Scottish Traditional Boat Festival
June 23
Impressive vessels from far and wide will be cruising into the harbour at Portsoy for the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival. Highlights will include traditional maritime crafts, sumptuous local seafood and folk dance performances.
Every Bear That Ever There Was
June 30
Children should bring their bravest teddy along to this hair-raising bear themed event at Blantyre’s David Livingstone Centre. Once each furry friend has been kitted out with their own name tag and parachute, they will be sent on a skydiving adventure to hit a target below.
Mini Olympics
June 30 – September 2
Families who wish to take part in Britain's Olympic celebrations minus the London crowds should look no further than the Gleneagles Hotel, who will be offering guests the chance to take part in some sporty fixtures of their own. Children and adults alike can take part in over 20 Olympic disciplines at the prestigious hotel, collecting stars for their scorecard and possibly even win a medal for their efforts. Special Olympic packages will also be available throughout the period
Summer At The Museum
July 2–August 12
The National Museum Of Scotland in Edinburgh will be running a six week programme of free activities for children during the school holidays. The schedule will include Tuesday science activities, Friday colouring trails and special guests every Saturday.
Handle Exotic Animals
July 4
Spiders and scorpions and snakes, oh my! Older children can learn fascinating facts and handle a menagerie of exotic creatures during this interactive session at Inverness Floral Hall.
Disney Live! Mickey’s Magic Show
July 6–8
Abracadabra and hey presto! Before your very eyes appears the Magic Kingdom at Aberdeen’s AECC, complete with Mickey Mouse, The Mad Hatter, Cinderella and others in a new show blending illusions with magic moments from Disney films.
Garden Pots And Seed Bombs
July 14
The new gardens at Museum Of Edinburgh will be in full summer bloom in time for this green-fingered workshop where families can paint their own garden pots and learn how to make seed bombs.
Illyria's Roald Dahl's The Twits
July 14
Pack a picnic and pop along to Crathes Castle gardens for this al-fresco performance of Roald Dahl’s revolting tale, The Twits. A word of advice – don’t pack spaghetti for lunch.
The Glasgow Show
July 21–22
Glasgow Green will be awash with activity during this annual weekend festival celebrating Glasgow’s rich cultural tapestry. Activities are set to include countryside activities, madcap sporting challenges, street theatre, and international pop stars on the main stage.
Fun With Felt
August 7
Lauriston Castle in Edinburgh will be hosting this creative workshop where children can use coloured merino wool to create felt flowers, birds and bees.
Pondemonium
August 23
Your child may have encountered some creepy-crawlies before, but have they ever met diving beetle larvae? Or dragonfly nymphs? Children can discover the amazing ecosystem hiding within our gardens at this exciting pond dipping session Brodick Castle, Garden & Country Park.
