Gayle's Guide ✨ 31st October 24
Issue 30 - Japanese fun at Lauriston Castle, fireworks displays, preschool robotics, future planning for parents and much more!
Happy Halloween! I thought I’d get some cool, spooky cover picture but it didn’t happen. So I googled some traditional Irish turnip Jack o’ lanterns and found this terrifying Ghost Turnip from the National Museum of Ireland. I briefly tried to crop it to use as part of the cover photo for this issue but when I accidentally airbrushed it smooth instead, I realised my design skills were not up to the job. Plus, I didn’t want to shock ye, it is genuinely very spooky - as Halloween should be. Also, this. 🎃
✨ This last week has been hectic so please double check what I’ve written before you venture off out to do a thing. Running on fumes here.
🌻ASN 🐣Baby 🐤Preschool 🐔Primary
Friday 1st
🐧 DynaMites: Chill Out (0-5y) 10.00-11.00 🐣🐤
📍 Dynamic Earth, Holyrood
Learn about the natural world with your pre-schooler. This session's theme is all about the polar regions and the creatures that live there. £4 a ticket for 1 adult and 1 child, can’t say fairer than that! Plus it’s the last weekend of Eerie Encounters 12.00-16.00 free drop-in activities where kids can look at wee beasties under the microscope, make venus fly trap puppets and origami insects.
🤱🏼 La Leche League Meeting 10.30 🐣🐤🆓
📍 Cornerstone Centre, Princes St/Lothian Rd
Breastfeeding can be incredibly difficult. This monthly meeting on the first Friday offers support and community for those attempting or succeeding in breastfeeding their babies. Just drop in. There’s also a Toddler Meeting at Buccleuch Church, Newington at 10.30 on the first Saturday (tomorrow).
⛏️ Minecroft - Explore and Create Outdoors (5-8y) 13.30-15.30 🐔
📍 Leith Community Croft
Top marks for the title. “You can expect time for games, making nature play objects, croft explorations and time around the fire together!”
🪄 Fun Friday with Magic Gareth (0-5y) 14.00 🐣🐤
📍 Make Believe, New Town
Head along to this very chic play cafe to see Magic Gareth, “Edinburgh's Top Party Magician”. The ticket price includes a free adult and access to the play space for the day.
Saturday 2nd
🍿 Kids’ Club: Labyrinth 11.15
📍 Cameo Cinema, Tollcross
I saw this at a friend’s house as a child and I genuinely only remember David Bowie’s crotch. I was young enough that I didn’t understand what was underneath his leggings but Irish enough to not ask an adult either. If you’re brave enough to tackle (eh?) that conversation with your child, take them to see this classic on the big screen.
🔭 STEM Club 14.00-15.00 🆓
📍 Corstorphine Library
On the first Saturday of the month, let your child explore Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. Stick around for the weekly Chess and Boardgames (7y+) 15.00-16.30 🐔🆓
🤖 Robotics Play (4-6y) 14.00-14.45 🐤🐔
📍 Little Plaza, Leith
”This 45-minute session introduces your child to the exciting world of robotics through hands-on exploration of robotics parts. It's a chance for them to engage in creative learning while allowing our expert instructor to assess if they are ready to join our block of robotics learning sessions and join the McRobotface Robotics Club.”
Sunday 3rd
😌 Relaxed Morning 10.00-12.00 🌻🆓
📍 National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street
These sessions at the museum are on the 1st Sunday of the month and are for anyone who would prefer a quieter and calmer experience. There is a quiet space on level 4 and sensory backpacks available to borrow.
🍁 Autumn Japan Sakura at Lauriston Castle 11.00-15.00 🆓
📍 Lauriston Castle
Autumn has well and truly taken hold of the city’s foliage so I bet the grounds of Lauriston Castle look unreal! There’s loads of Japanese themed stuff to do today so a great excuse to visit. Drop in to learn some Japanese writing, try origami, find out about the art of Bonsai and even see some comedy. Plus there’s a Mimi’s cafe. The beach is just 5 mins drive from here if you fancy a walk out to Cramond Island, just make sure you check the tide times and factor in plenty of time for little legs or risk getting stranded! Wear your wellies, the causeway has plenty of puddles to splash in along the way and shellfish to spot. Thanks to Gina for highlighting this was rescheduled due to bad weather on the 20th.
