Kids
for Families Sat 10 Dec, 2–4pm. Burrell Collection, 2060 Pollokshaws Road, 287 2550. The Burrell round off a year of creative family sessions with a traditional Christmas Wassail. Ages 5–11. Time Travellers Sat 10 Dec, 2–4pm. £2 (£1.50). Scotland Street School Museum, 225 Scotland Street, 287 0500. Experience school life in the Victorian era, World War II and the swinging 60s. Places are limited. Ages 5+. Books & Storytelling Tall Tales at the Tron Sat 19 Nov, 10am. £6 per adult + child (additional tickets £4 each). Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 552 4267. Interactive storytelling session with movement, mime and props. Ages 3–5. FREE Cloudberry Castle Ballet Book Party Sun 27 Nov, 1.30–3.30pm. Scottish Youth Theatre, The Old Sheriff Court, 105 Brunswick Street, 337 2372. An event for mini-ballerinas and bookworms, with author Janey Louise Jones introducing her new book Cloudberry Castle: Ballet School Secrets amid ballet-themed treats and activities galore. Ages 6+. Book by Tue 22 Nov. Tiny Tales Wed 7 & Thu 8 Dec, 10am. £6 per adult + child (additional tickets £4 each). Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 552 4267. Bring teddy along to the tale of ‘The Bear Under the Stairs’, followed by a creative play session. Ages 6 months to 2 years.
Music Children’s Classic Concerts and the RSNO: Christmas Magic Sat 10 Dec, 1pm. £10–£15 (children £6–£9; family ticket £29–£43). Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. Presenters Owen and Olly are counting down the minutes until Christmas with some seasonal favourites. See preview. Singing Kettle: Christmas Fancy Dress Party Thu 15 Dec, 10.30am & 1.30pm. £12 (family £44). Braehead Arena, Kings Inch Road, 0870 277 6062. Get dressed up and sing along with Cilla, Artie, Gary and Kevin. Theatre & Dance Pocketsful of Wintertime Tales Sat 19 Nov, 2pm & 4pm. £5.95 (children £4.95). Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre, 8–10 Balcarres Avenue, Kelvindale, 339 6185. Flotsam and Jetsam puppeteer Aileen Finlay wears her special story dress, with pockets full of puppets and surprises on a wintry theme. Ages 3+. The Magic Horse Sat 3 Dec, 2pm. £5.95 (children £4.95). Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre, 8–10 Balcarres Avenue, Kelvindale, 339 6185. Yugen Puppets present the tale of a young man who exchanges his old mare for a black stallion which leads him on a quest. Ages 3+. Glasgow Kids Comedy Club Sun 4 Dec, 3pm. £4. The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. Live comedy for younger fans, best suited to ages 8–12
EDINBURGH
Activities & Fun Castle Tales Sat 19 Nov, 10.30am–12.30pm. £4. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Learn the castle’s ancient secrets and make a coat of arms and mini castle. FREE A Lot of Allotments! Sat 19 Nov, 10.30am–12.30pm or 1.30–3.30pm. City Art Centre, 2 Market Street, 529 3963. Crafting workshop where kids get the chance to make a miniature garden from paper, complete with tiny greenhouses, rows of carrots and cabbages, flowers and bunnies. Booking essential. Edinburgh Steiner School Christmas Market Sat 19 Nov, 11am–4pm. £1.50 (children 50p). Edinburgh Steiner School, 60 Spylaw Road, 337 3410. Annual festive bonanza at the school, with stalls, storytellers 82 THE LIST 17 Nov–15 Dec 2011
including Lari Don, puppet shows, candle-dipping, biscuit decorating and wool crafts. FREE Art Workshop with Gemma Coyle Sat 19 Nov, 2–4pm. Royal Scottish Academy, The Mound, 225 6671. Art workshop inspired by the RSA Open exhibition, aimed at ages 8–13. Booking essential. FREE Bags of Art Sun 20 Nov, 2–4pm. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art One, 75 Belford Road, 624 6200. Collect a bag of art activities from the art station and explore the gallery. A Family Edwardian Christmas Sat 26 & Sun 27 Nov, 10am–12.30pm. £6. