Gayle's Guide ✨ 26th June 25
Issue 61 - Edinburgh Climate Festival, half price cinema at the Filmhouse, a mushroom themed kids' workshop and much more!
We just popped our family camping cherry at Solas Festival in Perthshire 🥳. Take note for next year - it was only an hour’s drive from Edinburgh (easy to abandon ship if needs be) and had plenty of space to explore but was small enough that it was really easy to dot about with two smallies. The gorgeous weather obviously helped but the festival itself was so chilled out, safe and wholesome that we were actually able to relax and enjoy ourselves. And not a single midgie bite between us! I think we’re campers now… So for anyone thinking of taking their first family camping trip this summer, do it!
🌻ASN 🐣Baby 🐤Preschool 🐔Primary
Friday 27th
📚 Porty Books Kids' Summer Book Club (4-12y) 🆓
📍 Portobello Bookshop
What a fab idea! Running from today until the 12th August, Porty Books are starting a new kids’ book club with a bingo sheet of book suggestions to read over the summer holidays. Get a stamp for each book read and earn prizes! The list of recommended books is here.
⛔️ SOLD OUT! Greek Storytime (0-5y) 10.30-11.00 🐣🐤🆓
📍 Morningside Library
This takes place on the last Friday of the month and does exactly what it says on the tin.
🎻 Recitals for Wrigglers 11.00-11.35 🐣🐤
📍 Stockbridge Parish Church
For the very cultured baby or toddler in your life, here’s an interactive session with live music from a professional violist and cellist. Expect some wonderful music, storytelling and wriggling! ✨ There will be another show at MakeBelieve on Sunday 29th at 10.30!
💡 Find Out Fridays 13.30-16.00 🆓
📍 National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street
Last chance before the break to drop-in to this after school session, with different themes to explore each week, in various locations around the museum.
🍄 MycoKids (5-15y) 14.00-15.00 🐔🆓
📍 Granton Castle Walled Garden
These are fungi-themed classes and activities for kids run by a local mushroom social enterprise… obviously! A phrase from my Things-I-Never-Thought-I’d-Type log. I’d love to hear from anyone who goes along! Finding this kind of event is exactly why this newsletter came to be in the first place.
Saturday 28th
🐒 Monkey Business 10.30-16.00 🆓
📍 National Museum of Scotland
“Grab a seat at our craft tables, get hands-on with fascinating objects and more. Then discover the world of primates in our new exhibition, Monkeys: Our Primate Family.” (Exhibition running until the 30th November).
🎪 Family Fun Summer Garden Fair 11.00-14.00 🆓
📍 Bridgend Farmhouse, Old Dalkeith Rd
Food, music, craft activities, a hill race, face painting and a silent disco. Great Saturday. There’s such a lovely community atmosphere at Bridgend and there’s some beautiful paths to take a stroll from here if you want to explore after.
🌍 Edinburgh Climate Festival 12.00-19.00 🆓
📍 The Meadows
Stalls, workshops and activities for all ages to learn more about climate change and the importance of adopting a more sustainable lifestyle. ✨ FYI, this month's Critical Mass is finishing up at the Climate Festival so if you're keen to take the kids on a ride though the city within the safety of a large pack of cyclists, check out details here.
📚 Summer Reading Challenge (5-11y) 13.30 🐔🆓
📍 Central Children’s Library, George IV Bridge
”Central Children's Library is delighted to announce that we will be launching this years Summer Reading Challenge with an exciting Storytelling event on Saturday 28th June at 1.30. Come along for free stories and songs followed by the chance to plant a lovely sunflower to take home. And don't forget to speak to staff about joining this years Challenge!”
🌱 Grow (2-6y) 14.30
📍 Scottish Storytelling Centre, Royal Mile
A very sweet show about gardening and listening to nature. We saw this during the festival last year and our then 4 year old did some proper belly laughing while the baby was transfixed throughout. There was one wee jump where a few babies got a fright and burst into tears near the start of the show but this definitely wasn’t the plan!! There was a quick recovery and the crowd of pre-schoolers ended up sounding like they were in a panto (IT’S BEHIND YOU!)
🧚🏻♀️ Fairy Garden Tea Party (SAT/SUN) 14.30
📍 Dobbies, Lasswade
This looks cute and a nice excuse to visit the garden centre (yes, I'm in that phase of life now!) Kids are encouraged to dress up in their best whimsical attire and come play games, paint their own fairy door and eat flower shaped sandwiches.
Don’t forget, you have until the 30th to take advantage of my special offer of 25% off a year’s paid subscription!
Sunday 29th
🎽 Junior Parkrun (4-14y) 09.30 🐔🆓
📍 Pilrig Park, The Meadows, Inverleith Park
Spotted in The Edinburgh Minute, this looks like a fantastic community to get involved in, all while raising your kids to be healthy and active. These 2k kids’ runs take place weekly, all at 09.30 on Sundays. The Pilrig Park one has just started up so show your support if you’re wanting this kind of thing in your neighbourhood.
