Kids

Tracy Beaker Returns

7 Jan 2010

Anyone who tunes in to CBBC from time to time might not know it, but it’s five years since the last new episode of the show featuring the abandoned and shouty Tracy Beaker. But that constant loop of archive 20-minute snapshots of life within the…

The best Easter 2011 events in Glasgow and Edinburgh

Easter egg hunts, beaches, boat trips and activities for Easter weekend

18 Mar 2011

Beach Babies Scotland is scattered with some of the most peaceful and well-kept beaches in the UK. In particular, North Berwick on the east coast is a famously picturesque seaside town, complete with miles of sand, cobbled streets full of friendly cafés…

Kids Events

14 Aug 2008

When Miranda Richardson so memorably played the child-like Queen Elizabeth I in Blackadder, a career in entertaining kids seemed to be in the offing. With Horrid Henry (16 Aug) she appears to have finally grasped that opportunity by voicing the little…

Kid loves - Children's books round-up

Edinburgh International Book Festival

22 Jul 2008

Harry Potter may have played his last game of Quidditch and Lemony Snicket’s series of events have unfortunately ceased to be, but there are still plenty of iconic figures hanging around in children’s literature. Brian Donaldson finds ten of them…

Chris Packham - Wild thing

30 Oct 2009

Chris Packham recently suggested that we should just let the giant panda die out. As he comes to Glasgow, Kirstin Innes talks to the controversial conservationist.

Jeremy Lion answers questions from kids

The children's entertainer answers the questions that popped into our mailbox

5 Aug 2010

Bumbling children’s entertainer Jeremy Lion has taken time out from being near-permanently soused to explore some pressing environmental issues in his new show. He’s still got time for the kids, however, and was more than happy to answer the questions…

Hairy Maclary and Friends brings classic children's book to the stage

Musical doggy mayhem based on Lynley Dodd's book

29 Jul 2010

With their cast of colourful canines, Lynley Dodd’s Hairy Maclary books have garnered many fans the world over. Having secured the rights to perform them, Nonsenseroom Productions have been hard at work bringing the eponymous scruffy mutt and his…

The BFG

2 Apr 2009

PREVIEW STAGE ADAPTATION Nineteen years after his death, Roald Dahl remains as popular as ever with the bedtime crowd. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, The Witches – the list goes on, each of them bringing delight to…

The Hot 100 2011: 100-50

The definitive list of Scottish creative talent

16 Dec 2011

100: Gordon Ferris. Kilmarnock crime author makes good. The already packed Scottish crime writing field has finally found a bit of elbow room for another burgeoning talent. Joining the likes of Rankin, Brookmyre, McDermid and co is this Ayrshire-born…

The Elves and the Shoemaker

10 Mar 2010

An Easter treat for children and young people, courtesy of the Dundee Rep ensemble. This adaptation of the classic Grimm Brothers’ tale, about the penniless shoemaker and his wife who discover an exquisite pair of shoes waiting for them when they wake…

Three Billy Goats Gruff

31 Jul 2008

This is the third year in a row that the very wonderful Theatre of Widdershins has played the Fringe – and, rather appropriately, they’re doing a show all about threes: the eponymous goats, plus a few other fairytale characters such as Goldilocks’ pals…

Lucy Hawking

19 Jul 2007

What do you do when your father is one of the world’s most respected theoretical physicists, author of the bestseller A Brief History of Time and you want to be a writer? The answer was obvious to Lucy Hawking, daughter of Stephen: write a book…

Tracy Beaker

Tracy Beaker Gets Real

26 Mar 2007

MUSICAL THEATRE She’s rude, inconsiderate, bolshy and the bane of many parents’ lives. Tracy Beaker may be a fictional creation, but her cheeky expressions - both facial and verbal - have been embraced by pre-pubescents across the…

Parent-and-toddler group Dads Rock provides a musical outlet for fathers and tots

Edinburgh playgroup for fathers and children aged 0-4

3 Feb 2012

Walk through the doors of any parent and toddler group in the land, and chances are most of the males in attendance will be wearing nappies. Such gatherings are notoriously female affairs (adult-wise at least), with the odd – and I mean occasional…

Visible Fictions to revive Zorro

The theatre company's popular swashbuckler to play at Scottish Youth Theatre

2 Feb 2012

In case you didn’t know, the word ‘zorro’ is Spanish for ‘fox’, and that’s exactly what this cunning fictional hero does – fox those around him, not just with his deeds but his entire persona. Starting life as a serial in a 1920s US magazine, the tales…

The Muppets' most memorable moments

A gallery of clips from our favourite frog and his friends

1 Feb 2012

The Muppets have a string of movies to their names already, including The Muppet Movie, The Muppets Christmas Carol, The Muppets Take Manhattan, and The Great Muppet Caper. Never ones to shirk away from serious film, darling, they’ve also had cameos in…

Events for St Andrew's Day 2011

Live music, ceilidhs, free and discounted entry to nation’s key landmarks

18 Nov 2011

Visit for free As part of Scotland’s Winter Festivals, the weekend before St Andrew’s Day will be enhanced with money-off deals for some of the nation’s key landmarks. You can get cheap or free entry to Glasgow Science Centre (check out the…

