Gayle's Guide ✨ 8th May 25
Issue 54 - Porty Festival highlights, Bookbug Week, kids' play at The Pitt and much more!
We’ve been working on something very exciting behind the scenes of Gayle’s Guide which is top secret, for now. But ye will all need to stay situated firmly on the edges of your seats until it’s ready to go. Hopefully in the next few weeks… In the meantime, please keep sharing this newsletter. I know there must still be plenty of families who would love to find more fun stuff to do.
🌻ASN 🐣Baby 🐤Preschool 🐔Primary
Thursday 8th
🧏 Parent and Toddler Group 11.00-13.00 🐤🌻🆓
📍 Deaf Action, New Town
Straight out the gate and for a very good reason. While researching events, I spotted on Morningside Library’s Facebook page that it’s Deaf Awareness Week til the 11th. So a quick search brought up this weekly group run by Deaf Action who also have a whole host of other events for deaf and hard of hearing people.
✨ Separate to this, I spotted that the Corstorphine Community Centre has copies of BSL for young children on DVD to give away for anyone who wants one.
Friday 9th
🍿 Toddler Club: Dog Man (1-5y) 09.30 🐤
📍 The Everyman Cinema, St James Quarter
”When a dog and a police officer are injured together on the job, a life-saving surgery changes the course of history when Dog Man is born. Half dog, half man, Dog Man is sworn to protect and serve.” A ticket for this includes a seat for yourself and your little one plus a hot drink and slice of cake. Also showing on Sat 10th at 10.30.
🍄 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! Another phrase going in 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 10th
🏖️ Porty Festival SAT/SUN
📍 Portobello
Every time I write something about Porty I end up looking at ESPC and upsetting myself looking at the fancy terraced houses by the beach that we can’t afford. Sigh. One day I’ll be a freezing pink woman in a dry robe, flip-flopping back home from that beach. Sewage or no sewage. Anyway, loads on there this weekend. You can expect food traders, gelato, a gin bar, coffee, magicians, a disco, yoga, market, music, dj, creative workshops, talks and Porty Panto at the Town Hall. There’s even a dog show. You might even spot yours truly looking wistfully at the sea.It’s very family friendly and you definitely don’t need to book specific activities to be able to soak up the festival atmosphere but here are some ticketed highlights which all happen to be on the Saturday:
🚲 Porty Pirate Bike Treasure Hunt 10.00-16.00
🪄 Magic Gareth 10.30
🧶 Make Your Own Braided Festival Accessory for Kids 11.30
🎪 CircoBello – The Best Family Circus 14.00
🌼 Spring Fair and Plant Sale 10.30-15.30 🆓
📍 Eric Liddell Community, Morningside
Promising arts and craft stalls and fun activities for children as well as cakes and plants for sale. And Pimms. Not child-specific, but there’s also a Plant Sale 11.00-13.00 at the Water of Leith Visitor Centre where they have a cool water play area and a very reasonably priced wee cafe.
🌞 Sunshine Stories: Sensory Stories and Play (3y+) 11.00 🌻
📍 Scottish Storytelling Centre, Royal Mile
”Join storyteller Ailie Finlay from My Kind of Book on a fun-packed, sensory adventure for May time as we head off through the green grass and squelchy bogs of Scotland! Lively traditional tales, inclusive games and lots of props to bounce and squeeze, followed by a calming session with play dough. A fun and engaging session for everyone but particularly suitable for children with additional needs and their families and friends.”
🎪 Grange Fair 13.00-16.30 🆓
📍 Fountainhall Rd, Newington
This yearly event in front of Newington Library is promising food stalls, children’s games and a good, old-fashioned tombola. They’re looking for donations of home baking, books, prizes… all sorts really, so give the Grange Association a shout if you can help.
🦢 Canalside Animals 14.00-16.30 🆓
📍 Fountainbridge Library / Green
Free drop in activities for all ages, talks with ecologist Graeme Wilson and of course, animal themed crafts. All by the side of the beautiful Union Canal. Look across the water from the tow path and you might see our resident mute swans, Cindy and Mr G. sitting on their nest with 6 (I believe) eggs. One of the locals has an instagram in their honour if you’re wanting to keep tabs!
🎻 Claire Hastings Relaxed Performance 15.00
📍 Traverse Theatre
Part of Tradfest, here’s a performance which is suitable for all ages (under 5s are free). “Claire has a strong ability to portray a story through song. In addition to her regular performances she has developed some interactive music sessions for young children inspired by having two pre-schoolers of her own. You could say that she has developed a strong sense of what the under 5s want from a gig!”
Sunday 11th
Go to Porty Festival! ✅
🍻 Kith&Wild (5-11y) 🐔
📍 The Pitt, Granton
What. A. Brilliant. Idea.
Drop your kids off for a 90min, nature themed adventure with crafts, bush skills, science, movement and all round good times. Oh, and did I mention that you can just hang out at The Pitt while all this is going on? Imagine having a couple of drinks and a meal you won’t need to share. Actually amazing. 👏🏻 Sessions available on the 10th/11th/25th May.
🚲 Family Cycle 10.00 🆓
📍 Ravelston Park, Blackhall
This annual cycle organised by the Blackhall Children’s Sports Committee will start in Ravelston Park and head along to the cycle path to Victoria Park for some refreshments before heading back again. Suitable for all ages but everyone must wear a helmet.
