Kids
276 8380. Create poseable paper puppets to take home. Ages 5–14. MCF. FREE Gaelic Conversation Café Fri 27 Jul, 3.30-4.30pm; Sat 28 Jul, 11am-noon; Sun 29 Jul, noon–1pm. Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 552 4267. Kids and carers get to know the Gaelic language. MCF. FREE Medieval Fayre Sat 28 Jul, 10am–4pm. Cathedral Precinct, Castle Street, merchantcityfestival.com Traditional crafts, stories and games. MCF. FREE Street Games Sat 28 Jul, 11am–2.30pm. Street Level Photo Works, Trongate 103, 552 2151. Get to know traditional street games. MCF. FREE All That Is Football Sat 28 Jul, 11am–5pm. All That is Solid, South Block, 60 Osborne Street, 271 4700. Football fun for all the family. MCF. FREE Little Printers Family Fun Workshop Sat 28 Jul, noon–2pm. Glasgow Print Studio, Trongate 103, 552 0704. Screen printing workshops for youngsters. Suitable for ages 7–12. MCF. FREE Glasgow Music Studios Sat 28 Jul, noon–4pm. Glasgow Music Studios, 7 & 9 Osborne Street, 0844 811 7334. Discover musical instruments you may not have encountered before. MCF. FREE Summer at Provand’s Lordship – Call Our Bluff Sat 28 Jul, 2–4pm. Provand’s Lordship, 3 Castle Street, 276 1625. Test your knowledge of mysterious historical objects. Ages 5+. FREE Cupcake Games Sun 29 Jul, noon–4pm. Cupcake, 70 Bell Street, 552 2195. Cupcake connoisseurs get creative around the delicious treats. MCF. FREE Merchant Ci(Tee) Sun 29 Jul, noon–6pm. Parnie Street, Merchant City, merchantcityfestival.com. Create your own golf course. MCF. FREE Express Yourself Sun 29 Jul, 1–3pm. Glasgow Museums Resource Centre, 200 Woodhead Road, South Nitshill Industrial Estate, 276 9300. Kids express their emotions through art. Ages 7+. FREE GMRC Olympics Mon 30 Jul, 1–3pm. Glasgow Museums Resource Centre, 200 Woodhead Road, South Nitshill Industrial Estate, 276 9300. A sporty tour of the collections for ages 5–11. FREE Summer at St Mungos: Craft Tue 31 Jul–Thu 2 Aug, 1–3pm. St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art, 2 Castle Street, 276 1625. Craft workshops for families. FREE Comics Alive! Tue 31 Jul, 1–3pm. Glasgow Museums Resource Centre, 200 Woodhead Road, South Nitshill Industrial Estate, 276 9300. Design your own comic book character. Ages 5–11.
Books & Storytelling FREE Arts and Storytelling Workshops Sat 28 Jul, 11am–12.15pm & 1–2.15pm. Sun 29 Jul, 12–1.15pm. Trongate 103, 276 8380. Use paint, paper, fabric and crafts to tell a Czech or Russian fairy tale. Ages 6–12. MCF. FREE Arty Rhymes Sat 28 Jul, 1.30– 2.30pm. Centre For Under Fives Plus, 50 Parnie Street, 552 4006. Olympic-themed rhyme, art and music activities for kids aged 4–7. MCF. Film FREE The Wizard Of Oz Sun 29 Jul, 2pm & 6pm. Britannia Panopticon Music Hall, 113–117 Trongate, 553 0840. The near-perfect classic tale. MCF.