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Play games and watch a magic lantern show before making traditional Christmas crafts. FREE Fabulous Piggy Banks Sat 26 Nov, 10.30am–12.30pm & 1.30–3.30pm. Museum of Childhood, 42 High Street, 529 3963. Be inspired by the museum’s piggy banks and make your own to help save for a rainy day. Ages 5+. FREE Illuminated Patterns Sat 26 Nov, 10.30am–12.30pm & 1.30–3.30pm. City Art Centre, 2 Market Street, 529 3993. Create imaginative patterns using stencils and experiment with torches to capture shadow designs on digital camera. Ages 8+. FREE Ahoy Admiral! Sun 27 Nov, noon–4.30pm. National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, 0300 123 6789. An afternoon of navy-themed fun for the whole family, exploring how the Royal Navy has changed since the time of Admiral Cochrane. The Navy, the Sea Cadet Corps and the Royal Marine Band will all be joining in. Festive Feathered Friends Sat 3 Dec, 10.30am–12.30pm & 1.30–3.30pm. £4. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Use woodland materials to make a simple bird feeder and decorations for your Christmas tree. FREE Create Your Own Figurative Sculpture Sat 3 Dec, 10.30am–12.30pm & 1.30–3.30pm. Museum of Edinburgh, Huntly House, 142 Canongate, 529 4143. Family workshop looking at sculptures in the collection and then creating with clay. Ages 5+. The Santa Toddle Sun 4 Dec, 12.30pm. £5 registration. Inverleith Park, Arboretum Place, challengescotland.com
A charity walk for the little ones (ages 0–6) with the added attraction of a visit from the man himself to boost morale! All participating kids get a medal, certificate and goody bag. FREE Imagination Workshop Open House Fri 9 Dec, noon–7.30pm. Imagination Workshop, 136 Marchmont Road, 466 0148. The Imagination Workshop celebrates its fifth birthday with an afternoon of free decopatching, mince pies and festive cheer. FREE Rainbow Families Sat 10 Dec, 10am–noon. LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, 523 1100. Christmas party for LGBT parents and their children. FREE Boardgames Galore! Sat 10 Dec, 10am–6pm. Waterstone’s George Street, 83 George Street, 225 3436. Try out this year’s new board games, plus some old classics. A Line of Christmas Stars Sat 10 Dec, 10.30am–12.30pm & 1.30–3.30pm. £4. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Make starry Christmas bunting and a 3D Christmas scene for your table. FREE Festive Frolics Sun 11 Dec, noon–4.30pm. National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, 0300 123 6789. Christmas craft sessions and choral recitals. Books & Storytelling FREE Storytelling in French Sat 19 & 26 Nov, 10.45am & 11.45am. Institut Français d’Ecosse, 13 Randolph Crescent, 220 7758. The French Institute’s librarians read two stories of 20 minutes each aimed at kids aged 2–7. FREE Badger the Mystical Mutt Sun 20 Nov, 1pm. Waterstone’s, Ocean Terminal, Ocean Drive, 554 7732. See picture caption. FREE Sara Forshaw: Storytelling Event Sat 26 Nov, 3pm. Marchmont Gallery, 56 Warrender Park Road, 228 8228. Forshaw reads from her new book, Captain Cat and the Pirate Mice, to launch an exhibition of original prints from the story. Ages 3–8. An Evening with Jeff Kinney Wed 30 Nov, 7pm. £5. St Mary’s Cathedral, 23 Palmerston Place, 622 8218. The author of the mega-selling Diary of a Wimpy Kid series celebrates the launch of the latest book Cabin Fever, with a little help from
Badger the Mystical Mutt
Meet Badger, a toast-loving magical hound who has been winning fans in book shops, libraries and schools across Scotland. The first in a series of illustrated books by Lyn McNicol and Laura Cameron Jackson, Badger the Mystical Mutt finds the eponymous doggie taking on the bullying Top Dog and his crew, and helping his talented spaniel pal Hamish win the coveted Pet Idol. Will he succeed? Only one way to find out – as many readers have recently, pushing Badger to the top spot in the Kirkcaldy Waterstone’s paperback chart. Get set to meet the Mutt at a book shop near you . . . ■ Waterstone’s, Ocean Terminal, Edinburgh, Sun 20 Nov; Waterstone’s, Braehead, Glasgow, Sat 26 Nov.
