Tag: school holidays

Half-term Savings at Dobbies

Great-value family fun

Families looking for great-value half-term days out will find plenty to enjoy at Dobbies Garden Centres this February. Younger children can experience a fun-filled session at Dobbies’ Soft Play where they can let off some steam, and parents can make the most of Dobbies’ Kids Eat for £1 restaurant offer. 

Soft Play

Families are welcome to join the fun at Dobbies’ Little Seedlings Soft Play, where toddlers and young children can burn off energy and play in a safe environment. 

The soft play is located in the restaurant, where families can enjoy a hot drinks, snacks, meals, and a famous Dobbies’ scone while the kids play. There’s also the chance to take in the wider garden centre experience as part of the visit, including plants and gardening, toys, pet products, homeware, clothing and gifting. 

Pre-booking is recommended to avoid disappointment, but there may be walk-in spaces available on the day. Prices and age ranges vary for each store, starting from £2.50.

For more information and to book, visit Soft Play | Dobbies Garden Centres

Kids Eat for £1 restaurant offer

Dobbies offers Kids Eat for £1, allowing children under the age of 16 to enjoy their food for £1 with every traditional adult breakfast and main course meal at lunch. Children can pick from the kids’ breakfasts, lunch menu or pick ‘n’ mix meal, and this deal also includes a drink. 

Kids Eat for £1 is available every day, all year round, with no membership required. Restaurants are open Monday to Sunday from 9am, location times may vary and customers are advised to visit the website to check the restaurant opening hours. * 

A £1 supplement applies to kids’ Sunday roasts, and customers are advised to visit dobbies.com to check local opening times and menus.  

* 9am for Scottish stores, 10:30am for stores in England and 1pm for the two Northern Ireland stores.

Redesigning Book Covers: Pop-Up craft event at Stockbridge Library

WEDNESDAY 18th FEBRUARY from 2 – 3.15pm

We will be hosting a pop-up craft redesigning book covers on Wednesday 18th February from 2:00 – 3:15.

Please join us—no need to book in advance, just turn up on the day.

Charity warns of increased risks of drowning during school holidays and warm weather

The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) is calling on members of the public to be safe around water this Easter holiday following an increase in drownings during warmer weather.

As temperatures rise, so do the number of drownings recorded per day. Research conducted by the water safety education charity has found that, on average, when temperatures reach 21 to 22.9°c, 2.5 times as many drownings occur each day, in comparison to cooler days.

With the weather expected to reach highs of 24°c in areas and schools across the UK entering Easter break, families and young people are being urged to stay safe whilst enjoying time around water.

The dangers of open water are clear as the charity’s National Drowning Update has reported that children aged five and over are more likely to drown in inland water, with those aged 13-17 years old most likely to be actively entering the water to swim.

With temperatures yet to hit peaks that it could do by summer, there are fears the number of drownings could surge.

The charity’s concerns follow the confirmed tragic loss of two young lives across England in the last week.

Matt Croxall, Interim Charity Director, said: “Whilst we recognise that during school holidays and nice weather it is easy for people to want to go open water swimming, it is important that individuals do so safely, not fatally.

“By following the Water Safety Code and knowing how to respond in an emergency, should the worst happen, the public can ensure accidental drownings remain preventable.”

RLSS UK is urging members of the public learn the Water Safety Code, never swim alone and strongly advises that people choose safe, lifeguarded sites to cool off.

If groups do choose to enter open water, water safety advice provided by RLSS UK includes considering surroundings, bearing in mind hazards, like currents, and the risk of cold-water shock. Further recommendations include entering the water slowly, carefully and staying within a standing depth if conditions change.

The charity advises that individuals who witness an emergency do not enter the water to attempt rescue anyone in trouble themselves. Instead, they should call 999 and if possible, throw the person in trouble something that floats. Importantly, for those who do get into difficulty in the water; stay calm, float on your back and call for help. 

Make the most of the bank holidays at the National Galleries of Scotland

  • family events
  • extended opening of five-star exhibition, Everlyn Nicodemus

There is something for everyone to discover at the National Galleries of Scotland over the upcoming Easter and May bank holidays.

Visitors will have the chance to enjoy a programme of family events and experience Everlyn Nicodemus on Monday 26 May, with an extra day added to allow bank holiday revellers to enjoy the exhibition.

Spanning the gallery’s entire ground floor of Modern One, Everlyn Nicodemus is open now and free for everyone to visit. Experience Everlyn’s colourful, defiant and searingly honest artworks, with over 80 drawings, collages, paintings and textiles from over 40 years of her career, from 1980 through to the present day.

Families can also get involved with some joyful Easter artmaking inspired by Everlyn Nicodemus. Over the Easter holidays, from Monday 14 to Friday 18 April 2025 between 2–4pm, families can drop into Art Space 1 at Modern One to play with patterns, create shapes, mix colours and more.

Or for those looking for autism-friendly activities this Easter, a drop in event will be held on Tuesday 15 April 2025, 10.30am–12pm. Meet other families, explore the galleries and take part in creative activities with an experienced team of artists.

Autism-friendly sessions at the National Galleries of Scotland are for children and young people on the autism spectrum – with their families – who may benefit from smaller group sizes and tailored activities to suit individual needs.

