Edinburgh with children?

[ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged]

We might be spending a long weekend in Edinburgh soon. Suspect it won't be the same as previous child free trips!

Any suggestions for things to do / places to visit with kids (DS six months and DS three years)?

Thank you.

Get the train to Glasgow for a fab day out!

Sorry! I find Edinburgh too touristy and fake but......

Actually the museum of money is the best place we have been to in Edinburgh , the three year old can mint their own personalised coin, lots of activities.

Hopefully you will get some more useful info!

However Glasgow is fab, the underground system is really good and all museums transport ( would be fab for the thre year old) and the kelvin grove are lovely.

City centre much less touristy than the tartan shops in Edinburgh.

I do love Glasgow Helensburgh, but again I've never been with kids.

Go on though, if we went to Glasgow instead, what could we do with kids?

The camera Obscura is brilliant for kids, really interactive.
Zoo if weather fine.
Or the museum is great as well.

At that age I'd say Edinburgh zoo. I live in Glasgow though, and would thoroughly recommend the transport museum and the science centre if you were thinking Glasgow instead. It's true, Glasgow smiles better!

Agree with silas, transport museum and science centre in Glasgow.

I genuinely don't know what I'd do with kids in Edinburgh, for a few days other than the zoo, which to be honest compared with Chester etc is pretty poor.

Prefer Edinburgh to Glasgow by miles, although science museum in Glasgow is good. For very wee ones you have the museum in Chambers street, the zoo, the museum of childhood on the Royal Mile, Camera Obscura, Botanic Gardens...

Well I love Glasgow too but there's honestly loads in Edinburgh for kids! Brilliant parks, for free there's the museum, museum of Childhood, Water of Leith visitor centre and the Botanics (although you need to pay for Glasshouses) and for a fee there's the Castle, Camera Obscura, Dynamic Earth, Zoo etc plus just going on top level of buses and trams which is fun for children (unless this is not a novelty, I don't know where you live ).

There's usually some excellent children's theatre or storytelling going on somewhere as well, The Edinburgh Bookshop or the Scottish Storytelling Centre have events plus all the many theatres. It's the Science Festival in April. I may have talked myself into taking family there again myself!

www.edinburghforunderfives.co.uk

badpoet - that site looks great. Do you use it? It's asking me for a 'registration code' and i have no idea what one is or how to get one.

Love edinburgh and so do our kids.

Dynamic earth
National museum scotland on chambers street is fab
Camera obscura is very good but pricey
Zoo is good but be aware you need to book to see pandas and it's all uphill

Our kids also love going to the Botanics and feeding the squirrels.

No I don't - I had the book years ago! You can view the blog without registering - it seems to list some upcoming stuff and links to what's going on.

The museum of childhood on the royal mile is free, the museum of Scotland at chambers street is great and fee to. Camera obscura is a great day for all ages and take tesco vouchers. Gorgie City Farm is on a good bus route and free but they welcome donations. Princes street gardens are great for walking through and watching the trains. The botanical gardens are great too. There are also a number of soft plays which are not far from the city centre.

Thanks ladies. You've convinced me. We've booked.

Will maybe stop off in Glasgow en route. Or do another trip there later in the year

Just back from Edinburgh with a 16 year old. It was very COLD.
Lots of good free museums but your DC are really too young for pretty much everything.
Honestly? I would never undertake a city holiday with a baby and toddler. A soft play is a soft play wherever you are.

Museum of Scotland is fantastic. Nice and small but loads of brilliant stuff, great kids area and awesome cake.

Do the horrible histories bus tour! Its 24 hour ticket, so you can gave a look one day then use it to stopped off whatever caught your eye the next day!