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Scottish Youth Theatre, The Old Sheriff Court, 105 Brunswick Street, 552 3988. Interactive storytelling for under 7 years.
Music ✽Children’s Classic Concerts: Going for Gold Sat 17 May, 2pm. £10. Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. About 800 young performers celebrate the Commonwealth Games with an afternoon of music. Part of Culture 2014. Tales ‘n Tunes: Ceilidh for Kids Sun 18 May, 2–3.30pm. £5 per family. Merry-Go-Round, 32–34 Nithsdale Road, Strathbungo, 423 2299. Ceilidh dancing and stories. Southside Fringe. Tonic Tinies Wed 21 & 28 May, 4 & 11 Jun, 10.30–11.30am. £3. Merry- Go-Round, 32–34 Nithsdale Road, Strathbungo, 07983 588675. Imaginative play through music and movement. Southside Fringe.
✽Fischy Music Sat 31 May, 2–3.30pm. £3 (£1; children £1). Kelvinside Hillhead Parish Church, Observatory Road, 334 2788. A concert of singalong music for 5–11 year-olds. West End Festival.
Theatre & Dance The Wonderful World of Magic Sat 17 May, 2pm. £5.75 (adults £5.95). Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre, 8–10 Balcarres Avenue, Kelvindale, 339 6185. Magical interactive show for little ones. Grandad and Me Thu 22 May, 1.30pm & 7pm. £8 (£3.50–£4.50). Platform, The Bridge, 1000 Westerhouse Road, Easterhouse, 276 9696. Living storybook explores loss and the treasures of memory and imagination. Ages 5+. Saltbush Fri 23 May & Sat 24 Ma y, 2.30pm (Sat 11.30am also). £8 (family £21). Tron Theatre, 63 Trongate, 552 4267. An interactive journey through the culture and landscape of Aboriginal Australia. Ages 4–8. See review, left. Tunnels Mon 2 Jun, 11.30am & 1.30pm & 5.30pm. Tue 3 Jun, 10am & 11.30am & 1.30pm. £8 (£3.50–£4.50). Platform, The Bridge, 1000 Westerhouse Road, Easterhouse, 276 9696. A unique adventure for teenagers with profound and multiple learning difficulties. Alberts Amazing Acrobatic Flea Circus Sun 8 Jun, 2pm. £5.75 (adults £5.95). Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre, 8–10 Balcarres Avenue, Kelvindale, 339 6185. Grab your magnifying glass for the flea circus! The Little Leftover Mermaid Sun 8 & Mon 9 Jun, 7.30pm. £9 (£7). The Tall Ship at Riverside, 150 Pointhouse Place, 357 3699. Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale, sprinkled with musical theatre, opera and operetta.
EDINBURGH Activities & Fun FREE Street Arts Every Thursday, 6.40–8.30pm. WHALE Arts, 30 Westburn Grove, 458 3267. Work with visual artists, musicians, photographers and dancers in the streets. Ages 8–16. Visiting Hailesland at 6.40pm; Walkers at 7pm; Barnpark and Dumbeg at 7.45pm. FREE Little Feet Dance Workshop Fri 16 & Sat 17 May, 10.30am–noon. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art One, 75 Belford Road, 624 6200. An art and dance workshop for kids aged 3–5. FREE Create Every Friday, 2.15–4pm. WHALE Arts, 30 Westburn Grove, 458 3267. Drop in arts and crafts for ages 8–14. FREE Turtles in Scotland Sat 17 & Sun 18 May, 1–4pm. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2909. The Marine Conservation Society discuss Scotland’s endangered turtles, and you can make your own fingerpuppet turtle. FREE D Maps Sat 17 May, 1.30– 3.30pm. City Art Centre, 2 Market
BOOK CELEBRATION BOOKBUG WEEK Various venues, Scotland, Mon 19–Sun 25 May
The total recall most of us have for song lyrics from our youth tells you all you need to know about how the human brain receives songs. So it’s no surprise that when it comes to preparing pre-schoolers for the enormity of learning to read, the Scottish Book Trust (SBT) reach for a rhyme. ‘We know how important songs and rhymes are for later on in helping young children learn to read,’ says Catriona Wallace, head of early years at SBT. ‘The rhythm and repetition in songs really help with a child’s development. They’re often the thing children remember most from their earliest experiences.’
Held across Scotland in libraries and community centres, SBT’s Bookbug sessions are a lively mix of stories and songs, designed to ignite a love of books in little ones. Bookbug Week celebrates what goes on throughout the year, but cranks it up a gear by adding in a special theme. ‘There are events in every local authority across Scotland, which are listed on the SBT website,’ explains Wallace. ‘There will be songs, rhymes, stories and other activities, all on the theme of Bookbug’s Big Sports Day to tie in with that important sporting event happening this summer.’
Aimed at ages birth to five, most of whom are known for their surplus energy, Bookbug sessions are active affairs, helping grown-ups to see that stories, songs and rhymes don’t have to be read sitting down, or just happen at bedtime. Crucially, the sessions are about adults and children sharing what books have to offer.
