list.co.uk/kids Street Magic Masterclass Sun 1 & Mon 2 Jul, 11.30am. £35. Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 473 2000. Tips and secrets behind card tricks and sleight of hand. Bring a packed lunch and a pack of cards. Ages 11–14. Part of Edinburgh International Magic Festival. Farmers Helpers Workshops Mon 2–Thu 19 Jul (not Sat & Sun), 10am. £7. Gorgie City Farm, 51 Gorgie Road, 623 7031. Hands-on farm work sessions for ages 8–12. Booking essential. Magic School Mon 2–Fri 6 Jul, 10am & 1.30pm. £75 for five sessions. Scottish Book Trust, Sandeman House, Trunks Close, 55 High Street, 473 2000. Magic school for kids aged 7–10. Part of Edinburgh International Magic Festival. Summer with StrangeTown Mon 2–Fri 6 Jul (ages 8–10) or Mon 9–Fri 13 Jul (ages 11–14), 10am–4pm. £95 per week. Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 30–36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, 555 7101. Create a play in just five days. Ships, Trains and Aeroplanes Mon 2 Jul, 10.30am & 1.30pm. £4. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Choose your mode of transport then build it with freshly cut wood. Ages 8+. Driftwood Treasure Box Tue 3 Jul, 10.30am & 1.30pm. £4. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Kids create their own little treasure chest. River Dipping Thursdays, 5–19 Jul, 2pm. £4 per child; accompanying adults free. Water of Leith Visitor Centre, 24 Lanark Road, 455 7367. Splash around in the river and discover new creatures. FREE Sparrowhawk Weekend Sat 7 & Sun 8 Jul, 1–4pm. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2909. Exhibition and activities focusing on raptors. Nonsense! Sun 8 Jul, 1pm & 3pm. £5 (£3). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Celebrating the nonsense verse of Edward Lear. Ages 5–7 from 1pm and 8+ from 3pm. Summer Hip Hop School Mon 9–Fri 13 Jul (ages 7–9) or Mon 16–Fri 20 Jul (ages 10–12), 9.30am–3.30pm. £97.50 per week (additional siblings £87.50). Dance Base, 14–16 Grassmarket, 225 5525. Learn street dance and experiment with photography, art and music videos. Magical Fairy Dust Wings Tue 10 Jul, 10.30am–12.30pm. £4. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Hear tales of the Victorian fascination with fairies, then create some fairy wings. Courtly Games and Intrigues at the Court of Mary Queen of Scots Wed 11 Jul, 11am–3pm. £5 as part of castle admission (£4; children £3; members free). Craigmillar Castle, Craigmillar Castle Road, 661 4445. Alewife Agnes Clarke lifts the lid on life at Craigmillar Castle. Edinburgh Olympians Thu 12 Jul, 11am-noon. £6 per child. Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Olympics-inspired events including hippodrome chariot and horse relay races. Ages 7–13. Jungle Junk Jewellery Mon 16 Jul, 10.30am & 1.30pm. £4. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Create jungle animal jewellery. FREE On Yer Bike! Leith Family Day Trip Tue 17 Jul, 10am–5pm. The Acorn Centre, Junction Place, Leith, 553 7877. Day trip with canoeing and cycling. Sunny Summer Scenes Tue 17 Jul, 10.30am. £4. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Fun in the castle grounds, before creating a plaster-cast picture with pressed flowers. East Lothian Youth Theatre Summer School Tue 17–Thu 19 Jul, 10.30am or 1pm. £12 for three sessions. Brunton Theatre, Ladywell Way, Musselburgh, 665 2240. Drama sessions for ages 5–7. Wild at Art Tue 17 Jul, 2pm. £4 per child (accompanying adults free). Water of Leith Visitor Centre, 24 Lanark Road, 455 7367. Get creative with nature. Wellies essential! Suitable for under 8s.
Kids
HITLIST Ages 9+. Tickets are
THE BEST KIDS’ STUFF
FAMILY FUN TREASURE TRAILS treasuretrails.co.uk
Think you know the city you live in? Me too. Or rather I did, until question four on the New Town Murder Mystery Treasure Trail totally stymied me. Happily, the organisers of these fun, accessible and varied trails know what it’s like to find yourself frustrated on a Saturday afternoon, unable to find the answer and convinced the clue itself is wrong.
A quick automated text and I, and my equally frustrated young charges, were back on the case, tracking down the dastardly villain who threatened to cause mayhem in Edinburgh’s New Town.
It’s details such as this that make these award-winning trails so enjoyable. With over 1000 trails covering most of Britain, and over 150 in Scotland, the Treasure Trails company have come up with an alternative way to explore either your home town or a holiday destination. No map is required, just the ability to follow the directions, read the clues and find the answers (knowing that if you’re really stuck, a wee text will put you right). Building up a bank of letters as you go (for example the surname of a literary figure who lived in a house en-route), you solve the clues to find the solution – taking in the city as you go. There are three trails to choose from, Murder Mystery, Spy Trail and Treasure Hunt, covering areas such as Edinburgh New Town, Edinburgh Royal Mile, Glasgow City and Glasgow West End.