Design and Democracy exhibition - Free Family Weekend to mark St Andrew's Day

Free events include building your own rocket and radio-controlled car

16 Nov 2011

Design affects the lives of all of us. Whether it’s an intuitive new phone, a car that tells us we’ve left the lights on, or the Kindle doing something nobody expected and actually improving on the design of a book, who of us have not had our lives…

Mirazozo coloured inflatable structure a 2011 Edinburgh Fringe highlight

Architects of Air bring their latest inflatable structure to Edinburgh

8 Jul 2011

Picture the scene – you walk inside a Fringe venue, and find no actors, no musicians, no dancers, in fact no performers at all. You'd be forgiven for wanting your money back. Unless, that is, your ticket is for an Architects of Air creation – because…

In The Night Garden - live in Glasgow

Toddlers TV favourite come to Glasgow Green

7 Sep 2010

Walking past Glasgow Green over the next few weeks, you’d be forgiven for thinking that aliens had landed. In fact, it’s a far more innocuous gang of visitors from CBeebies’ land of charm, the Night Garden. Taking place in a stunning, purpose-built…

First Word: Supergran

12 Aug 2009

First record you ever bought I have never bought a record. Last time you were chatted up The chance would be a fine thing! First film that really moved you I have not a clue. Last lie you told I’m too goody-goody. First movie you…

Andy and Mike's… Big Box of Bananas

Fun and frolics in the fun pad

9 Aug 2009

The power of children’s TV was always going to ensure that CBeebies presenter, Andy Day found an audience at the Fringe – and a big one at that. What’s pleasing, therefore, is that it’s thoroughly deserved. Day and his partner in silliness, Mike James…

Ice Cream Man and the Jelly Incident

Fun with food for kids

30 Jul 2009

Writer Jonny Berliner certainly knows how to create an attention-grabbing show title. After the huge success of Dude! Where’s my Teddy Bear? – which went from Edinburgh sell-out in 2003/4 to runs at festivals nationwide, including Glastonbury…

Chris Priestley - Tales of Terror from the Black Ship

16 Oct 2008

GHOST STORIES The great English chiller writer MR James observed that one of the key facets of a good, nerve-shredding ghost story is ‘a pleasing terror’. Chris Priestley’s follow-up to the imaginative Uncle Montague’s Tales of Terror similarly aims…

The Big Ugly Monster and the Little Stone Rabbit

1 Aug 2007

There are lots of monsters appearing at this year’s Fringe, but none so ugly as this one.

The Scottish National Portrait Gallery want your children to become Portrait Detectives

New events to get kids interested in the refurbished Gallery

9 Jan 2012

Under wraps for the past two and a half years, the newly re-opened Scottish National Portrait Gallery cuts quite a dash. But for younger visitors, the wow factor generated by a £17 million spend can be hard to see. Which is why events like Portrait…

Lost Sock Princess

A puppet theatre performance that lets you join in – all you need is an odd sock

13 Dec 2011

Try as you might to wash and dry them together, socks have a way of parting company somewhere between the laundry basket and underwear drawer. It’s at that point you need the Lost Sock Princess to help you reunite the estranged pair. Or do you? One…

Tim and Light children's show all about playing games and puppets

Burton and Miyazaki-inspired puppetry at 2011 Edinburgh Festival

29 Jul 2011

Tim and Light is the second children’s show from Tucked In, following 2007’s lauded Jackajack. In this adventure, which has been touring UK theatres and festivals this summer, a boy called Tim and his cat Light board a train from Brighton that doesn’t…

The Incredible Book Eating Boy - five-minute show for one adult and one child

Oliver Jeffers’ book-munching tale comes to life in tiny Pleasance venue

29 Jul 2011

In The Incredible Book Eating Boy, by award-winning children’s author Oliver Jeffers, a little boy called Henry gobbles up books like chocolate. At this year’s Fringe, Bootworks Theatre will stage an adaptation of this quirky but touching story in their…

Manolibera

Clever cartoons for all ages

16 Aug 2009

Although not strictly speaking a children’s show (it’s in the Dance & Physical Theatre section of the Fringe programme), this is a wonderful example of how a piece of theatre can cross the generational divide. Italian company, Scarlattine Teatro has…

Andy and Mike's ... Big Box of Bananas

CBeebies guy goes bonkers

3 Aug 2009

To the nation’s children, presenters on CBeebies and CBBC are practically like gods, bringing great programmes, reading out birthday cards and generally acting the fool. Currently enjoying his place in the sun is Andy Day, a regular smiling face on the…

Tall Stories - Room on the Broom

Dramatisation of Julia Donaldson's tale of an overloaded broomstick

13 Jul 2009

No matter how many books she writes, Julia Donaldson will always be synonymous with one thing: The Gruffalo. Similarly, regardless of their many innovative productions, Tall Stories will remain eternally linked with one show: The Gruffalo. But there’s…