For those looking to dive deeper into the world of Everlyn Nicodemus, join the panel discussion on Friday 23 May, 3-4pm for free at the National or via the YouTube livestream.

To mark the end of her first ever retrospective, Everlyn Nicodemus will be in conversation with writer JJ Fadaka and artist and curator Khadea Santi. Together they will chat about the lasting legacy of Everlyn’s amazing exhibition. Plus, livestream ticketholders can watch back anytime.

There is even more to discover when visiting the Moderns, with a completely free offering across two galleries and two sculpture parks. Weave your way through two exciting buildings featuring leading artists’ works which define the Modern era.

At Modern One, delve into displays, shows and installations from the leading artists of today, both inside and outdoors. As well as Everlyn Nicodemus, discover a celebratory display to mark Bruce McLean’s 80th birthday. Bruce McLean: I Want My Crown traces the Glasgow-born artist’s humorous, provocative and engaging six-decade long inquiry into sculpture.

Through works made across a range of media including photography, performance, painting, printmaking, film, and ceramics, this one-room display invites you to challenge your thinking about sculpture and expand your ideas of what art can be.

Get ready for captivating, light-hearted and all-encompassing experiences at Modern One. On arrival you will be in awe of the striking land feature Landform in front of the gallery, designed by landscape architect Charles Jencks. Explore the grounds and discover further sculptural works by other major artists including Pablo Picasso, Barbara Hepworth, Jackson Pollock and Tracey Emin.

Once you’ve explored Modern One why not head across the road to Modern Two to further explore the grounds. Plus, you can celebrate the centenary of the remarkable Scottish artist Ian Hamilton Finlay (1925-2006) taking over the ground floor of Modern Two.

Or why not head to one of the National Galleries of Scotland’s other sites. At the National, drop into the Family Art Hub, open until 20 April. Designed to help you and your family explore the Scottish galleries together.

The space offers a place to create and share your art, read the books on offer and play. You can watch short films about different art techniques or listen to what children and artists think about art and what it is for. Spark your senses and make shadows and shapes in the play area. 

At the Portrait visit Connections,a relaxed space for visitors to draw, read and chat about some of the ways in which we make connections through art. Bringing together communities, partner organisations, and artists, the displays highlight how we use art to find shared interests, discover social histories, explore issues and identities, and create new objects to tell new stories. 

Current displays include portraits of Govanhill, a project exploring different issues that impact young people across Scotland today. Using photography as a creative tool, the voices and views of young people from Big Noise Govanhill are represented.

Also featured are images from Dementia Friendly Gallery Socials, artwork made by young people in Edinburgh Children’s Hospital, the ITAC Relay and Rowan Alba homeless prevention charity. 

Parent Club Scotland: Things to do during the October holidays

Don’t worry if you are struggling to come up with ideas on how to keep your kids entertained this October break.

We have lots of fun tips to help – for wee ones, older kids & even teenagers!

Check out our autumn activities hub:

http://parentclub.scot/articles/things-do-autumn…

#AutumnCostSavings

Fantastic family films headline this October half term at Vue venues in Edinburgh

A mixture of old and new faces are heading to Vue venues in Edinburgh this October Scottish half term – offering plenty of opportunities for audiences of all ages to enjoy a trip to the big screen. 

Families and film fans are invited to Cybertron in Transformers One, which rolls out at Vue sites just in time for the Scottish school holidays on 11 October. Learn the untold origin story of the iconic Autobot hero Optimus Prime and the villainous Megatron – and discover how these two sworn enemies were once close friends.

The first-ever fully CG-animated Transformers movie to appear on the big screen, Transformers One will be an action-packed adventure with everyone’s favourite Robots in Disguise. 

Also for the Scottish half term, film fans eager to catch Dreamwork’s The Wild Robot will be able to enjoy Scotland only exclusive screenings at Vue on the 16th & 17th October, promising a beautiful, wild ride for all the family.

Following the charming tale of Roz, a futuristic robot who finds themselves on a deserted island filled with adorable animals, The Wild Robot is set to be a hugely emotional journey packed with discovery when it hits the big screen this month.

One of 2024’s most popular family favourite is also returning to the big screen this October, screening everyday of the school holidays as part of Vue’s Mighty Mornings with our favourite emotions in Pixar’s Inside Out 2 – available from just £2.49 when booked online.

Providing a short and sweet set of screenings for younger audience members, Vue’s Big Shorts will invite audiences to spend time with some of their favourite TV characters, with Bing & Friends: Birthday Celebration showing each day from 11 October.  

From just £3.99 when booked online, these screenings offer a relaxed big screen environment with dimmed lights and reduced sound, tailor-made for younger film fans aged one to four.

Robert Smith, General Manager at Vue Edinburgh Omni, said: “We’ve got a great selection of new films and family favourites heading to the big screen this October half term, offering an ideal way to enjoy quality family time together this school holiday.

“Parents and children can come along, switch off and immerse themselves in great stories.”

Tickets are available at www.myvue.com

Family Fun this October Half Term at Vue line-up

Transformers One – from 11 October
Vue’s Big Shorts – Bing & Friends: Birthday Celebration – w/c 11 October
Mighty Mornings: Inside Out 2  – from 11 October & 18 October
The Wild Robot – from 16 October