‘It’s not just about reading – it’s about building strong family relationships,’ says Wallace. ‘We know that when a child is reading or singing a song with their parents or carer, this is when a lot of brain development happens in terms of speech, language and fine motor skills. It’s a really important time and everything we do encourages these things.’ (Kelly Apter)
Street, 529 3993. Make your own 3D map of the capital. FREE The Object of Art is to Give Life Shape Sat 17 May, 2–3.30pm. Edinburgh College of Art, 74 Lauriston Place, 221 6000. Learn about recent art history and create a masterpiece to take home. Festival of Museums. Edinburgh Little League Junior Baseball Every Sunday, noon–12.45pm & 1–3pm. £10–£20. Warriston Playing Fields, Warriston Crescent, baseballedinburgh.com Baseball matches and training. Ages 6–13. FREE Minibeast – Monsterbeast Sun 18 May, 1–3pm. Holyrood Park, Holyrood, 01506 842065. Discover giant insects and spiders. FREE Call to Remembrance: World War One Family Roadshow Sun 18 May, 1–4pm. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Trace your family tree to learn more about your ancestors’ involvement in WWI. Festival of Museums. FREE Bags of Art Sun 18 May, 2–4pm. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art One, 75 Belford Road, 624 6200. Explore the gallery and make your own art. Ages 4–12. Silk Gardens Mon 19 May, 10.30am–12.30pm. £5. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Sketching in the Japanese Gardens, then turn your drawings into silk banners. Homecoming Year 2014 Keepsake Box Mon 19 May, 10.30am–12.30pm. £5. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Create your own heirloom box then fill it with reminders of Scotland. FREE Lyceum Youth Theatre Every Wednesday, 3.45–5.15pm. WHALE Arts, 30 Westburn Grove, 458 3267. Fun drama session for S1 and S2-aged kids. FREE World of Dance Every Wednesday, 5.30–6.30pm. WHALE Arts, 30 Westburn Grove, 458 3267. Learn styles from across the globe. Ages 8+.
KIDS FREE Pop-up Cities Sat 24 May, 1.30–3.30pm. City Art Centre, 2 Market Street, 529 3993. Make a pop-up card of one of Edinburgh’s landmarks. FREE Lego Swap Shop Sun 25 May, 3pm. Waterstones, Cameron Toll Shopping Centre, 6 Lady Road, 666 1866. Bring your duplicate Lego figures and swap with other Lego fanatics. Edinburgh Living History 1910: Sporting Life Sun 25 May, 3pm & 4pm. £5 or £6.50 with refreshments (children £3 or £4.50; family £12.50 or £17). Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Go back in time to when Mr and Mrs Reid inhabited Lauriston Castle 100 years ago. Homecoming Scotland. FREE Summer Fair and Teddy Toddle Sat 31 May, noon–4pm. (£5 per toddler for the Teddy Toddle). Meadowbank Sports Centre, 139 London Road, 668 4949. A fun day raising funds for the Sick Kids Friends Foundation. FREE Giving Nature a Home Sat 7 & Sun 8 Jun, 11am–4pm. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2909. Family friendly nature and wildlife activities. FREE Collage Sat 7 Jun, 1.30–3.30pm. City Art Centre, 2 Market Street, 529 3993. Select a street from Edinburgh’s Old Town and create a bright collage. Let’s Get Hooked! Sun 8 Jun, 10.30am–12.30pm. £5. Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South, 529 3963. Upcycle old clothes into a rag rug.
Books & Storytelling FREE Talking Trees Storytelling Sun 18 May, 2–2.45pm. Royal Botanic Garden, Arboretum Place, 248 2909. Transporting children to a magical land far away. Ages 5+. FREE Mrs Mash: The Storyteller Cook Every Monday, 10.30–11am. The Skylark, 241–243 High Street, 629 3037. Mrs Mash serves up delicious stories and songs for ages 4+.
✽FREE Bookbug Session Thu 22 May, 11–11.30am. Moredun Library,
92 Moredun Park Road, 529 5652. See Glasgow, Books. The Story Kist: Inclusive Storytelling Sat 31 May, 11am–noon. £5. Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Stories and games for children with additional needs. Tiny Tales Tue 3 Jun, 10am & 11.30am. £5. Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Stories, rhymes and songs for ages 1–3.
Music Shake Your Tale! MacRumba & Fandango’s Stories & Tangos! Sat 31 May, 1.30–2.30pm. £6 (£4). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Celebrate the cultures of the Commonwealth Games with storytelling and dance. Ages 6–10.
Theatre & Dance ✽Hetty Feather Tue 27 May, 7pm. Wed 28 & Thu 29 May, 10.30am &
7pm. Sat 31 May, 2pm & 7pm. £16–£21. King’s Theatre, 2 Leven Street, 529 6000. Adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson’s children’s novel. Ages 7+. Made for Us Fri 30 & Sat 31 May, 7.30pm. £8 (£5). Scott ish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. In a world where hope is just a fleeting notion, and hunters lie in wait, questions must be asked about the choices made for us. Suitable for ages 14+. Second Face Thu 12 Jun, 7pm. £8 (£5). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. Are your real friends those online or the ones you can see and touch? What if you had to choose between them? Performed by Strange Town actors ages 11–14. Into the Unknown Thu 12 Jun, 9pm. £8 (£5). Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. What happens when you venture into the unknown? Who will lead and who will follow? Performed by Strange Town actors ages 14–16.
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