chatterbooks (8-12y) 16.00-17.00 🐔🆓
📍 Corstorphine Library
This wee book group is an excellent opportunity for children to share ideas, discover new books and make friends.
Tuesday 25th
🧩 Stay & Play Group 09.30-11.30 🐣🐤
📍 Gorgie Memorial Hall
These drop-in parent and child sessions are run by some very lovely local childminders and take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays during term time. Suggested donation £2.
🐕🦺 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.
💻 Cyber Scotland Week 2025: Keeping Children Safe Online Webinar 17.30-18.30 🆓
Our kids are still blissfully unaware of any online activities (apart from watching the odd gymnastics or parkour video) so the thought of them joining that world does give me the fear. I remember at a work training day on this topic, the speaker referred to the internet as a place and not a thing to reframe our thoughts around how easily kids can get led astray when parents don't have an awareness of where they are spending their time and who with. Anyway, scary stuff so check this out if you're interested. ✨Spotted in The Edinburgh Minute✨
Wednesday 26th
🌳 Nature Play (0-6y) 10.00-12.00 🐣🐤🆓
📍 Bridgend Farmhouse, near Cameron Toll
This weekly session meets at Bridgend Farmhouse and walks to Craigmillar Castle Park Forest for some child-led, outdoor activities such as scavenger hunts, water play and mud kitchens. Free spaces given to local children (EH16/EH17) but paid spaces may be available if you live elsewhere so contact the organisers in advance to check. ✨There’s also a Stay and Play session on the 1st March from 10.00-12.00.
⛔ AS PREDICTED, SOLD OUT! Magic Carpet Gaelic Week Special (0-5y) 10.30-11.15 🐣🐤🆓
📍 National Museum of Scotland, Chamber St
Celebrating Gaelic Week, here’s a wee session of stories, songs and rhymes in Gaelic. These sessions are usually booked in blocks of three (and just in English) and take place in various parts of the museum but this is a one-off.
🎞 Family Film and Food Night: Time Bandits 18.00 🆓
📍 Whale Arts, Wester Hailes
No such thing as a free lunch? Well here's a free dinner followed by a free film. Well done Whale Arts! 👏🏻
Thursday 27th
⛔ SORRY, ALSO SOLD OUT SINCE LAST WEEK! Postnatal Fitness 10.00 🐣🆓
📍 Dr Bell’s Family Centre, Leith
Take your baby along and enjoy 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. These always seem to sell out well in advance so book ahead if you’re keen.
🚼 Kin Buggy & Sling Walk 14.00-15.00 🐣🐤🆓
📍 Leith Links
These hour long (ish) weekly walks a such great assets to this city and a real lifeline for new (and experienced) parents needing a reason to venture back out into the world with their little ones. Use them or lose them! Bumps, babies and toddlers are all welcome.
✨ Here’s another week’s worth of fun stuff for my paid subscribers. Thanks so much for your support!