Kids
Events are listed by city, then type. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to suzanne@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Suzanne Black. Glasgow Activities and Fun FREE Saturday Art Club Sat 9 & 16 Jan, 10.30am–1pm. Gallery of Modern Art, Royal Exchange Square, 287 3050. Art activities relating to the art on display with drawing, collage, sculpture-making and games. Parents can get stuck in too. Ages 3–12. Kids @ Citz Sat 9 Jan–Sun 21 Mar, times vary. £5.50 per session. Citizens Theatre, 119 Gorbals Street, 429 0022. Weekly drama classes in confidence building, improvisation, storytelling and role-play for all different age groups. Term starts on Sat 9 Jan and runs for ten sessions (not 13 & 14 Feb). Please check the website for full age and time information over the ten-week term. Registration can be done online or through the box office. Teenagers @ Citz Sat 9 Jan–Sun 21 Mar, times vary. £5.50 per session. Citizens Theatre, 119 Gorbals Street, 429 0022. Weekly drama classes in confidence building, improvisation, storytelling and role-play for age 13–15. Term starts on Sat 9 Jan, runs for ten sessions, with no class 13 & 14 Feb. Please check the website for full age and time information. Registration can be done online or through the box office. FREE Tree Planting – Plant for the Future Sun 10 Jan, 1.30pm–3.30pm. Pollok Country Park, Pollokshaws Road,
287 5089. Trees are the lungs of the city – help ensure that you can breathe by joining the countryside rangers to plant a few. Meet at the Riverside Car Park, no booking required. Glasgow Kids Comedy Club Sun 10 Jan, 3pm. £3. The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. Comedy for fans not allowed in normal clubs, but who want to see proper comedians. This week features Billy Kirkwood, Zoe Lyons and Jonathan Elston doing funnies for ages 8–12. No under 5s; all kids must be accompanied by an adult. Music for Early Ears Sat 16 Jan–27 Mar, times vary. £30 for ten weeks. City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. These creative music classes for young children and their parents/carers aim to encourage learning through creative play. Ages 18 months–2 yrs at 1.30pm; 3–4 yrs at 2.30pm. The ten-week term starts on Sat 16 Jan, with no class on Sat 13 Feb. Celtic Connections Public Workshops: Kids Percussion Workshop for Wee Ones Sat 16 & Sun 17 Jan, 11am. £4. Royal Concert Hall: Exhibition Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. Helping 4-6-year-olds find their groove, this workshop introduces them to a big and bashy selection of percussion instruments. Accompanying adults go free. Part of Celtic Connections. Celtic Connections Public Workshops: Kids Percussion Workshop Sat 16 & Sun 17 Jan, noon. £4. Royal Concert Hall: Exhibition Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. A workshop for 7-10-year-olds introducing them to some fun and simple rhythms on various samba percussion instruments. Accompanying adults go free. Part of Celtic Connections.
Glasgow Kids Comedy Club Sun 17 Jan, 3pm. £3. The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. Comedy for ages 8–12. This week features Matt Reed, Andy White and Michael Manley – proper comedians, doing proper jokes and probably being a bit stupid. No under 5s; all kids must be accompanied by an adult. Edinburgh Activities and Fun FREE Super Science Show / Meet the Scientist Sat/Sun 12.15pm, 1.15pm, 2.15pm & 3.15pm. National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, 225 7534. Every Saturday and Sunday you can catch either a Super Science Show or Meet the Scientist – find out which on the day. Ages 5+. Shows last 20 minutes. Strange Town Fri 8 Jan–26 Mar, 1.45pm–3pm. £43. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 556 0710. Theatre courses for ages 8–10. Strange Town Fri 8 Jan–26 Mar, 3pm–5pm. £67. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 556 0710. Theatre courses for ages 11–14. Strange Town Tue 12 Jan–30 Mar, 6pm–8pm. £67. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 556 0710. Theatre courses for ages 14–18. Strange Town Wed 13 Jan–31 Mar, 5pm–7pm. £67. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 556 0710. Theatre courses for ages 11–14. FREE Cedars in the Garden Sat 9 Jan, 2pm–3pm. Royal Botanic Garden, 20a Inverleith Row, 552 7171. Celebrate the cedar! Learn all about different species, how scientists name them and why they are so important. Ages 7+.
