list.co.uk/kids
KIDS list.co.uk/kids
HITLIST THE BEST KIDS STUFF
✽ Marathon Storytelling Cycle Challenge Actor
Tam Dean Burn delivers all 195 of Julia Donaldson’s stories, plays and songs during this epic storytelling adventure across Scotland. See preview, page 66. Children’s Wood, Glasgow, Fri 13 Jun; Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh, Sat 14 Jun.
✽ Family Fun Tryathon Before the professionals turn
up and take over, here’s your chance to try out a whole range of Commonwealth Games sports – and all for free (pictured, top). Meadowbank Sports Centre, Edinburgh, Sat 14 Jun.
✽ The Spokesmen Take a cycle ride with a difference, courtesy of Visible Fictions and your local country park. See review, right. Cammo Estate, Edinburgh, Sat 14–Mon 16 Jun; Beveridge Park, Kirkcaldy, Tue 24–Thu 26 Jun.
✽ Pop Lock-In The slightly more grown-up version
of Baby Loves Disco, for cool 4–11 year olds. Electric Circus, Edinburgh, Sun 22 Jun.
✽ National Festival of Youth Theatre Discover
the thespians of tomorrow at this four-day event featuring youth groups from across Scotland. Rothes Halls, Glenrothes, Fri 4– Mon 7 Jul.
✽ Commonwealth Youth Dance Festival Over
30 dance companies from ten countries arrive in Glasgow to show you what young dancers are made of. See preview in Dance, page 92. Tramway, Glasgow, Thu 10–Sat 12 Jul.
Events are listed by city, then by type. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication by using our ‘Add an Event’ service at list. co.uk. Listings are compiled by Rowena McIntosh. ✽ Indicates Hitlist entry
GLASGOW Activities & Fun BodyWorks Wed 11 Jun–Wed 9 Jul, 10am–5pm. Included in admission. Glasgow Science Centre, 50 Pacific Quay, 420 5000. An exhibition all about how your body works. FREE The Games We Play Wed 11 Jun–Wed 9 Jul, 10am–5pm. Scotland Street School Museum, 225 Scotland Street, 287 0500. An exhibition looking at the culture of game playing. Dance with Babies Thursdays, 1.30– 2.10pm. £5 (four classes £15). Kelvinside Hillhead Parish Church, Observatory Road, 334 2788. Dancing workshop for parents and newborns. FREE Il Viaggio Italiano – Italian Lessons for Pre-schoolers Thursdays, 1.30–2.30pm. Merry- Go-Round, 32–34 Nithsdale Road, Strathbungo, 423 2299. Get your kid learning Italian from an early age. Monkey Drama Fridays, 9.45am & 11am. £5 per week; block of four £19; block of eight £36. Broomhill Community Church, 1 Norby Road, monkeydrama.co.uk Fun and developmental classes. Ages 2–5. FREE Gaelic Rhyme Time Fri 13 Jun & 20 Jun, 10–11am. Hillhead Library, 348 Byres Road, 339 7223. Interactive sessions learning basic Gaelic. Ages 0–3 years. Nature Detectives Music and Rhythm Fridays, 11am–noon. £4.50. Merry-Go-Round, 32–34 Nithsdale Road, Strathbungo, 423 2299. Music and percussion workshops. Under 18 months. FREE Toddler Time Fridays, 11.30am. Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Argyle Street, 276 9599. Songs, stories and fun for under 5s, inspired by the museum exhibits. FREE Future Makers Sat 14 Jun, 10.30am–11.30am. Hillhead Library, 348 Byres Road, 339 7223. Get a taste of computing. Part of West End Festival. FREE Saturday Art Club Saturdays, 10.30am–12.30pm. Gallery of Modern Art, Royal Exchange Square, 287 3050. Art activities and games. Ages 3–12. FREE Whizzing Wheels Sat 14 & Sun 15 Jun & Sat 21 & Sun 22 Jun, 1–3.30pm. Riverside Museum, 100 Pointhouse Place, 287 2660. Celebrate the stories behind the museum’s bicycle display. Part of National Bike Week. FREE Commonwealth Futures Sat 14 Jun, 1–4pm. Garscadden Wood, Drummore Road, maryhillintegration. org.uk An afternoon of archery, circus skills, aerial performance, adventure trails, storytelling, face painting and crafts. Part of Refugee Week Scotland. Tweeting Toddlers Tuesdays, 11.30am–noon. £4 suggested donation. Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Argyle Street, 276 9599. Songs, stories and activities. Ages 0–3. FREE Glasgow, Home of the Commonwealth Games Sat 21 Jun, 11am–1pm & 2–4pm. Scotland Street