🐧 Spring Market SAT/SUN 10.00-16.00
📍 Edinburgh Zoo
If you're overdue a visit to the zoo, here's a good excuse to go this weekend. On Saturday and Sunday, there will be a wee market with a plant sale, gardening talks and craft activities for the kids. Plus, in case you hadn't heard, some of the baby penguins have hatched! Keep an eye out too for their friendliest penguin, Bertie (wearing a black and red bracelet), who loves diving down to interact with people through the glass at the underwater viewing area. Their Very Hungry Caterpillar Trail is still on too.
Monday 12th
🎫 WIN ROBBIE WILLIAMS TICKETS!!
It’s the last day to get tickets for the raffle to win tickets to Robbie Williams and Rag ‘N’ Bone Man at Murrayfield on the 31st May (valued at over £330). Each entry is only a tenner and you’ll be supporting the work of an amazing charity, Dads Rock!
🧩 Polwarth Baby & Toddler Group 09.30-11.00 🐣🐤
📍 Polwarth Parish Church
I know I only mentioned this playgroup a couple of weeks ago but I went this week and maybe it was the fact schools were off but there was only a few of us there so I want to try drum up a bit of business. These kinds of local playgroups are so important for families with young kids to connect and be a part of their local community so it would be a real shame if it became no longer viable. Use it or lose it, people!
Today marks the start of Bookbug Week where the theme is Bookbug’s Big Bedtime so there will be plenty of special sessions on around town.
💤 Bookbug’s Big Bedtime (0-5y) 17.30 🐣🐤🆓
📍Stockbridge Library
This is very cute! An evening session where they will read bedtime stories and sing sleepy songs. Pyjamas encouraged and your teddies are most definitely invited. Thanks to the organisers for sending this in.
🦒 An Evening With Edinburgh Zoo (8y+) 18.00-19.00 🐔🆓
📍 Oxgangs Library
I am just so often amazed by the incredible stuff our city’s libraries put on for the local communities. Here’s a chance to hear all about giraffes from the staff at Edinburgh Zoo. If you can’t wait, check out their webcams here.
🦒Giraffe 🐨Koala 🐯Tiger 🦁Lion 🐧Penguin 🐧Rockhopper
Tuesday 13th
🦁 The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (6y+) 19.30
📍 Festival Theatre, Nicolson St
How stunning does this look? I was obsessed with the old BBC version of this as a kid so seeing Aslan in this photo stirs up a very strong sense of childhood awe. Buuuuut…. tickets are too rich for my blood (really gotta get back to work) so unfortunately I won’t be updating my memories of this story any time soon! Maybe if one or two folk upgrade to a year’s subscription after reading this sorry tale? Hint hint…
Starting its run today and continuing until the 17th May. Matinees on Thu/Sat at 14.30 though very limited tickets left for Saturday, which is also the only BSL/AD showing.
🎈 ASN Soft Play (0-10y) 16.30-18.00 🌻
📍 Royal Commonwealth Pool
This is a weekly session for children with additional needs with specially trained staff to support the children and families. There will be dedicated sensory toys and equipment available and a virtual familiarisation tour online.
Wednesday 14th
🚼 Wee One Wednesdays 09.30-11.30 🐣🆓
📍 IKEA, Straiton
A new monthly baby group at IKEA. Free hot drinks for members and the food is very cheap if you fancy treating yourself to a cooked breakfast.
💤 Bookbug en Francais (0-5y) 17.30 🐣🐤🆓
📍Stockbridge Library (again)
Another evening Bookbug, but this time with French lullabies. Again, pjs and cuddly toys are very much encouraged.
Thursday 15th
📖 Turkish Bookbug (0-5y) 11.00 🐣🐤🆓
📍 Muirhouse Library
One of the organisers of this got in touch to let me know that there will be Turkish language Bookbug sessions happening around the city over the coming weeks. Here are the upcoming dates/locations. Tell your friends!
Thursday 22nd May 11.00 – Central Children’s Library
Thursday 29th May – 11.00 – Craigmillar Library
Thursday 5th June – 11.00 – Currie Library
Thursday 12th June – 11.00 – Muirhouse
✨ Also FYI, Muirhouse Library is having a Bookbug session every other morning this week at 10.30 in honour of Bookbug Week.
📽 BABY CLUB: Thunderbolts* 12.30 🐣
📍 The Dominion, Morningside
Bring your baby to watch an actual grown-up film with some very comfy seats should you decide instead to have a wee snooze in the dark. The babies might, of course, have some opinions on this.
✨ Also showing at the Everyman Baby Club on Tuesday 13th May at 10.00.
💖 Here’s a message from Edinburgh Council’s Whole Family Wellbeing Team. Absolutely loads of fantastic resources out there so check out the links below. Thanks to the team for sending this in:
Support for Families
Being a parent can be stressful at times. With the seasons changing and the lighter nights, it’s a great time to focus on boosting our wellbeing. If you could do with a little help to get that extra ‘Spring’ in your step, visit the Mental Health and Wellbeing support on the Support for Families webpages.
https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/homepage/10540/mental-health-and-wellbeing-for-children-and-families
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
The rest is for my wonderful paying subscribers. Thanks for sticking with me, you’re keeping the newsletter free for everyone else so glad you’re able to chip in!