GLASGOW
Activities and fun
I DOME OF DISCOVERY South Rotunda. Govan Road. 427 1792.
Open all year. Tue-Sun 10am—5.30pm. Kids£1.20; adults £2 (family ticket.2 adults and 2 kids £5). Over 60 exhibitsto pull. push. turn and try. Tent events at weekends run for approx 30mins. 11.30am. 1pm. 2.30pm and 4pm. Suitable for all ages.
Scoosh- The DIY 01 Science 14 and 15 Sept. Colours and chemicals.
Magic and Illusion Sat 21 Sept. Magic and deception.
Atmosphere Show Sun 22 Sept. Effects of the gases in our atmosphere.
I EASTWOOD BUTTERFLY FARM Rouken Glen. 620 2084.
Open everyday. l0am—5.30pm. Kids£l; adults £1 .50 (family ticket. 2 adults and up to 4 kids £4). Indoor tropics for butterflies. Creepy crawlies housed in the Insect Kingdom.
I GLASGOW ZOO Calderpark. Uddingston. 771 1185.
Open every day. 10am—5pm Kids£1.90; aduhs£3.
I LITTLE MARCO'S Templeton Street. 554 7184.
Mon-Sat 10am-8pm. Ninety-minute sessions £3. Children‘s indoor play centre with slides. ball pits. soft play areas. climbing frames. Children under 4ft7in only. and under 3-year-olds must be supervised.
Exhibitions
I HAGGS CASTLE 100 St Andrews Drive. 427 2725.
Inspired by The Hobbit Until 27 Oct. Trolls. goblins and dragons in an exhibition created by prisoners. officers and friends of Barlinnie Prison. Ten scenes illustrating the adventures of Bilbo Baggins from J.R.R. Tolkien‘s novel The Hobbit.
I MUSEUM OF TRANSPORT Bunhouse Road. 357 3929.
Mon—Sat 10am—5pm‘. Sun 2—5pm. Admission to museum free. Largest collection of vehicles in the UK. Reconstructed Glasgow street complete with cinema and subway. New attraction for '91 . try the Super-X simulator for a really thrilling ride. Kids 75p; adults £1.50.
Oufings
I KELBURN COUNTRY CENTRE On the A78 between Largs and Fairlie. 0475 568685. Open daily IOam—bpm. Kids £1.50 (accompanied kids £1.25); Adults £2.50. Attractions include Pets Corner. Commando course. Riding Centre (phone for bookings). Nature Centre. Adventure Course and Wooden Stockade.
I SAFARI AND LEISURE PARK Blair Drummond. Near Stirling, 0768 841456. Open daily from 10am. last admission 4.30pm. Kids £3 (3—14-year-olds); adults £4.50. Lions. bison. elephants in safari setting. Other attractions include pets corner. splash cats. sea-lion show. adventure playground. pedal boats and astraglide.
I SUMMERLEE HERITAGE TRUST West Canal Street. Coatbridge. 023631261. Open daily lOam-Spm. Admission free.
PLANET CAREFULLY
In days of yore, the three R’s were reading, writing and ‘rithmetic; nowadays, according to Captain Planet, they stand lor ‘reduce, re-use and recycle’. Captain Planet is, 01 course, the cartoon ecu-superhero currently appearing on Saturday morning children’s television. Superman and Batman may have lought against evil nasties bent on ruling the world, but Captain Planet takes on the enemies of the environment. In two newly released videos be squares up to Duke Nukem,
: Dr Blight, Verminous Skumm and
Looten Plunder in his quest to rid the world of pollution. Sounds too greento be true.
How ‘green’ was the Emerald City in the Wizard 0102? Doubtless Dorothy was too busy trekking along the Yellow Brick Road in her swanky shoes, dealing with more traditional types of villainy, to worry about the bleach in the too and the state 01 the rainlorest. In tour new cartoon videos, Dot, Tin Man, Scarecrow, the Lion and Toto find themselves in some sticky situations, Irom the theft of Tin Man’s heart to the Wizard himself being blown oft the Map 01 02. Songs Irom the original 1939 Iilm version help the live whizzos oi the ozone overcome all the odds. (Rene Taylor)
Captain Planet and the Planeteers Volumes 3 and 4 (U) Turner Home Entertainment (VHS) £7.99 each. Running time 48 mins.
The Wizard of Oz Volumes 1, 2, 3 and 4 (U) Turner Home Entertainment (VHS) £7.99 each. Running time 45 mins.
23-acre museum illustrating 200 years of Scottish people and industry including the first working tramway in Scotland.
Theatre
I BEARSDEN AND MILNGAVIE ARTS GUILD Kilmardinny llouse Arts Centre. 943 (1312.
Aladdin Sat 21 Sept. 3pm and 7pm. Kids/Adults £3. The International Purves Puppets present the traditional nursery tale with a few surprises. Tickets available from the Arts Centre.
I CUMBERNAULD THEATRE 0236 732887. Kid‘s Stuff Saturday afternoon shows for 4—1 l-year-olds: puppets. magic. songs and fun. Approx 45-60 minutes. Kids£1.75: adults£1.75.
Mr Magic 14 Sept.
Mr Bones 21 Sept.
I PAISLEY ARTS CENTRE New Street. Paisley. 887 1010.
Mr Bones Sat 14 Sept. 11.30am and 1.30pm. Kids 50p; adults £1. A fun-filled hour from Mr B and his puppets.
Uncle Jimmy’s Punch and Judy magic show Sat 21 Sept. 11.30am and 1.30pm. Kids 50p: adults £1.
