Dot & Do · Exploring the UK and Europe with children. Free to use.
Edinburgh with kids: days out, clubs and events
Edinburgh mixes castles and hills with plenty that’s free for children: the National Museum of Scotland costs nothing to get into, and Holyrood Park and the Royal Botanic Garden give little legs room to run. Edinburgh Zoo and Dynamic Earth are popular paid days out.
On the map within about 15 km:
📅 What’s on in Edinburgh this weekend
Find by type
- Baby and toddler groups 27
- Scouts, Guides and youth groups 29
- Sports clubs 9
- Dance and gymnastics 7
- Martial arts 4
- Swimming lessons 7
- Music and drama 3
- Arts, crafts and learning 16
- Outdoor and forest school groups 6
- Soft plays 4
- Trampoline and inflatable parks 3
- Play parks 548
- Parks and walks 318
- Museums and attractions 102
- Pools 21
- Beaches 19
- Cinemas 9
- Libraries and classes 56
- Cafés and restaurants 806
- Other places to stay 13
Free to get into
- Museum of Childhood Museum & attraction · Edinburgh · Free
- Museum on the Mound Museum & attraction · Old Town · Free
- Writers' Museum Museum & attraction · Old Town · Free
- The People's Story Museum Museum & attraction · Canongate · Free
- Talbot Rice Gallery Museum & attraction · Edinburgh · Free
- National Museum of Scotland Museum & attraction · Old Town · Free
For a rainy day
- Museum of Magic, Fortune-Telling and Witchcraft Museum & attraction · Edinburgh
- Museum Collections Centre Museum & attraction · Edinburgh
- Museum of Edinburgh Museum & attraction · Canongate
- Surgeons' Hall Museums Museum & attraction · Edinburgh
- The King's Gallery Museum & attraction · Canongate
- Prisoners of War Museum Museum & attraction · Edinburgh · Free
Out in the fresh air
- Wardie Bay Beach Beach · Granton · Free
- Craigmillar Castle Park Park & nature walk · The Inch
- Royston Beach Beach · Granton · Free
- Portobello Beach Beach · Portobello · Free
- Edinburgh Zoo Zoo & wildlife park · Corstorphine
Clubs that meet every week
- Ps & Gs Babies and Toddlers Baby & toddler groups · City Centre · Thursdays 10–11.30am and 2–3.30pm (term time)
- Puddle Ducks at Nuffield Health Omni Swimming lessons · City Centre · Sunday 2–4pm
- Bookbug at Central Children's Library Baby & toddler groups · City Centre · Tuesdays and Fridays 10.30–11am; Gaelic Bookbug first Wednesday of the month 1–1.30pm (term time)
- Lego Club at Central Children's Library Arts, crafts & learning · City Centre · Saturdays 3–4pm; Children's Art Club monthly on a Saturday 10.30am–12 noon (term time)
- Strange Town 5–7s Drama Music & drama · Broughton · Fridays 2–3pm (term time)
- Canongate Youth Scouts, Guides & youth groups · Dumbiedykes · Bananas Club (P1–P3) Tuesday 4–5.30pm; Space at 6 (P4–P7) Wednesday 4–5.30pm
- The Meadows junior parkrun Outdoor & forest school · Edinburgh · Every Sunday at 9:30am
- Pilrig Park junior parkrun Outdoor & forest school · Edinburgh · Every Sunday at 9:30am
Coming up in the next few weeks
- Holyrood Family Adventure Museum & heritage family days · Holyrood · Free · 📅 Sun 15 Nov – Wed 17 Feb
- Edinburgh Zoo's Giant Lanterns Santa & Christmas · Corstorphine · 📅 Sun 15 Nov – Sun 21 Feb
- Edinburgh's Christmas Santa & Christmas · Edinburgh city centre · 📅 Sun 15 Nov – Sun 3 Jan
- Father Christmas at the Gyle Santa & Christmas · South Gyle · 📅 Sun 15 Nov – Thu 24 Dec
- Christmas at the Botanics Santa & Christmas · Inverleith · 📅 Thu 19 Nov – Wed 30 Dec
- Santa's Stories Santa & Christmas · Edinburgh city centre · 📅 Fri 20 Nov – Thu 24 Dec
- Santa's Grotto 2026 (Dobbies Edinburgh) Santa & Christmas · Lasswade · 📅 Sat 21 Nov – Thu 24 Dec
- Edinburgh's Magical Christmas with Kevin Quantum Shows, theatre & panto · Cramond · 📅 Sun 22 Nov