Kids eat free this summer at Canopy Kitchen & Courtyard

As families across Edinburgh search for ways to keep children entertained during the school summer holidays, Canopy Kitchen & Courtyard is launching a “Kids Eat Free” offer from 6 July to 6 August, creating the perfect family friendly day out at the Edinburgh Meadows.

Perched on the edge of one of the city’s most loved green spaces, within the historic Old Royal Infirmary, now The Edinburgh Futures Institute, Canopy Kitchen & Courtyard is perfectly placed for a family day out. Enjoy an afternoon in the park, a visit to the nearby playground, or simply some time outdoors before sitting down for a relaxed meal together. 

More than just a restaurant, Canopy Kitchen & Courtyard has become a creative community hub, where guests are greeted by a bright family friendly atmosphere, and fresh menu of locally sourced classics. While the menu changes to make the most of fresh seasonal ingredients, children can expect familiar favourites such as cream of tomato soup, fluffy pancakes served with fresh strawberries or grilled pork sausages with mashed potatoes, peas and gravy.

Open to both locals and visitors, the month-long offer is designed to make family dining a little more affordable during the school holidays, while giving families another reason to enjoy time together outdoors this summer. 

Available 6 July – 6 August. One complimentary children’s meal available with every adult main course purchased. Offer valid for children aged 12 and under. Subject to availability and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

To find out more or book a table, please visit: https://www.canopyedi.com/ 

National Museums Scotland Listings

Exhibitions & displays

National Museum of Scotland
Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF
Open 10:00–17:00 daily

Giants
Exhibition Gallery 1, Level 3
Until 14 Sep
Tickets from £13

Giants showcases the colossal prehistoric creatures that lived after the extinction of the dinosaurs, 66 million years ago. Discover life-sized 3D sculptures, skeletons, and fossils in this immersive, family-friendly exhibition. The Giants exhibition is designed and produced by the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences.

Book your ticket now nms.ac.uk/exhibitions/giants

Scotland’s First Warriors
Exhibition Gallery 2, Level 3
Opening 27 June
Entrance into the museum and exhibition is free

Explore archaeological evidence for the origins of organised conflict, from the Neolithic (late Stone Age) to the Romans, through over 250 objects.

Scotland’s First Warriors explores how and why people fought, the impact of war, and the legacy of prehistoric conflict. Internationally significant discoveries from Scotland will be on display for the first time, including the Carnoustie Hoard.

Find out more nms.ac.uk/exhibitions/scotlands-first-warriors

Events

National Museum of Scotland
Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1JF
Open 10:00–17:00 daily

Summer Family Fun
Every Monday and Friday in July
10:00-16:00
Free, drop in

On Mondays and Fridays over the summer there will be a range of exciting, drop-in activities for the whole family at the National Museum of Scotland.

Each week, we’ll explore a new theme – from Scottish stories to around-the-world-adventures, there will be something new to discover.

Find out more nms.ac.uk/events/summer-family-fun

Dolly at 30: The Life and Legacy of a Cloned Sheep
16 Jul
18:30-20:30
Free, booking required

To coincide with her 30th birthday in July, join us for an evening exploring the history and legacy of Dolly the sheep, the first cloned mammal ever to be created from an adult cell.

Book now nms.ac.uk/events/dolly-at-30

Creative Workshops for Kids: In the Footsteps of Giants
22 & 29 Jul, 09:30 – 12:00 or 13:30 – 16:30
Tickets from £25, Members and concessions available

Led by theatre-maker and arts educator Marion Geoffray, children will have the chance to uncover fossils and learn some of the key skills palaeontologists use. They will then embark on a guided exploration of our Giants exhibition.

Book now nms.ac.uk/events/creative-workshops-for-kids-in-the-footsteps-of-giants

Creative Workshops for Kids: Storytelling Through Collage Animation
22 & 29 Jul, 09:30 – 12:00 or 13:30 – 16:30
Tickets from £25, Member and concessions prices available

Join animator and visual artist Dominika Jackowska for a creative workshop just for kids, inspired by our Giants exhibition. After a guided visit to the exhibition, children will get an introduction into stop-motion animation in our Learning Centre. They will have a chance to explore their own ideas and create their own short animation.