Each trail takes on average 90 minutes to two hours to complete, but
there’s nothing to stop you sloping off for essential coffee and cake breaks, and turning it into a full day out. Buy online or download the app from treasuretrails.co.uk for £5.99, and watch the whole family turn into super sleuths. (Kelly Apter)
Books & Storytelling FREE Meet the Ancestors Sun 24 Jun, 2pm, 2.45pm & 3.30pm. Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street, 624 6200. Stories from Pakistan. Tiny Tales Tue 10 & 17 Jul, 10am & 11.30am. £6 per child. Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Stories, rhymes and song for wee ears. Ages 6 months–2 years. Café Voices: Scots Histories Wed 11 Jul, 7pm. £5. Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. A special evening of Scottish stories. FREE Talking Trees Storytelling Sun 15 Jul, 2pm. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2909. Transporting children to a magical land. Ages 5+. Storytelling with Alastair McIver Sun 15 Jul, 1pm & 3pm. £5 (£3). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. All aboard the Storyship for ages 6+ to travel the world using only their imaginations. Music FREE South West Sounds Showcase Fri 22 Jun, 7pm. The Music Box, Stevenson College Edinburgh, Bankhead Avenue, 535 4840. Young musicians have been getting together for
jam sessions and now you can hear the fruits of their labour. Theatre & Dance Peppa Pig’s Treasure Hunt Wed 4 & Thu 5 Jul, 10am & 1pm. £14–£16 (under 16s £12–£14; family £54). Edinburgh Festival Theatre, 13–29 Nicolson Street, 529 6000. See Glasgow, Theatre & Dance. The Netherlands National Circus Tue 26–Fri 29 Jun 4.45pm & 7.30pm; Sat 30 Jun 2pm, 4.45pm & 7.30pm; Sun 1 Jul 1pm & 3.30pm. £12–£24 (children £10– 18). Leith Links, Leith, netherlandscircus. eu. Aerial feats, acrobatics and dance.
OUTSIDE THE CITIES FREE Midsummer Family Day Sat 23 Jun, noon–4pm. Preston Mill & Phantassie Doocot, Preston Road, East Linton, 0844 493 2128. Duck races and craft activities. Children’s Drop-in Workshops Sat 23 & 30 Jun, 2–4pm. £6. Jupiter Artland, Bonnington House Steadings, Wilkieston, 01506 889900. Contemporary sculpture. Mikey and Addie Sun 1 Jul, noon & 4pm. £2.12. macrobert, University of Stirling, 01786 466666. A new show from Andy Manley, Rob Evans and macrobert, about secrets, lies and growing up.
Fresh Faced This popular evening designed for, and enjoyed by, young people, returns to Tramway. This time you can explore the National Theatre of Scotland’s Macbeth production, watch drama group Junction 25 perform, and take part in workshops. Tramway, Glasgow, Sat 30 Jun. Hairy MacLary & Friends The loveable canine characters in Lynley Dodd’s picture books come alive on stage in this lively show filled with catchy songs and catty cats. Eastwood Theatre, Giffnock, Wed 4 Jul.
Mickey’s Magic Show A host of Disney characters join an illusionist on stage to take part in an array of astounding tricks. See Cinderella’s rags turned into a glamorous gown, Princess Jasmine levitate, dancing brooms sweep Minnie off her feet, and the money disappear from your wallet as you pass the merchandise stall. Braehead Arena, Glasgow, Wed 11–Sun 15 Jul.
Peppa Pig’s Treasure Hunt Peppa’s back on the road, this time with a brand new show in which the wee pig and her friends set off on a treasure hunt. Help to solve the clues, join in the songs and marvel at the lovely puppets. See preview. Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Wed 4 & Thu 5 Jul; King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Wed 18 & Thu 19 Jul.
The Netherlands National Circus A cast of international artistes blends acrobatics, juggling, comedy, illusion and aerial skills. They also promise a live orchestra, a heated big top and not an animal in sight. Can’t say fairer than that. Leith Links, Tue 26–Fri 29 Jun.
available at a special price in celebration of London 2012. Exchange Tue 3–Sat 7 Jul, 7.30pm & 9pm. £6 (£4) per show. macrobert, University of Stirling, 01786 466666. A week of theatre programmed by the National Theatre of Scotland. See Theatre section for full listings. National Festival of Youth Theatre Fri 13–Mon 16 Jul, Times and prices vary. Rothes Halls, Kingdom Centre, Glenrothes, 01592 611101. Showcasing the creative work of youth theatre groups. 21 Jun–19 Jul 2012 THE LIST 83