Iconic Beano comic character, Dennis the Menace, joined Mark McDonald MSP, Scottish Government Minister for Childcare and Early Years, to launch a new campaign highlighting the benefits to children of free and creative play. Continue reading Dennis the Menace says: “Away and play!”
New weekly soft play sessions for children with additional special needs
Edinburgh Leisure believes that play is for everyone and that some children and families may need more support than others to get active and stay active … so they are introducing a specific soft play session for children with additional support needs.
The sessions will take place every Wednesday from 9am-10am at Clambers at the Royal Commonwealth Pool.
These sessions have been specifically designed to provide an inclusive service and will be appropriate for families of children with additional support needs including autism, cerebral palsy, sight and hearing impairments, global developmental delay, and genetic disorders.
Clambers offers opportunities for all children to have an amazing adventure with carefully designed baby, toddler and junior zones. There’s a comfortable café with uninterrupted views serving quality coffee with tasty and healthy treats for both parents and children.
Sessions cost £1.10 for children aged 0-11 months, £4.20 for children aged 12 months – 3 years, £5.20 for children aged 4 years and up. Siblings without additional support needs are very welcome to attend the sessions too.
Now we can all get the chance to put our feet up!
Customers signing up for an Edinburgh Leisure soft-play membership in October will receive November free. For unlimited soft play for only £15.00 per month, little adventurers can enjoy unlimited fun in any of Edinburgh Leisure’s three soft play venues across the city.
The state of the art facilities: Clambers at the Royal Commonwealth Pool, Tumbles at Portobello and Scrambles and Rock Tot Playroom at the EICA: Ratho are suitable for children up to 10 years, are clean and safe, with friendly staff on hand. They all have great cafes too, selling healthy snacks and tasty treats.
To join, pop into your local soft play venue at Edinburgh Leisure and for further information visit: www.edinburghleisure.co.uk
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Dads and kids can enjoy free soft play sessions at Gambado at Fountain Park courtesy of Dads Rock … see below
soft play
Children set to invade Grassmarket for fun and games
The Grassmarket will be transformed into a giant children’s playground tomorrow (Wednesday) to promote play in the city.
The enclosed street in the Old Town will be transformed between 12.30pm and 4.30pm for Edinburgh’s Playday where there will be lots of family-friendly activities on offer including junk drumming, a mud kitchen, parachute games, magic potions, a giant sand pit, water play, and a cardboard city.
This will be the 15th year that the event has been held and every year gets bigger and more fun! Thousands of people, both young and old, have come along to join in activities on offer.
Playday is the national day for play, which is being celebrated next week. On Playday thousands of children and their families get out to play at hundreds of community events across the UK.
As well as a celebration of children’s right to play, Playday is a campaign that highlights the importance of play in children’s lives. It’s all about learning for life and showing that play is fun not just for the child but for adults as well.
Councillor Keith Robson, Play Champion for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Play is a massively important part of a child’s development and makes a tremendous contribution to happy and healthy childhoods. Children need freedom to play so they can practice skills, explore the world around them and develop understanding in their own way and in their own time. Real play comes from children’s need to express themselves, to explore, learn about and make sense of their world.
“Playing with your child is one of the most wonderful things about being a parent. It’s a vital part of the way babies and children grown and learn. The time you have fun together brings you closer, makes your child feel loved and secure, helps them develops elf-esteem and social skills.
“Our very popular Playday in the Grassmarket provides a fantastic opportunity to celebrate play and promote its many benefits as well as visiting one of the most picturesque areas of the city. I would recommend everyone comes along for what promises to be a fun-filled afternoon of play!”
Playday is part of the successful City of Edinburgh Council Play Strategy which states:
“Edinburgh aims to be a play friendly city where all children and young people can enjoy their childhood. They will have access to play opportunities in a range of different settings which offer variety, adventure and challenge. They will be able to play freely and safely and make choices about where, how and when they play.”