Book now nms.ac.uk/events/creative-workshops-for-kids-storytelling-through-collage-animation

Museum Late: Festival Ceilidh
7 & 14 Aug
Tickets from £26

Museum Late: Festival Ceilidh makes a stomping return this August. Grab your pals for a night of reels and revelry and join the party in Scottish style. The fantastic Jacobites Ceilidh Band will get you twirling and birling through Strip the Willow, Dashing White Sergeant and other traditional dances in one of Scotland’s biggest ceilidhs.

Book now, nms.ac.uk/events/museum-late-festival-ceilidh

BSL Tour: Giants
13 Aug
14:00
Tickets from £13, concessions available

Meet the colossal creatures that lived after the dinosaurs on a Deaf-led tour of ‘Giants’.

Through life-sized 3D sculptures, skeletons, fossils and hands-on experiences, discover ten enormous prehistoric giants with tour guide, Babs Brown.

Book now, nms.ac.uk/events/bsl-tour-giants

Creative Workshop: Egyptian Ceramics
22 Aug
Tickets from £30, Members and concessions available

Explore Egyptian pottery with writer and ceramicist Mohamed Tonsy. Create your own decorative piece, inspired by historical objects from the National Collection. Mohamed will be joined by one of our Curators of the Ancient Mediterranean, who will share their knowledge about Egyptian objects in the collection.

Book now nms.ac.uk/events/creative-workshop-egyptian-ceramics

Morning Curator Tour: Scotland’s First Warriors
26 Aug & 18 Sept
Tickets from £10

Join exhibition curator Dr Matthew Knight for an exclusive early morning tour of ‘Scotland’s First Warriors’.

Featuring the incredible Carnoustie Hoard, ‘Scotland’s First Warriors’ is a unique exhibition which will take you on a 4000-year journey to explore the origins and impact of conflict in prehistoric Scotland.

Book now nms.ac.uk/events/morning-curator-tour-scotlands-first-warriors

Museum Socials
Third Friday of the month
10:30–12:00
Free, booking required

Museum Socials events are designed for people living with dementia, their relatives, friends, carers, and supporters. Relaxed and informal, each session explores a different museum theme through various interactive activities, including curator talks, object handling, and creative crafts. Tea, cake and a warm welcome are always provided.

Book now nms.ac.uk/events/museum-socials

National Museums Collection Centre
242 W Granton Rd, Edinburgh EH5 1JA

Collection Centre Tours
25 Aug, 10:30 – 12:00 or 13:00 – 14:30
Tickets from £10, advance booking required

Discover the secrets of how we store and research our collections. Find out how our collections are used in international research and see objects rarely on public display.

Book now nms.ac.uk/events/collection-centre-tours

National Museum of Rural Life
Philipshill Road, East Kilbride, G76 9HR
Open 10:00–17:00 daily 

Tractor Tots
3, 6 & 8 Jul
Learning Centre
£25 per child for block of 3, £20 per Member child for block of 3

Running in blocks of three sessions, Tractor Tots offers a fun, focused experience for younger visitors, introducing them to rural life through interactive creative play. Each session will feature handling objects from learning boxes, singing, storytelling, rhymes, actions, and sensory play to learn all about life in the countryside

Book now nms.ac.uk/events/tractor-tots

Archaeology Weekend
25 & 26 Jul
10:30-15:30
Free with museum admission and Annual Pass

Take part in a family-friendly Archaeology Weekend at the National Museum of Rural Life. On Sat 25 Jul, meet the team from Treasure Trove Scotland and find out about their work investigating and assessing new archaeological discoveries.

Find out more, nms.ac.uk/events/archaeology-weekend

Adult Workshop: Willow Basket Making
22 & 23 Aug
Prices from £95

Choose from two full-day basket making workshops at the National Museum of Rural Life.