🎆 Edinburgh Diwali 13.15 🆓
📍 West Princes St Gardens
Diwali is an Indian festival of lights, celebrated all over the world. Expect a parade, dancing, delicious Indian food and fireworks from 18.30.
💥 Fawkes Festival 16.00
📍 Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston
More fireworks, this time with a fairground, bonfire and even the Red Hot Chilli Pipers.
🎇 Fireworks Extravaganza 16.00/18.00
📍 George Watson’s Rugby Grounds, Myreside
Even more fireworks! This charity event usually sells out so has two displays planned to meet demands.
Monday 4th
🎨 BYOB Bring Your Own Baby/Bump 10.15/11.00/11.30 🐣🆓
📍 Modern One, Ravelston
One for all you arty folk! Bring your baby (or bump!) along for a guided tour of the gallery, explore the work of Everlyn Nicodemus and mingle with some other new parents/carers.
⛔ SOLD OUT Scots Language Bookbug (0-5y) 10.30-11.00 🐣🐤🆓📍 National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge
Wid ye like tae coorie in and gie's yer lugs, for a wee story? A Bookbug session featuring songs, stories, and rhymes in Scots. These are pretty few and far between across the city so book in if you’re interested. Just found some BBC Sounds Stories in Scots too.
🎞 Baby Club: Small Things Like These 11.15 🐣
📍 Everyman Cinema, St James Quarter
Based on the book of the same name by Claire Keegan, this slow-burn drama starring Cillian Murphy is based around the horrors suffered by those “fallen women” and their children who were imprisoned in the Magdalene Laundries in Ireland. The last of these institutions only closed in 1996 so this film, set in the 1980s is paying tribute to all those who were and are still affected by this disgraceful part of Irish history.
⛔ SOLD OUT Kin Weigh & Stay 14.30-16.00 🐣🆓
📍 Kin Collective, Leith
This monthly parent/baby session will help anyone looking for a bit of reassurance by checking their baby’s weight and hearing from others in the same boat.
Tuesday 5th
🔥 Community Camp Fire Event 17.00 🆓
📍 Sandy’s Community Centre, Craigmillar
This looks like some proper grassroots, local family fun. Get cosy by the fire pit with toasted marshmallows, see a woodland light show, eat some stovies and even dance in a silent disco.
🍍 The SpongeBob Musical 19.30
📍 Church Hill Theatre, Morningside
Fairly self-explanatory title! Features some original songs by Steven Tyler, Sara Bareilles, The Flaming Lips, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Panic! At the Disco and even David Bowie. Running until the 9th Nov.
Wednesday 6th
📚 Bookbug at the Museum (0-4y) 09.30-10.00 🐣🐤🆓
📍 Museum of Scottish Fire Heritage, Leith
Bookbug sessions are held weekly in libraries all over town and are a wonderful way to introduce your little ones to the magic of books and storytelling. This one has the added bonus of being in the Museum of Scottish Fire Heritage. Know anyone who likes fire engines?
🌍 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.
Thursday 7th
📚 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's posh new digs. The new shop is only a couple of months old and it has a wonderful children’s book nook at the back so why not pop in for a wee neb and a shiny new storybook?
🔮 Craft Your Future: Arts & Future Thinking for Parents & Wee Ones 10.00-12.00 🆓
📍 Kin Collective, Leith
A workshop run by Edinburgh University to help parents plan for the future while their little ones “have a go at crafting their future selves”, with the help of Art Buds. Thanks to Emily for sending this in.
✨ Gayle’s Guide will always be free! But here’s an extra week to say thanks to my paid subscribers. Everyone will see these events next week and whatever else I find along the way though so no panic if you don’t fancy upgrading. A lot of work goes into researching and writing this. Plus, I’m on unpaid mat leave so…
