Fringe By The Sea 2017 – 7th- 13th August

Returning to it’s idyllic seaside setting, Fringe By The Sea looks like a real treat once again and perfect for a day out from Edinburgh- get yourself some fish and chips, have a paddle in the sea and check out some of the offerings of this unique fringe festival !

There are a handful of kids events this year, including a Rockpooling session and some very fun Alien Aerobics !!

Bookbug sessions will be running on the 8th, 10th and 12th August, offering their usual and much loved stories and songs.

 

Of course Mr. Boom will be making a return on the 8th and 9th August  to entertain and delight children, parents and grandparents alike. An hour of cosmic fun for everyone. Singing, musical games, tell a joke or sing a song. Be a pixie in the pixie ring. Jump, skip, dance around the sun.

 

Award winning Author Stuart Reid brings boogers, books, big bottom burps and the wacky characters in his Gorgeous George series to life.  It will be yucky. There may be snot. You have been warned!  All this on 10th August.

 

Alexander The Great returns with his magic and circus skills, suitable for ages 3 and up on the 10th and 12th August.

 

On Friday 11th August one of the East Lothian Rangers will lead a rock pooling walk along the beach. Numbers are limited so book early for this one if you can…

Big Fish Little Fish are bringing one of their family friendly parties to the seaside on the 11th August ! Rave legend DJ SLIPMATT will play the ‘Mermaids and Pirate’ themed party. Fancy dress optional, but encouraged. The family raves include bubble machines, club visuals and a giant parachute dance. Events also offer a play and chillout area for babies, as well as a quality themed crafting area featuring colouring murals, playdough and transfer tattoos.

To wrap up the childrens events, on Saturday 12th Alien Aerobics will offer a fun and light hearted dance workout to a retro soundrack of hits from The 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. The class is a mixture of aerobics, basic choreography, stretching, toning and relaxation. Optional dress code: space age/ sparkles (prize for the best dressed!). All levels welcome including beginners.

 

So it looks like there is plenty to keep you busy down by the sea in North Berwick for a few days at least !!

 

Shows for the littlest little ones….

Once again this year at the Festival they are including a large sprinkling of shows for the even smaller little children ! It’s fantastic to see such a variety of shows aimed for this age group, primarily the under threes and great to see that they are able to be introduced to the arts in such an accessible and enjoyable way !!

I’ve narrowed my picks down to the following five shows, but there are even more out there if you’ve got a very small little one and are looking to explore the festival and get fully involved this year.

BambinOBambinO is a first operatic adventure for six to 18-month-olds and their carers. This unique and colourful work reinvents opera for children at an age when their minds are wide open to new sounds, images and experiences. Babies are free to explore during the performance, interacting with singers, musicians and each other.   8th – 20th August (not 14th)

 

Snigel and Friends – Dancebase brings this lovely looking production for children under 12 months. Join Snigel, the inquisitive snail, in their cosy home underneath the leafy canopy; a colourful and sensory world where Snigel’s insect friends come to visit, brought to life by dancers. They dance, play, sing and make music in the undergrowth while uncovering secret treasures.   4th – 27th August (not 7th/14th/18th-21st)

 

Nick Cope’s Family Songbook -You’re never too young to be introduced to Nick Cope ! If you’ve read this blog before, you’ll know we’re huge fans – we love his melodic, catchy tunes and loved his morning show last year. I’m delighted to see him return with even more of his gorgeous songs. With songs about dogs eating soap and dragons called Keith rummaging around second hand shops, this will be a firm family favourite for sure !   2nd-20th August

 

Calvinball Ipdip Theatre are returning after their success with Head in the Clouds to bring Calvinball back to the Botanics !! Lively, musical and slightly wild, this unique theatre experience draws on the natural curiosities of children inviting, but not demanding, participation. Inspired by the anarchic game played by Calvin and Hobbes; we know the rules must be out there somewhere but we need help in finding them. Set in the gorgeous Royal Botanic Garden it really will be outside so don’t forget to dress for the weather!  5th -27th August (not 8th/15th/22nd)

 

The Polar Bears Go Up  – This is for kids aged 2-5 and looks lovely and is part of the Made in Scotland showcase which makes it extra special too ! The Polar Bears are moving up in the world. They’ve lost their balloon and they need to get it back. It’s time to get up, step up, climb up, jump up. One thing’s for sure, the only way is up! These lovable Polar Bears are intrepid explorers, famous for their wild expeditions. Of course, they’ll stop for sandwiches on the way! 10th – 27th August (not 23rd)

 

 

My Top Six Children’s Show at Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2017

As always, flicking through the festival programme I’m getting very excited and also have the familiar sense of being overwhelmed and spoilt for choice yet again as the number and variety of children’s shows available this year is fantastic !