Each workshop led by willow artist and forager Max Johnson features a different style of basket to make and take home. In the Saturday workshop make a traditional berry picking basket. In the Sunday workshop, make a beautiful Zarzo flower gathering basket.

Book now nms.ac.uk/events/adult-workshop-willow-basket-making

Relaxed Afternoon: National Museum of Rural Life
Last Tuesday of every month
14:30-17:00
Free with museum admission and Annual Pass

Relaxed Afternoon is for anyone who would appreciate a calmer visit to the museum. This session is primarily for, but not limited to, families with neurodivergent children; neurodivergent young people and adults; adults living with dementia; adults and children with mental health problems; and any other visitors with sensory needs or who may prefer a more relaxed experience, plus their families, friends and carers.

Book your visit nms.ac.uk/events/relaxed-afternoon-national-museum-of-rural-life

National Museum of Flight
East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian, EH39 5LF
Open Weekends only, 10:00–16:00 

Expert Talks
Concorde Theatre
10 Jul & 7 Aug
11:00-11:20
Free with museum admission

From April to October, learn more about the collections and history of East Fortune Airfield with a series of free expert talks at the museum. There will be an opportunity to ask questions at the end of each talk. In July, join Ian Brow for ‘East Fortune Attacked’ and in August, Eilidh MacKenzie will discuss ‘The Work of Poppy Scotland.’

Find out nms.ac.uk/events/expert-talks

Escape From France Puzzle Room
13 Jul –7 Aug (weekdays only)
11:30-16:00
Free with museum admission, drop-in

Work together as a family in the puzzle room and see if you’ve got what it takes to escape from France. Can you disguise yourself, speak French well enough to fool a German and find the right money to pay your rail fare to the coast?

Book your visit, nms.ac.uk/events/escape-from-france-puzzle-room

Moth Hunters
18 Jul
9:00 -12:00
Free with museum admission

Discover the variety of local moths in the National Museum of Flight grounds with an early walk with entomologist Katty Baird and enjoy moth-themed family friendly activities.

Book your visit, nms.ac.uk/events/moth-hunters

360 Fest
29 Aug
10:00-17:00
Tickets from £17

From stunt shows and pedal-powered activities to interactive sessions and STEM science, there’s something to set everyone’s head spinning. See amazing 360° stunts and bike parkour from cycling experts, The Extreme Mountain Bike Show, get involved with hands-on activities in the aircraft hangars and have a go at some cycling fun.

Book now, nms.ac.uk/events/360-fest

Relaxed Morning: National Museum of Flight
Every second Sunday of the month, 10:00-12:00
Free with museum admission

Relaxed Morning at the National Museum of Flight is for anyone who would appreciate a calmer visit to the museum. Friendly staff will be there to give you a warm welcome and support your visit, as you explore the museum without noisy interactives and videos to create a more relaxed environment.

Book your visit nms.ac.uk/events/relaxed-morning-national-museum-of-flight

Follow us on Facebook…facebook.com/NationalMuseumsScotland   

Follow us on Instagram…instagram.com/nationalmuseumsscotland/   

For booking, opening times and location details, contact National Museums Scotland on 0300 123 6789   

Kids Summer Craft Club at Drylaw Neigbourhood Centre

🫟 KIDS SUMMER CRAFT CLUB 🫟

Join us during the summer holidays for a fun and creative crafting club where children can explore their imagination using recycled and nature-inspired materials.

Each session, children will create something special to take home, with crafts including handmade vases, clay dishes, garden twig mobiles and much more! 🌱🎨

A lovely opportunity for children to get creative, learn new skills, and enjoy making something unique.

👧🧒 Parents/carers are required to be with their child during the session.

📅 Dates: Every Monday starting 6th July – 3rd August

⏰ Time: 1pm – 2:30pm

🍽️ Free lunch is available from 11:30am – 12:30pm

Booking is required for these sessions – you can book the whole block or just one or two session. Get in touch with us to book your spot!

Summer family fun at Vue Edinburgh this school holiday

(

Family favourites and animated adventures are heading to the big screen this summer holiday at Vue in Edinburgh, offering families ample opportunity to spend quality time together now that the school year has ended.