Other ongoing projects to promote play include the formation of the Edinburgh Play Forum – ‘Playful Edinburgh’, which is a partnership of voluntary groups and other organisations supporting play across the city. The forum were successful in gaining Inspiring Scotland Go2Play funding for Play Ranger projects which will run outdoor play sessions in eight sites across the city. The Edinburgh Play Ranger projects are organised by Smart Play Network, Canongate Youth Project, North Edinburgh Arts and Edinburgh Leisure. EPF members Dads Rock and The Yard will be adding to the exciting activities on offer at Playday.
Access to Edinburgh’s Playday is free but children should be accompanied by an adult.
For more information contact cf.play@edinburgh.gov.uk
The event has been organised by the City of Edinburgh Council, the Edinburgh Play Forum and many volunteers.
Outdoor Games Day: Monday 18 May, 1 -3pm
Launching a new outdoor play space for everyone
Following a series of community consultations, which generated a great deal of positive support, we are creating a natural play area and community garden for local residents to use over the next two years.
The work is being carried out this week (you may have spotted us out digging!) and will be finished on Friday, ready for the opening on Monday 18th May.
Please join us between 1-3pm for a fun afternoon of games, planting and some FREE lunch. We will have Margaret, of Margaret and Margaret from Licketyspit there, NEA’s growing expert to offer advice and show you some planting tips, as well as lots of sports day activities!
If you are unsure of the location, there will be signs from North Edinburgh Arts to the site which is only a 2 minute walk away!
Contact Joanne at North Edinburgh Arts if you would like to be involved or share your ideas: 0131 315 2151 / centipedeproject@outlook.com
Benji the PlayTalkRead bus is coming to North Edinburgh next week:
You can catch Benji at
West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre on MONDAY 9 March
Muirhouse Library on TUESDAY 10 March
Pennywell Road Shops THURSDAY 12 March
Don’t miss the bus!
Benji-Edinburgh-March-2015-Poster-Small
PlayTalkRead, the Scottish Government’s early years campaign, has reached a record number of families in 2014, it was revealed today.
Visits to the website over the year were 122,965 – an increase of 50 per cent on 2013 and a 219 per cent increase on 2012. More than 43,000 people visited Benji and Bessie, the PlayTalkRead buses in 2014 – an 11 per cent increase on last year.
PlayTalkRead encourages parents and carers to play, talk and read with their young children every day to give them the essential skills, motivation and abilities that will make it easier for them to keep learning throughout their lives.
This year also saw the pilot of a sensory playbus for children with disabilities or emotional and behavioural difficulties as part of the campaign – the first of its kind in the country.
Commenting on the campaign, Acting Minister for Children Fiona McLeod said: “As a former librarian, I’m delighted to see so many families have got involved in the PlayTalkRead campaign by either visiting the buses or the website. I hope they’ve been inspired by some of the ideas.
“Playing, talking and reading are fun ways to spend time with children from the very earliest age and helps build bonds. The PlayTalkRead buses and website are a great source of ideas and inspiration on how to turn daily routines into exciting new games.
“As a government we are determined to identify what works and ensure that the best ideas are promoted and supported more widely. That’s why we are taking the principles of PlayTalkRead and Bookbug and extending them into early primary school to develop a new Read, Write, Count campaign to boost literacy and numeracy in the critical first years of school.”
More information, including bus tour dates and locations, can be found on the PlayTalkRead website: www.playtalkread.org
Broughton High School Community Learning & Development (CLD) Team is launching a fun new activity this weekend.
Drylaw and Inverleith Parks will be the venues for young people to get out to enjoy games, sports, trips, arts, challenges – and more!
Weekly ‘Play in the Park’ sessions start this Sunday (9 November) in Drylaw Park from 1 – 3pm and will also be taking place in Inverleith Park on Sturdays from 2.30 – 4.30pm – starting date details will be announced later.
For further information contact Callum McLeod at Broughton High School CLD, telephone 332 6316.
Weekends will never be the same again!