Music Tonic Tinies: Inspiring Musical Adventures! Mon 23 & 30 Jul, 11–11.45am. £4 (siblings £2). Sports Trust, 1 Finlay Drive, Dennistoun, 07983 588675. Imaginative play with music and movement. Ages 18 months–4 years. ] The Presents Sat 28 & Sun 29 Jul, 11.30am–12.30pm & 2–3pm. £5 per child + adult; £3 per additional child. City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. Watch as a series of tantalising packages are opened up to reveal colours, sounds, toys and surprises. Ages 4–18 months. FREE Curious Song and Dance Sun 29 Jul, 1–4pm. St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art, 2 Castle Street, 64 THE LIST 19 Jul–2 Aug 2012
276 1625. A celebration of music and dance from across the globe. MCF. Theatre & Dance Peppa Pig’s Treasure Hunt Thu 19 Jul, 10am, 1pm & 4pm. £12.50–£18. King’s Theatre, 297 Bath Street, 0844 871 7648. Join Peppa, George and Danny Dog in a treasure hunt. FREE Merry Magic Moments Fri 27 Jul, 1pm & 3pm. Britannia Panopticon Music Hall, 113–117 Trongate, 553 0840. Fabulous tricks to boggle your mind. MCF. FREE Professor Hildeberg’s Hibernating Antarctic Zoo Sat 28 & Sun 29 Jul, noon–2.20pm & 4–6.20pm. Ingram Street, Merchant City, merchantcityfestival.com Meet six new Antarctic species. MCF. Pulcinella Sun 29 Jul, 3pm & 7pm. £5.95 (£4.95). Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre, 8–10 Balcarres Avenue, Kelvindale, 339 6185. An introduction to Mr Punch’s energetic Italian cousin.
EDINBURGH Activities & Fun FREE Arts & Craft Club Fri 20 & 27 Jul, 12.30–2.30pm & 3.30–4.30pm. WHALE Arts, 30 Westburn Grove, 458 3267. Crafty, creative sessions. Ages 6–14
from 12.30pm; ages 0–5 from 3.30pm. FREE Get Creative: Nests Sat 21 & Sun 22 Jul, 1–4pm. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2909. Find out how birds’ nests work by making one for yourself. Ages 5+. FREE Royal Pursuits Sun 22 Jul, 11am–3pm. Holyrood Park, 652 8150. Relax like a royal with traditional activities including archery and falconry. FREE Pocket Pictures Mon 23–Wed 25 Jul, 10am–3pm. WHALE Arts, 30 Westburn Grove, 458 3267. Learn some lo-fi movie making techniques on your mobile phone. Ages 12+. Castles, Knights and Dragons Mon 23 Jul, 10.30am–12.30pm. £4. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Create a coat of arms, sword, shield and helmet. FREE Sea Collage Mon 23 Jul, 10.30am–12.30pm. Museum of Edinburgh, Huntly House, 142 Canongate, 529 3963. Create a seaside scene using shells, driftwood and colourful sands. FREE Eco Arts Trip Mon 23 Jul, 1–4pm. WHALE Arts, 30 Westburn Grove, 458 3267. Hard hat tour of the Waste Aware Cabin. Ages 6–14. Nature’s Orchestra Tue 24 Jul, 10.30am–12.30pm & 1.30–3.30pm. £4. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Construct a wooden
CHILDREN’S THEATRE FRINGE FOR A FIVER Various venues, Edinburgh, 1–3 Aug
Each year, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe has more and more shows to tempt families. From theatre pieces to circus shows, you could easily spend three weeks (and a month’s salary) straddling the good-taste line between charming puppetry and jokes about poo.
So before the madness gets properly underway, venture out and enjoy reduced rate tickets at the preview shows. Not everyone offers previews, but, happily, this year some of the finest children’s theatre companies around are giving you the chance to enjoy their wares for £5 or £6 a head. Head to the Traverse Theatre’s temporary Fringe home at the Scottish
Book Trust, where talented puppeteer Shona Reppe is performing The Curious Scrapbook of Josephine Bean (3 Aug, £6), and the superb Catherine Wheels theatre company present The Ballad of Pondlife McGurk (3 Aug, £6). Next door at the Scottish Storytelling Centre you’ll find the always
wonderful Theatre of Widdershins, and their best show to date, The Elves and the Shoemaker (31 July–1 Aug, £6.50/£4.50). Also at that venue, Ailie Cohen’s acclaimed Cloud Man returns (1–2 Aug, £6/£4).