Kickstart the summer with some playtime as Toy Story 5, the latest adventure of Woody and the gang, out now on the big screen – just in time for the start of the Scottish school holidays.

This time, it’s toy meets tech as Bonnie receives a new tablet to play with, making life for Buzz, Woody, Jessie and the other toys exponentially harder. There are plenty of heartfelt moments and joyful laughs as they go head-to-head with this all-new threat to playtime itself.

On Saturday 27 June at 2pm, Vue in Edinburgh will also host a special Toy Trip screening of the highly anticipated Disney and Pixar sequel, encouraging guests to bring their favourite toy along to watch the film with them.

As part of the experience, anyone who books a ticket for the special Toy Trip screening and arrives with a toy will receive a collectible souvenir ticket to take home.

Whether it is a much-loved childhood companion, a favourite teddy, an action figure or a toy passed down through generations, Vue is giving toys the big screen moment they deserve.

The special screenings aim to celebrate the magic of stories and the emotional connection younger audiences have with big screen experiences, inviting families to watch Toy Story 5 together and feel it forever.

There’s even more animated fun this summer as Minions & Monsters brings plenty of mischief to the big screen at Vue from 1 July. In the wonderful world of Despicable Me, Minions & Monsters sees everyone’s favourite henchmen conquer Hollywood, become movie stars and accidentally unleash monsters upon the world. Will they save the planet from their own monstrous mistakes?

Families can also catch other fantastic family hits such as Disney’s live-action Moana and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, both heading to the big screen during the summer holidays.

For the opportunity to catch recent family favourites on the big screen for a very small price, Vue’s Mighty Mornings screenings will take place every day across the break. Ideal for kids between four and 11, Charlie the Wonderdog will be showing among other titles, with prices from just £2.49 a ticket when booked online.

For younger audiences, Vue will also be bringing some of the most popular children’s characters back as part of its Big Shorts series. Aimed at younger children between one and four, the screenings are hosted in a relaxed environment with dimmed lighting. Younger viewers can look forward to a special screening of Zog & Zog and the Flying Doctors. 

Vue is also inviting families to make the most of the summer holiday season with the launch of its new Summer Passport Book, a collectible adventure-style experience designed to encourage young film fans to enjoy more big-screen moments throughout the holidays. 

Launching with Toy Story 5, families and children can gather stamps for their Summer Passport Book when visiting Vue for the latest families releases and are encouraged to share photos of their passport books and adventures onto a dedicated Vue Facebook post for the chance to win a £25 Vue gift card. 

For the summer break, Vue is also introducing new discounted kids’ tickets in partnership with the Great British Summer Savings scheme.

From 25 June, children aged 14 and under can enjoy big screen escapes, providing a fantastic way to keep the family entertained over the summer. 

Ian Chester, General Manager at Vue in Edinburgh, said: “As we head into the school holidays, there’s something for everyone to enjoy at Vue.

“From live-action reimaginings to animated adventures, it’s the perfect destination for families to escape, unwind, and get lost in great stories on the big screen.”

To find out more, visit www.myvue.com/family

Summer Fun at North Edinburgh Arts

We are thrilled to be teaming up with Muirhouse Library and our friends Art Buds Collective to bring the Macmillan Hub to life with a fun programme packed full of free activities for local children and families!

From 29 June right through to 8 August, we’ll be running creative drop-in activities for all summer long.

Whether it’s a free breakfast and a catch-up with friends, getting creative with arts and crafts, enjoying nature in the NEA Garden, singing along at Bookbug, or settling in for a film and some popcorn, there’s something on nearly every day of the week.

So grab the kids, pop down to MacMillan Hub, and join in the fun this summer!

Read more here: https://northedinburgharts.co.uk/summer-2026/

First week of holiday activities at Drumbrae Library Hub

School holidays start on Friday and we have a full program of events for the summer break!

Here is a list of next week’s events.

Everything is free with no need to book

*children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult

#GoAllIn

#thenationalyearofreading2026