Trying to whittle down what to recommend is extremely tricky ! There are some favourites of ours returning from last year along with some brilliant looking new shows from much loved theatre companies …I’ve put together the following top 6, but as before, please let me know your own recommendations, top picks or old favourites!! ( Some of my other favourites (such as the superb Nick Cope ) will feature in a later post on shows for littler little ones so I can squeeze in these six !!! )

  • How To Be A Kid – Paines Plough have absolutely wowed us the past two years with their shows in the unique Roundabout venue at Summerhall and this year’s show looks set to do the same. Molly cooks. Molly does the dishes. Molly gets her little brother Joe ready for school. Molly is only 12, but she doesn’t feel much like a kid anymore. Now Molly’s mum is feeling better, maybe things will get back to normal. Can you help Molly learn how to be a kid again?  4th – 20th August ( not 8th/15th)

 

  • The Road That Wasn’t There – Brought to us by the team behind The Bookbinder, Trick of the Light theatre are bound to bring something equally magical and spectacular with this new show about a girl who followed a map off the edge of the world… In New Zealand there are some 56,000 kilometres of paper roads – streets and towns that exist only on surveyors’ maps. Or do they? Puppetry, shadow play and music at it’s very best.    3rd-27th August (not 14th/21st)

 

  • Children Are Stinky – Children are also scaredy cats, lazy, unimaginative and uncoordinated in this madcap hour of acrobatic fun with loveable Australian clown duo ‘Kylie and Jason’. We loved this show last year (see here ), so if you missed it, do do check it out. Expect daredevil stunts, incredible acrobatics, lighting-fast hula hoops, loads of laughs and mischievous fun 3rd – 28th August (not 9th/16th/23rd)

 

  • The Gruffalo’s Child – Brought to the Fringe by the brilliant Tall Stories- Julia Donaldson’s much loved tale is brought to life in this magical, musical adaptation.    Because the Big Bad Mouse doesn’t really exist… does he? Join the Gruffalo’s child on his mischievous meander through the deep, dark woods…  2nd-20th August (not 5th/9th/16th)

 

  • Arr We There Yet ? – I was fortunate enough to catch the Head First Acrobats circus show Elixir last year and it was spectacular, so I’m very very excited about their children’s show this year ! A rip-roaring and swashbuckling adventure in which three sailors hit the high seas in search of treasure! A scallywag pirate, a muscular sailor and a chef with a seafood allergy make for a hopeless crew, as they fight for the title of captain aboard the ship.                             5th – 26th August (not 14th/21st)

 

  • David Walliams The First Hippo On The Moon Two big hippos. One enormous dream. Who can make it to the moon first? Three… Two… One… blast off! Adapted for the stage by Les Petits Theatre Company following their tour of Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs, this looks like it’s going to be a fun and creative show for fans of the book and little ones alike.   2nd- 20th August (not 15th)

All new for Playday 2017….

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This year the Playday celebrations are going to be a little different to previous years. They will be holding four separate events in four different localities, with each one hosted by a different community organisation.

These events will be running from the 31st July to the 4th August and are working in partnership with the Edinburgh Play Forum to provide free activities for children of all ages and their families on each day from 12 to 4pm:

Monday 31st July – Muirhouse Avenue Green space

Tuesday 1st August – Clovenstone Community Centre and school grounds

Wednesday 2nd August – Brunstane Community Centre and school grounds

Friday 4th August – Dumbiedykes Park (off Dumbiedykes road)

If you haven’t been to a Playday event yet, I would highly recommend it – full of messy play, mud kitchens, musical play, face painting, water play and much much more !

Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival 14th-23rd July 2017

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Goodness ! Festival season has totally crept up on me and now it feels like its hurtling towards us at fast speed !! Kicking things off this summer is the Jazz and Blues Festival from the 14th to the 23rd July. This features two very fun and family friendly events, namely Mardi Gras and the festival Carnival ! So expect some magical musical madness and colourful feathers galore !

Mardi Gras is on Saturday 15th July 1pm-4pm. The historic heart of Edinburgh becomes a mini New Orleans for the afternoon.A host of bands create non stop entertainment and a party atmosphere on stages across the Grassmarket, including   latin-swing band mixed with upbeat ska rhythms Swing’It Disney which sounds like one for the little people !

Carnival! imageCarnival is on Sunday 16th July at The Mound, Princes Street and  Princes Street Gardens. It is free admission, thanks to City of Edinburgh Council, timings are:

2.30pm: Parade from The Mound to the West End of Princes Street
3.30pm-5pm: Performances in Princes Street, Princes Street Gardens

There will be over 800 Carnival Performers! With music, dance, costumes, circus acrobats, puppetry from all over the world, this is not to be missed!