actors Zachary Gordon and Robert Capron, who play Greg and Rowley in the film versions of the books. Tickets from Blackwell, South Bridge. FREE Stories with Lari Don Sat 3 Dec, 1.30–2.15pm (ages 4–7) & 3–4pm (ages 8–12). Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. Two storytelling sessions with acclaimed Scottish author Lari Don. FREE The Blackwell Children’s Book Group Mon 12 Dec, 6pm. Blackwells, 53–59 South Bridge, 622 8222. Join in with a discussion of There’s a Hamster in My Pocket! by Franzeska G Ewart.
Music Childrens Classic Concerts: Christmas Swingalong Sun 4 Dec, 3pm. £10–£15 (children £6–£9; family £29–£43). Usher Hall, Lothian Road, 228 1155. Straight from the fridge, daddy-o: Owen and Olly introduce the RSNO Big Band in a concert of seasonal swing. Expect high-energy versions of the Nutcracker and Jingle Bells, plus the great Henry Mancini’s Pink Panther Theme. See preview. Storytelling FREE Talking Trees Storytelling Sun 20 Nov, 2–2.30pm & 3–3.30pm and Sun 11 Dec, 2–3.30pm. John Hope Gateway Centre, Royal Botanic Garden, 20a Inverleith Row, 552 7171. Storytelling for anyone with an imagination (ages 5+). Tiny Tales Tue 22 Nov & 13 Dec, 10–10.40am & 11.30am–12.10pm. £6 per child (accompanying adult free). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Stories for wee ones with different guest storytellers. Ages 6 months–2 years. Story Space Thu 24 Nov & 15 Dec, 11–11.45am. £6 per child (accompanying adult free). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Alison Galbraith tells a good yarn or two about one of Edinburgh’s most famous historical figures, Greyfriar’s Bobby (24 Nov date part of previously . . . Scotland’s History Festival) and Anne Pitcher leads games, songs and movement with a festive flavour (15 Dec). Ages 3–6.
Theatre & Dance The Curious Scrapbook of Josephine Bean Sat 26 Nov, 2.30pm & 7.30pm. £10 for a single ticket; £8 each for two or more tickets. Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. Intriguing new show from the much respected Shona Reppe Puppets about a mysterious scrapbook which leads to a strange paper room. Suitable for ages 6+. One Snowy Night Wed 7–Sat 10 Dec, 10.30am, 1.30pm & 4.30pm. £11 (family ticket £40 for four people). The Pleasance Theatre, 60 Pleasance, 650 4673. Meet the furry friends of Percy’s Park in a puppet adaptation of Nick Butterworth’s well- loved tale. Ages 3–6. Lost Sock Princess Wed 14 & Thu 15 Dec, 10.30am & 1.30pm. £10 for a single adult ticket; £8 each for two or more tickets. Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. If you’ve ever wondered where all the odd socks come from, join the Lost Sock Princess as she finally explains. Ages 3–7.
OUTSIDE THE CITIES St Andrew’s Day Baby Ceilidh Wed 30 Nov, 11am–1pm. £2 per adult (children free). Paisley Museum & Art Gallery, High Street, Paisley, 887 1010. Whirl and birl your wee one in honour of the national saint, at this special celebration for pre- schoolers and their families. Includes art activities, soft play area, video animation and of course music to get everyone up and dancing. Aladdin Sun 11 Dec, 2pm & 6pm. £7 (children £4; family ticket £20). Scottish Mining Museum, Lady Victoria Colliery, Newtongrange, 663 7519. M&M Productions’ version of the panto favourite, with plenty of audience participation.