Easter Eggcitement 2009

2 Apr 2009

Chicks, Eggs & Bunnies Week Mon 6–Thu 9 Apr, 10–11am. £8 per day. Imagination Workshop, 136 Marchmont Road, 0131 466 0148. Make a chick, egg or bunny in this Easter-themed workshop. Price includes a chocolate egg. Ages 6+. Easter Egg-citement…

Scotland The Great - We are good

22 Jan 2009

Bin the shortbread tin! Trash those Runrig albums! Here are, in The List’s humble opinion, some real reasons why Scotland is worth shouting about

Finding Nemo on Ice

4 Sep 2008

Frozen water usually spells disaster for our aquatic friends, but the shoal of fish heading to Braehead Arena feel right at home on the ice. Featuring 38 competitive skaters, who have swapped medals for make-up, Finding Nemo On Ice mixes technical…

Horrid Henry Day

27 Mar 2008

The naughtiest boy in children’s fiction has his very own day – 1 April, but Borders is getting in early to capture the weekend crowd. Help celebrate the tomfoolery of Francesca Simon’s most famous character at this fun session of Horrid Henry stories…

Lazytown Live!

4 Oct 2007

From Jamie’s School Dinners to Honey, We’re Killing The Kids, there’s no shortage of advice on how to feed our children. But perhaps the most successful TV programme to combat rising levels of childhood obesity, is aimed at the kids themselves. Created…

Little Bear

9 Aug 2007

Exploring is fun at any age, but for our eponymous hero there are a lot of firsts in his day. He discovers a tin barrel that not only makes great noises but can be used as boat. He meets some new friends along the way and learns that keeping his tummy…

Happily N'Ever After

1 Aug 2007

Although its makers claim they conceived Happily N’Ever After long before that big green ogre Shrek took over the box office swamp, animation filmmakers Paul J Bolger and Yvette Kaplan’s procrastinations mean that this contemporary take on olde fairy…

Preview of 2012 - Brave

Pixar’s highland fling has a lot of heart

6 Jan 2012

After dropping the ball with Cars 2 last summer – the only one of their 12 feature-length releases so far to have been deemed a bit lacklustre – the award-winning animation house will be looking to score big again with Brave. Set in the misty and…

Top children's books on sale for Christmas

New titles from Jacqueline Wilson, Julia Donaldson, Francesca Simon and David Walliams

15 Nov 2011

While the December market is traditionally slow for adult fiction, when it comes to kids books, it’s a ripe old time of year. This winter there are books from some familiar names and favourite characters which won’t look bad popping out of a woolly…

Family Fun Music Day

Programme of music events aimed at opening up the Glasgow Concert Halls to younger music-lovers

19 Sep 2011

Mission Impossible-style light beams that play musical notes as you cross them, a giant labyrinth of music and light, and a dark room filled with scary sounds – hardly business as usual at Glasgow’s City Halls. Organised by Svend Brown, director of…

Pop-Up! The Amazing Adventures of Moo-Dong

The art of entertaining

8 Aug 2011

Theatre Bom’s Pop-Up! is based around the inspired notion of recreating famous paintings, such as Arcimboldo’s ‘fruit faces’ and Seurat’s ‘Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jette’, live onstage. Don’t be nervous: an in-depth knowledge of…

Bagpuss

Stage adaptation that’s just about purrfect

7 Aug 2011

In 2001, Bagpus came fourth in Channel 4’s 100 Greatest Kids’ TV Shows opinion poll – and for good reason. Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin’s 1970s programme had a warm simplicity that hooked you in with imaginative tales, then rocked you gently in its…

Glasgow Science Festival programme appeals to both children and adults

Opportunities to do some gardening, bread-making and seabird tracking

23 May 2011

For some parents, it’s always been fascinating, for others it was the worst block at school. But one thing’s for sure, these days the world of science offers more fun and creativity than you can shake a pipette at. With four action-packed family days on…

Edinburgh Festival 2010: More Fringe show highlights

Some of the shows to look out for at the Fringe

16 Jul 2010

With over 2,400 shows to choose from at this years Fringe festival, it's all to easy to succumb to the paradox of choice. Here we present our picks for some of the smaller shows that are worth looking out for.

Easter Eggstravaganza events 2010

1 Apr 2010

Blair Atholl Aside from the beautiful walks around the castle and the grounds, Blair Atholl Estate is never short of things to do whether it’s activities or bike rides. This year check out Eggy, Steady, Go! (2–4 Apr) complete with egg painting, egg…

Kelvingrove Kids Fun

18 Feb 2010

If you’re a primary school aged child growing up in the Central Belt, people are falling over themselves to entertain you with fun workshops. Pre-schoolers do increasingly well, too. But when it comes to those tricky teen years, the well of…

Giraffes Can't Dance

Uplifting story for little ones

30 Jul 2009

With so many shows to choose from on the Fringe, parents have to be canny about what they take their young charges to. In recent years, the wise money has been spent on a ticket to see Blunderbus Theatre Company. Specialising in musical tales for…

Walking with Dinosaurs

25 Jun 2009

Despite none of us really knowing what it was like when dinosaurs ruled the earth, the BBC made a fine attempt at recreating it a few years back. Walking with Dinosaurs took nature documentaries to a whole new level, using scientific research and…