🎞️ Flow 11.00
📍 Filmhouse, Lothian Road
It's back!! The Filmhouse (where, in a past life I used to wear chequered trousers and hand roll what felt like endless falafels) has finally opened its doors after almost 3 years. To celebrate, they're showing a curated selection of some of the films they missed out on screening during the closure. Oh, and looks like there are some half price tickets for opening week too! Here's a BAFTA and Oscar winner I missed first time round but love the look of. It’s about a very cute looking cat who teams up with a lemur, capybara, bird and dog to find dry land after a flood.
✈️ THUNDERBIRDS: International Rescue Recruiting 13.00-15.00
📍 Meadowbank Sports Centre
”Learn about the speed, power and reflexes needed to rescue people in the air, land, space and sea, and design your own Thunderbird!” £5 from each ticket will go to CHAS.
Monday 30th
👕 The Pregnancy and Parents Centre’s Nearly New Sale will be taking place on the 5th July. They’ll be accepting donations from today until the 3rd and are looking for volunteers so give them a shout!
🧸 Pop Up Play Area 09.00-14.00 (Mon/Tue)🐣🐤🆓
📍 LifeCare Centre, Stockbridge
This cafe sets up a great wee play area every Monday and Tuesday 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!
✨ Speaking of The LifeCare Centre, one of the team there has been in touch to let me know they are running Summer Children’s Activities every Tuesday in July 11.00-12.00 🆓
Tuesday 1st
JULY??!? Where the hell is this year going?? 😭
🍿 Baby Club: Clueless 30th Anniversary (0-12m) 10.45 🐣
📍 The Everyman Cinema, St James Quarter
Not only am I stunned that it’s July, I now have to come to terms with this film being THIRTY YEARS OLD!
🍓 Kids Jam Making Class 11.00-12.00
📍 Craigies Farm, Queensferry
Maybe getting your kids to stir scalding hot, molten sugar and fruit isn’t the first thing you’d think to do with them this summer but picking fresh berries together and bringing home a pot of fresh jam sounds pretty idyllic to me. Also taking place on the 3rd and 8th July.
🎵 Summer Sing-Along (5-8y) 13.00 / (9-12y) 15.00 🐔🆓
📍 Edinburgh Central Library, George IV Bridge
Tinderbox Collective are at it again, this time with a couple of free kids’ singing workshops. Fair play to them!
Wednesday 2nd
🎼 Singing Mamas (0-3.5y) 10.30-12.00 🐣🐔
📍 Palmerston Place, West End
Fancy a cup of tea and a singsong while still technically minding the baby? Bring your little one to play (or don’t) but don’t expect to be singing any nursery rhymes, this is for you, not them. Although the babies do gaze about bewildered when they hear the singing, which is pretty bloody adorable. The leader Kim is very supportive and welcoming and the whole experience just feels good for the soul with plenty of tea, cake and chats after the singing. These sessions are running over the summer so are a great option for those of us who wanting somewhere to take their wee ones when it seems like most preschool groups shut down. The first class is free and you have the option to pay for drop-in or block classes.
🧶 Adult and Child Crochet Workshop (8y+) 12.00/12.30 🐔
📍 Out of the Blue Drill Hall, Leith
If you’re lucky (or unlucky?) enough to have some time off with your child during the school holidays, maybe learning a new skill together might be a nice way to spend an afternoon?
🧺 Family Art Basket (F.A.B) (3+) 14.00-16.00 🆓
📍 Modern One Gallery
Starting today and continuing every Wed/Thu/Fri during the school holidays, kids can pick up a basket full of ideas and art materials to inspire youngsters to engage and create during their visit to the gallery. There's also a self-guided Sculpture Trail to follow and plenty of lovely spots for a picnic - even indoors ☔
Thursday 3rd
🏞️ Splash! (3-6y) 13.30-15.00 🐥🐔
📍 Water of Leith Visitor Centre, Lanark Rd
Take the kids for a spot of river dipping and learn about the local environment. These events usually sell out quickly so get on it!
✨ Support for Families ✨
Here’s a message from Edinburgh Council’s Whole Family Wellbeing Team:
Would you like to encourage more positive behaviour and strengthen the relationship you have with your child?
Are you looking to support your child to become more independent and confident?
Do you sometimes find it difficult to set boundaries with your teenager?
Is it tricky sometimes for everyone to stay calm?Why not try one of our free Parenting Courses? Visit the Parenting courses and Support page on the Support for Families webpages: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/support-families/parenting-support
Check out the other Support for Families webpages for lots of other supports and activities provided by different organisations throughout the year: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/supportforfamilies
For supporting children and young people with Mental Health and wellbeing, visit the Wellbeing webpages: https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/wellbeing
If you need any help finding support for you or your child, please email: supportingparentsandcarers@edinburgh.gov.uk
The next week is for my paying subscribers. Thanks so much for your support! This newsletter would have fizzled out ages ago if you weren’t keeping me going!