TV TRACY BEAKER RETURNS CBBC, Fri 8 Jan, 5.15pm Anyone who tunes in to CBBC from time to time might not know it, but it’s five years since the last new episode of the show featuring the abandoned and shouty Tracy Beaker. But that constant loop of archive 20-minute snapshots of life within the never-dull care home comes to an end with Tracy Beaker Returns as the lead character for Jacqueline Wilson’s bestselling books comes back older if not especially wiser. Having fled the Dumping Ground to live a fostered life under the roof of Cam (Lisa Coleman), Beaker has now told her story in book form (Who Cares?), albeit with the illegal help of her new mum’s credit card. Given a reprimand by the
police, she tries going straight in accepting employment back at her old haunt but, as per usual, things fail to go to plan. Jacqueline Wilson acted as a consultant on the new series and was thrilled to be getting back into Tracy’s space once again. ‘I thought it would be a brilliant idea to have her coming back into the Dumping Ground as a young carer,’ Wilson says. ‘She could be bossy and obviously make an awful lot of mistakes but also have a lot of compassion and understanding for the kids in the home. I do know that in real life quite a few children who have grown up in care and have managed to make a success of their lives very much want to work with other children in vulnerable situations to try and put back what they got out of the system.’ (Brian Donaldson)
58 THE LIST 7–21 Jan 2010
www.list.co.uk/kids
FREE Hopetoun’s Green Volunteers Sat 16 Jan, 10.30am–1pm. Hopetoun House, Shore Road, South Queensferry, 319 3956. Help the Rangers carry out conservation work in the grounds of Hopetoun House. Attend five sessions and get a free grounds season ticket. Booking essential. Under 16s must be accompanied. FREE Peat for Peat’s Sake Sat 16 Jan, 1pm–3pm. Royal Botanic Garden, 20a Inverleith Row, 552 7171. Peat bogs hide some amazing things: insect-eating plants, acid soils and even dead bodies. Find out more about these amazing habitats. Ages 5+. Winter Tour of the Zoo Sun 17 Jan, noon–2pm. £12 (members £10). Edinburgh Zoo, Corstorphine Road, 314 0350. Wrap up warm and meet the animals who love the winter months. The tour will conclude with a warming bowl of soup. Over 14s. Booking essential. FREE Bags of Art Sun 17 Jan, 2pm–4pm. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, 75 Belford Road, 624 6200. Collect a bag of fun activities from the Art Station and help your family explore the collections and create amazing works of art. Ages 3–12.
Books FREE Chatterbooks Thu 14 Jan, 3.45pm. Fountainbridge Library, Dundee Street, 529 5616. Poetry activities and games for children. Storytelling Story Space Thu 21 Jan, 11am. £5. Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Storytelling in the courtyard with games, songs and movement to get the imaginative juices flowing. Ages 2–5 (plus carers).
Outside the Cities Activities and Fun The Puffin Club Sat 9, Sun 10 & Sat 16 Jan, 2pm–3pm. Included in admission: £7.15 (£5.35; children £4.05). Scottish Seabird Centre, The Harbour, North Berwick, 01620 890202. Educational workshops with activities relating to wildlife. Ages 2+. FREE Sub Zero Sat 9 Jan, 11am–1pm. Monikie Country Park, Monikie, Dundee, 01382 370202. Outdoor activities for 10- 14-year-olds. All welcome but advance booking is essential. FREE Sunday Craft Session Sun 10 Jan, 2pm–4pm. National Museum of Rural Life, Wester Kittochside, Philipshill Road, East Kilbride, 0131 247 4369. Get crafty and make something to take home in this drop-in session. Wild About Art: Feed the Birds Sun 17 Jan, 2pm–4pm. Included in admission: £7.15 (£5.35; children £4.05). Scottish Seabird Centre, The Harbour, North Berwick, 01620 890202. Make a colourful bird feeder to brighten up the winter garden and give the birds a much- needed treat. Studio to Stage Mon 18 Jan, times vary. £5. Dundee Rep, Tay Square, Dundee, 01382 223530. Dance workshops on the Dundee Rep main stage in a range of skills. Ages 7–11 4.30-6pm; ages 12+ 6.30-8.30pm.
Theatre & Dance Shopping for Shoes Sat 16 Jan, 11am & 7pm. £12 (£7–£10). Dundee Rep, Tay Square, Dundee, 01382 223530. Visible Fictions presents Tim Crouch’s touching tale of an unrequited crush, friendship and shoes. Ages 10–16. Storytelling FREE Wednesday Parent and Toddler Session Wed 13 Jan, 1pm. National Museum of Rural Life, Wester Kittochside, Philipshill Road, East Kilbride, 0131 247 4369. Song time, story time or craft time for the young ‘uns – drop in and find out which session is on, or phone in advance to find out.