School Museum, 225 Scotland Street, 287 0500. Create prints of Glasgow’s famous landmarks. Ages 5–12. FREE Let The Games Begin Sat 21 Jun, 1–3pm. Glasgow Museums Resource Centre, 200 Woodhead Road, South Nitshill Industrial Estate, 276 9300. Kids can have a go at everything from athletics to table tennis. Ages 5+. FREE Horrible Heidie Tours Sun 22 Jun, 1–2.30pm. Scotland Street School Museum, 225 Scotland Street, 287 0500. Learn how bad kids had it in the olden days. Suitable for all ages. FREE Elf, Pixie & Fairy Festival Sat 28 Jun, 11am–3pm. The Children’s Wood, North Kelvin Meadow, Clouston Street, westendfestival.co.uk Hear stories about magical creatures, make wands and help create a Wishing Tree. Part of West End Festival. FREE Amazing Air! Sat 28 & Sun 29 Jun, 1.30–3.30pm. Riverside Museum, 100 Pointhouse Place, 287 2660. Learn how a glider stays in the sky and a boat catches wind in its sail. Part of Glasgow City of Science. FREE Burrell For Families Sat 28 Jun, 2–4pm. Burrell Collection, 2060 Pollokshaws Road, 287 2550. Use a Ming vase as inspiration for creating your our own potato-print pattern. FREE Wild in the City Wed 2 Jul & 9 Jul, 11am–3pm. Pollok Country Park, Pollokshaws Road, 276 0924. Games and activities for all the family. Books & Storytelling FREE Toddlers Tales Thu 12 Jun & 19 Jun, 1.30pm. Drumchapel Library, 65 Hecla Avenue, 276 1545. Fun, interactive activities. Ages 3–5. FREE Toddlers Tales Fri 13 Jun & 20 Jun, 10.30am. Partick Library, 305
KIDS
Dumbarton Road, 276 1560. See above.
✽ FREE Marathon Storytelling Challenge Fri 13 Jun, 11am. The
Children’s Wood, North Kelvin Meadow, Clouston Street, 07762 029663. See preview, page 66. FREE Read It in a Different Language! Sat 14 Jun, 10.30am– 12.30pm. Hillhead Library, 348 Byres Road, 339 7223. Readings of four classic English texts including The Very Hungry Caterpillar in four different languages. Part of West End Festival. FREE Toddlers Tales Tue 17 Jun & 24 Jun, 10.30am. Anniesland Library, 833 Crow Road, 276 1622. See above. Te Bheag A Ghruffalo (The Gruffalo’s Child) Sat 21 Jun, 2pm. £2. Heart of Scotstoun Community Centre, 64 Balmoral Street, Scotstoun, 433 0424. Scottish Gaelic fun session where kids can use percussion instruments. Ages 3–5. Part of West End Festival. Family Storytime Sat 21 & Sun 22 Jun, 10.30am & 12.30pm. £5 (family £15; under 2s free). Scottish Youth Theatre, The Old Sheriff Court, 105 Brunswick Street, 552 3988. Interactive storytelling of Scottish tale Rashiecoats for families with children under 7.
Music Tonic Tinies Wednesdays, 10.30– 11.30am. £3. Merry-Go-Round, 32–34 Nithsdale Road, Strathbungo, 07983 588675. Play with music and movement. FREE Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra: Children’s Music Workshops Fri 13 Jun, 10am. CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. Kids can try a variety of instruments and watch the professionals play. Ages 3–5. Sprog Rock Sat 21 Jun, 10.30– 11.30am. £8 (children £4.50). Platform,
CYCLING THEATRE SHOW THE SPOKESMEN Cammo Estate, Edinburgh, Sat 14–Mon 16 Jun, then touring ●●●●●
You look for your row, find your seat and sit down – that’s your average theatre experience. But in this special year of sporting activity, Glasgow-based theatre company Visible Fictions has come up with an entirely new way to enjoy drama. You still have to find your seat – only this time, it’s on a bike. Touring
11 country parks across Scotland, The Spokesmen is a remarkably silly, yet thoroughly enjoyable way to spend an hour.
Climbing onto your bike, and fastening up your helmet (both supplied
by Visible Fictions), you head into the forest and embark on your journey, with amiable tour guides Billy and Danny (aka actors Alan McHugh and Simon Donaldson, whose physicality and capacity for creating daft noises seems boundless). A brief factual intro about your surroundings (different at each
venue), is followed by a series of clearly fictional anecdotes involving sea hamsters, dinosaur relics and ghostly Vikings. Each interlude linked by a bike ride through the forest, over a variety of cambers – with help always at hand for anyone struggling.
McHugh and Donaldson do a fine job, but in truth the real star of the show is the park itself, and the joyous freedom of whizzing down a mud track on a mountain bike (which for many grown-ups will be more distant memory than regular occurrence).
After 50 minutes of jokes and japes, the storyline takes an unexpectedly poignant turn, leaving you with a warm feeling that stems from more than just cycling uphill. (Kelly Apter) ■ Reviewed at Almondell Country Park, Livingston.
12 Jun–10 Jul 2014 THE LIST 65