Two very different, but equally entertaining, shows are previewing at
Pleasance Courtyard. Andy and Mike’s Tick Tock Time Machine (1–3 Aug, £6) features Andy Day from CBeebies, while The Snail and the Whale (1–3 Aug, £5) is the latest treat from Gruffalo company Tall Stories (pictured).
Fans of Julia Donaldson could also head to the Underbelly in Bristo Square, where the excellent Scamp Theatre are performing Tiddler and other Terrific Tales (2–3 Aug, £6).
Visit edringe.com for full venue details, full show dates and times.
(Kelly Apter)
wind chime. Ages 8+. FREE Drama Tue 24 Jul, 10.30–11.30am (ages 4–6), 12.30–2pm (ages 7–10) & 2–3.30pm (ages 11–14). WHALE Arts, 30 Westburn Grove, 458 3267. Interactive drama sessions. FREE Lyceum Youth Theatre: Discover Tue 24 & 31 Jul, 4–5.30pm. North Edinburgh Arts Centre, 15a Pennywell Court, 315 2151. Fun drama session for ages 8–12. FREE Dance Summer School Tue 24–Sat 28 Jul, 6–7.30pm. North Edinburgh Arts Centre, 15a Pennywell Court, 315 2151. Evening dance classes. Ages 8–12. Family Mosaic Garden Projects Fri 27 Jul, 11am–3pm. £7. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Create a piece for the garden with some Mexican mosaic tiles. Magic Toy Making Sat 28 Jul, 10.30am–12.30pm. £4. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Make an optical toy from special papers. FREE Treasure in the Streets of Edinburgh Sat 28 Jul, 10.30am–12.30pm. Museum of Edinburgh, Huntly House, 142 Canongate, 529 3963. Make a brand new map of the city with the landmarks laid out the way you want them. FREE Green Crags Sat 28 & Sun 29 Jul, 1–4pm. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2909. Family nature event with games and activities. ] FREE Gorgie City Farm Annual Fun Day Sun 29 Jul, 11am–4pm. Gorgie City Farm, 51 Gorgie Road, 337 4202. Learn more about the everyday running of the farm. FREE Podcasting Mon 30 Jul–Wed 1 Aug, 10am–1pm. WHALE Arts, 30 Westburn Grove, 458 3267. Learn the technical skills behind podcasting. Ages 13+. FREE Circus Skills Tue 31 Jul, 1–2pm (ages 7–10) & 2–3pm (ages 11+). WHALE Arts, 30 Westburn Grove, 458 3267. Juggling, spinning and balancing circus techniques. Furry Foxes and Fluffy Rabbits Wed 1 Aug, 10.30am–12.30pm. £4. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Learn about the wilder residents of Lauriston, then create animal hand and finger puppets. FREE Chinking Chimes Wed 1 Aug, 10.30am–12.30pm. Museum of Edinburgh, Huntly House, 142 Canongate, 529 3963. Create a decorated wooden wind chime.
Books & Storytelling The Story Kist: Inclusive Storytelling Thu 19 Jul, 11am–noon. £5 (£3). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Interactive stories and games for children with additional needs. Stories from the Sea & Shore Thu 26 Jul, 11–11.40am. £5 (£3). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Scottish song and storytelling session. Ages 7+. OUTSIDE THE CITIES
Activities & Fun July Artsparks Tue 24 & Wed 25 Jul, 10am–3.30pm. £40 per day. Jupiter Artland, Bonnington House Steadings, Wilkieston, 01506 889900. Two-day art workshop for kids. Ages 5–14. ] Scotland’s National Airshow Sat 28 Jul, 10am–5pm. £16 (£14; under 16s £8; under 5s free; family £38). National Museum of Flight, East Fortune Airfield, North Berwick, 0300 123 6789. High- octane aerial displays ranging from historic warbirds to military jets. Theatre & Dance The Tales of Beatrix Potter: Peter Rabbit & Benjamin Bunny Sat 28 Jul, 7pm. £9 (£6). The Lodge Gardens, North Berwick, booking via the Brunton Theatre, 0131 665 2240. Quantum Theatre brings to life the much-loved misadventures of a certain rabbit.