Author Archives: Edinburghfestivalsforkids

Pleasance Kidzone 2016

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The Pleasance Kidzone is like an oasis during the hectic festival for parents…it’s full of craft activities, puppet shows, toys, picnic tables, a buggy park and thankfully some food stalls for that all important cup of coffee !

This year they promise some new treats with the amazing scene machine, monstrous monster-making and kite creating workshops as well as the usual daily crafty activities, and this year we are lucky enough to get double as the Pleasance will be at the EICC with kids shows there too – fantastic !

Information about all of the 18 children’s shows that the Pleasance are hosting this year can be found here ,some of my top picks are :

The Snail and the Whale – Tall Stories do wonderful children’s theatre, and this is no exception. A delightful and gentle version of this well loved book about a tiny snail longing to see the world by Julia Donaldson, featuring beautiful songs, live music and some surprises too !

 

The Cat In The Hat – From the moment his tall, red and white striped hat appears around the door, Sally and her brother know that the Cat is the funniest, most mischievous cat they have ever met. Returning to the festival this year, this is a great and fully entertaining show for little ones, providing lots to look at and plenty of laughs.

 

The Many Doors of Frank Feelbad – This interactive performance looks intriguing and imaginative. Frank is an inquisitive chap with a big problem: what’s happened to Mum? Join Frank on his adventure to find her. There’ll be scavenger hunts, puzzles to solve and even some dancing to dubstep. Dealing sensitively with grief and loss, the show asks how we cope when things go missing.

The Amazing Scene Machine Does Aardinburgh ! – Celebrate Aardman’s 40th birthday with expert Aardman modelmaker Jim Parkyn and his Amazing Scene Machine. Help create a very special 3D clay painting of Edinburgh featuring some of Aardman’s stars including Morph, Shaun the Sheep, Wallace and Gromit – and your own cast of Aardman-esque people and creatures.

 

Shows for ‘littler’ little ones….

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My friend will be returning to visit this year with her (slightly bigger) baby, so I’ve done some research on suitable shows for littler children and it seems that this year rather brilliantly there are plenty of shows to choose from !

I think it’s great-it’s a good way to introduce children to theatre and fantastic that shows are being aimed at this age group and making them and their parents feel welcome !! The shows look like they will bring lots of exciting colours, textures and sounds to the festival too…..

Puzzle – I was lucky enough to see this last year (and wrote a review here) and thought it was captivating, colourful and charming !! A beautiful piece of younger children’s theatre exploring colours and shapes set to enchanting music composed especially for the age group.     August 5th – 20th (not 14th)

Hup – This musical piece for 0-24 month olds looks inspiring and fun – ‘two violins, one cello and one very mischievous raccoon.‘ ‘Both transfixing and mesmerizing, this relaxed and intimate delight of a performance is full of surprises geared right at tiny tots …’    August 11th – 28th (not17th/18th/24th)

Celeste’s Circus – Celeste warmly invites wee ones to join her circus trip.See the high-wire hippo, the peek-a-boo cat and a lovable seal performing for paper fish. This charming show is designed for 0-5 years and looks like alot of fun!  August  4th-16th (not 10th) and 19th-21st and 26th – 28th

 

Poggle -‘ Mischief maker, maker of fun. Tumble tumble, tickle my tum. Beasties beasties, buzzing bees, Poggle’s not scared of climbing trees. Vince wants to explore the forest but he’s too scared until he meets Poggle, a friendly creature who takes him on an adventure to the magical musical tree’. This dance theatre show with live music looks imaginative and unique…for ages 6 months – 4 years.     August 5th – 21st (not 8th/15th)

Head In The Clouds – This year’s offering by Ipdip who create performances especially for early years looks enchanting and sure to be fully immersive with sounds, touch, smell and visual treats. ‘Cirrus the dog has a serious job: he has to keep watch on the sheep. What to do when they lose themselves, drifting amongst the dancing clouds? How can he help these woolly-headed dreamers get back down to earth? ‘ For 0-5 years.                 August 8th – 28th (not 10th/17th/24th)

Nick Cope’s Family Songbook – We have been lucky enough to see Nick Cope a few times before and we have all enjoyed every single second- he sings gorgeous songs about everything from socks, supermarkets, bears and dragons. Audience participation is included and the kids will love him! If you haven’t heard his songs or seen his shows before, come and find out what you’re missing. For 0-8 years                                                                                   3rd-21st August (not 17th)

 

Fringe by the Sea 2016 : 8th – 14th August

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.Fringe by the Sea returns to it’s beautiful beachside location and has two children’s events that both look great, so that along with a day at the seaside and some lobster and chips you can enjoy a show or two in a different setting outside the usual festival locations !