EDINBURGH
Activities and tun
I BRUNTON HALL Ladywell Way. Musselburgh.
Children's Book Fair Sat 21 Sept. 2pm. Free. Chance to buy some bookish bargains! Authors Aileen Paterson and Alexander McColl Smith. along with Magic Bob. set the ball rolling at the start of ‘Library Live‘. two weeks ofspecial events in libraries throughout East Lothian.
I EDINBURGH CENTRAL LIBRARY George IV Bridge.
Tuesdays and Thursdays. 10am—noon. Free. Creche facilities available to Central
Library users. Open to children of all ages. Large selection of toys. Run by the Edinburgh Creche (‘o-op.
I EDINBURGH 200 Corstorphine Road. 334 9171.
Open every day. 9am to 6pm (9.30am on Sundays). Kids £2; adults £3.75.
I GORGIE CITY FARM 51 Gorgie Road. 337 4202.
()pen every day. 0am-4pm. admission free.
Young City Farmers Group Meet every Saturday. 10am—1pm. For 7-13-year-olds. Learn about farm life and how to look after the animals.
I HERMITAGE OF BRAID 447 7145.
Family Walks Forest Fungi. Sun 15 Sept. 2pm. Kids 50p: adults £1. For all the family. but paths are quite rough and unsuitable for pushchairs.
I JACK KANE CENTRE Niddrie Mains Road. 669 (14114.
Children‘s activities For boys and girls. No booking. just turn up. 40p per child. Football training Mondays. L'nder 12s 5—6pm: Linder 16s 6—7pm.
Mini sports Wednesdays. Under 12s 5--(ipm: Under 16s 6—7pm.
I KENNEDY'S FUN CENTRE Windsor Place. Portobello, 66‘) 1075.
Every Saturday 9.30—1 1.30am. £ 1 .50. Open sessions for children up to age ten. accompanied by an adult. Trampolines. soft play equipment. tree house. bouncy castle. pirate ship.
I KDKOS (‘raig Park. Newcraighall Road. 669111182.
Mon—Fri 10am—opm. Ninety minute session. Mon—Fri 10am—2pm £2; 2—6pm £3. Sat. Sun and public holidays. 10am—6pm. £3. Ball pool. adventure maze. soft play areas. bouncy castles. climbing nets. mayhem. Fully supervised— children over 3 years can be left. lleight limit 4ft 7in.
I LITTLE MARCO’S Grove Street. 228 2141. Mon—Sun 9.30am—8pm. Ninety minute
session £3. Slides. karting. ball pits. bouncy castle. Fully supervised children over 3 years can be left.
I LAUHISTUN CASTLE (‘i ainoiid Road South.
SeptemberSpectacuIar Sun 15 Sept. Noon-5pm. Admission free into grounds. many events are free. Admission to 1,.auriston('a.stle llouse. kids £1 2 adults £2. a day out for all the family. attractions include puppet and magic shows, kites. pony rides. miniature rain ay. clowns and slap-stick comedy.
I ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN liiverleith Row. 552 7171 . ext-154.
Living in a Rainlorest Borneo-style Ionghouse serving as a classroom for educational groups and Family Workshops. (‘hildren must be accompanied by at least one adult and vice versal (Not suitable for under-7s). Places must be booked as numbers are limited. (‘ontaet Marisa Main at the Garden. Kids £2: adults £4 (£10 family).
Just dying to create a rainiorest? :1 Sept.
1 lam—1pm. Dye session with .Ieiiiii Jones. Rainiorest Impressions 5 ()cl. 1.30-4.30pni. Block print your own rainforest T-shirt.
Exhibitions
I MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD 42 l 11in Sti eet. Looking WilderStiII L’ntil to Sept. Mon-«Sat lilam-bpm (Stiii 2-—5pm during lidinburgh Festival). Admission free. The Story oftlic Scottish Raiigei'(itiides
191 b- 1991. Photographs and nieiiioi‘abilia spanning the 75 years of the Guide Movement.
Oufings
I EDINBURGH BUTTERFLY FARM Melville Nurseries.1.;isswade.b(i3 4932.
Open every day 10arii—530pm. Kids
£1 .50; adults £2.65 (under 5s free).’l‘ropical paradise of flitting butterflies. Tarantulas and other little hairy many-legged things can be found in the Insect World.
I PURVES PUPPETS Biggar Little Theatre. Broughton Road. Biggar. Lanarkshire. 089920031.
Open daily Mon-Sun (not Wed). Miniature Victorian puppet theatre run by the Purves family. (45 mins by car from Edinburgh; 1 hour from (ilasgow) set in attractive gardens which include games and picnic area. Puppet shows. workshops and guided tours. Often fully booked —- best not to go on spec. Phone for timesand details.
I SCOTTISH DEER CENTRE NearCupar. File. on the A91 . 033 781391.
Ranger-led tours to see and feed the deer. Try on an antler? (‘hildren well-catered for with adventure playgrounds. maze. toddler play areas. picnic spots. film shows. exhibitions. arid for wet days there‘s a giant indoor playground. Open daily. liiam—bpm during July and August. Kids£1 .75; Adults £2.75 (family ticket. 2 kids. 2 adults. £7.50).
I SCOTTISH MINING MUSEUMS
Lady Victoria Colliery Newtongrange. 10 miles south of lidinburgh off the A8. Open daily llam—4pm. Kids 80p; adults£l .25. ()ii view is the largest steam engine in Scotland. Don a hard hat and visit the pit-head. Visitor Centre. exhibitions. iearoom.
J The List 13— 26 September 1991 57