FBTS-website_image_6Alexander the Great –  join award winning entertainer, Alexander the Great, for fun filled entertainment at the Spiegeltent. Alexander the Great, who trained in Circus Skills at De Hoogta Circus School in Amsterdam, specialises in magic and circus skills.
The 9am interactive entertainment shall include magic, and games, for ages 3yrs to adult! The 11am show will teach Circus Skills as well as games.
9th – 14th August, 9am and 11am.

And Mr Boom returns to Fringe by the Sea once again -festival veteran Mr Boom will be back to entertain children with his one-man band from the moon !  His imaginary spaceship has been landing on Planet Earth for over 30 years and he continues to enchant and delight wee Earthlings with an exciting mix of action songs, circle dancing and spontaneous banter.            9th August 3pm and 10th August 12.00

My Top Six Children’s Shows for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2016

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So, once again it’s that time of year where you are inundated with programmes, flyers and posters and hundreds of fantastic looking shows to choose from. The number of children’s shows seems to be increasing each year which is absolutely brilliant and also means it is more overwhelming to try and decide what to see…

I’ve put together this Top 6 (as a top 5 was too hard), which was pretty difficult to do given the great choice and variety this year…and as it is a bit of a work in progress, I am always open to suggestions of what should have made the list too !

  • Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs 2: The Magic Cutlass – Captain Flinn is back ! And this looks like a fantastic sequel to the Captain Flinn show that Les Petits Theatre Company brought to us before. When Flinn is in the middle of his school play his old nemesis, Mr T the T-Rex, appears and kidnaps his friends forcing them to hunt for the Magic Cutlass: a sword that grants any wish!                                            3rd-29th August (not16th)

 

  • Lords of Strut : The Family Show – I was lucky enough to catch this show last year and I LOVED it (see feature here)…with only eleven shows this year, its one not to be missed. Brothers Famous Seamus and Sean-tastic will do anything to be famous, really anything. Charm, sharp wit and good humour, with flashes of surprising acrobatic skill and just enough naughtiness to keep kids and adults guessing. Silly and bonkers – absolutely bonkers!           4th – 14th August

 

  • Nick Cope’s Family Songbook – We have been lucky enough to see Nick Cope a few times before and we have all enjoyed every single second- he sings gorgeous songs about everything from socks, supermarkets, bears and dragons. Audience participation is included and the kids will love him ! If you haven’t heard his songs or seen his shows before, come and find out what you’re missing.                                                                                   3rd-21st August (not 17th)

 

  • Shark in the Park – This well loved book should be perfect for the stage and I’m really looking forward to seeing Timothy Pope and his telescope ! From the producers of The Hairy Maclary and Friends Show – see all three of Nick Sharratt’s Shark in the Park books live on stage!                           4th-29th August (not 15th)

 

  • The Snail and the Whale – I have seen this production before when it was last in Edinburgh and its a delight, with lovely music and song and a gentle and engaging version of Julia Donaldson’s well known book. Tall Stories really do great children’s theatre and this is no exception.        3rd-21st August (not 6th/17th)

 

  • The Many Doors of Frank Feelbad– From the folk that did ‘The incredible Book Eating Boy’ this looks like an imaginative and evocative tale about what to do when things go missing- join Frank on an adventure to find out. Dealing sensitively with grief and loss, this interactive performance looks charming.   10th-28th August

Fringe for Bairns 2016 – Three Sisters 31st July – 3rd August

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Returning for a second year, Fringe for Bairns is a four day long series of free events for children featuring a whole host of activities and shows including a  kids ceilidh, balloon modelling, face painting, magician acts, outdoor cinema and not to forget a petting zoo- all located in the courtyard at the Three Sisters on the Cowgate.

For more details and to see what day certain activities will be, check their facebook page for updates…

So far it looks like the Five Sisters Zoo will be there on Wednesday 3rd August from 11am – 2pm with the petting zoo which is sure to be popular…

All of their childrens shows will be running during these days too, highlights including:

Show ImageBaloonatics – Welcome to the wild and wacky world of Baloonatics. This show is for anyone aged 5 to 105 (older people are welcome) who likes being silly, doesn’t want to be a grown up, has a good imagination and loves balloons

 

Show ImageBubble Show with Milkshake and Dr Bubble – Come see every bubble trick imaginable. Big, Small and sculpted bubbles, the bubble carousel, the square bubble, smoke bubbles, caterpillar bubbles, tight rope bubbles, the bubble blizzard, bubbles in bubbles and children in bubbles.

 

Show ImageScience Magic – Prepare to enter the magical world of science. Forget Harry Potter, Dónal is the real wizard. He will show you how to put a skewer through a balloon without popping it, mix potions to create your very own volcano, set paper on fire without burning it, turn water upside-down without spilling it, conjure an invisible force to blow out a candle, make a cola bottle explode in a fountain and more.

Its a great way to catch some festival shows early before full festival hecticness begins…