LISTINGS KIDS

S

I GGIIlG WILD Queensferry Museum, 53 High Street, South Queensferry. Open Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sat 10am-1pm; 2-5pm. Sun 2-5pm. Free. Get back to nature with this new exhibition exploring the natural and historical enviroment of the Forth Estuary. Developed with the aid of pupils from local schools, Going Wild uses everything from handling trays, a sound unit, a mural, binoculars and telescopes to take a closer look at the magnificent views over the River Forth and the two bridges.

Rain or shine, our at-a-glance guide will see you through. Events are listed under outdoors or indoors columns, and then divided by city. Kids listings compiled by Ellie Carr.

Outdoors

Activities and Fun

I Animal Magic The Visitor Centre. Calderglen Country Park. Info from The Ranger Service on 013552 36644. Sun 30 Jul. 2pm. Goldfish. guinea pigs and rabbits. The rangers invite you to reach out and touch some favourite household pets in this close-contact session.

I Bee-friend a Bee Mugdock Country Park (off A81 Milngavie-Strathblane Road) 636 3043. Sun 30 Jul. 2—3pm. Free. Bees are nice . . . when you get to know them. Find out more about your stripey friends and build a bee nest box .

I Canal Festival Firhill Basin. Sun 30 Jul. 2pm. info from Diane Waddeil on 332 9915 ext 19. Spend an afternoon cruising on boats and browsing stalls on the canal side. in this family day with Forth and Clyde Canal Community Project.

I Splash! Sat 29 Jul. 2pm. Firhill Basin. Info from Diane Waddeil 332 9115 ext 19. Forth and Clyde Canal Community Project invite you to take the plunge with a range of watersports. No experience necessary, but you must be able to swim. I Moscow State Circus Queen’s Park. Glasgow. Bookings and info: 01604 787777. Tue l-Sun 6 Aug. Mon—Fri 5pm. 8pm; Sat 2pm. 5pm. 8pm; Sun 2pm. 5pm. £3.50—£20 (£3.50 flat rate for wheelchair users). Breathtaking antics of the big top kind in what could be the last-ever British tour for this highly—trained troupe of Russian acrobats. clowns and illusionists. See Theatre review.

Activities and Fun

I Octobus The Meadows (at the foot of Middle Meadow Walk). Thurs 3 Aug. 10.30am. Free. See photo caption.

Indoors

Activities and Fun

I Summer Activities at flaggs Castle Haggs Castle Museum. 100 St Andrews Drive. 427 2725. Free. Until Tue 15 Aug. Various times. Blue Peter eat your heart out Haggs Castle is in there with the scissors and glue this summer. Activities are divided by age group and range from making finger puppets for the tiny tots to desiging a coat of arms for the older ones. I Summer Splash Strathclyde Arts Centre. 12 Washington Street. Call 334 2000/22] 4526 for full programme

(I 1am-3pm weekdays only). Throughout Jul/Aug. Strathclyde Arts Centre bursts into action this summer with a programme of events designed to banish holiday boredom from the streets. Turn your hand to printed textiles in the craft workshops; learn the lingo with Fun French; let your locks loose at the Giant Fashion Hair Show; get into the groove with street dancers from Projekt 1 1:92; put yourself in the director's chair with video and animation workshops; and much. much more.

Exhibitions

I Young People’s Art Competition Art Gallery and Museum. Kelvingrove. 305 2690. Mon 7 Aug—Mon 25 Sept. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 11am-5pm. Free. See Art listings.

I Dolls, Dolls, Dolls Scotland Street School Museum. 225 Scotland Street. 429 1202. Until Mon 20 Aug. Mon—Sat 10am—5pm; Sun 2pm—5pm. Free. Glasgow museums dust over their doll collection as over 100 of Barbie’s predecessors receive a make-over for this special exhibition.

Film

I An American Tall Paisley Arts Centre. New Street. Paisley. 887 1010. Tue 1 Aug. 2pm. £2 (£1). See Film index.

I Honey, I BIBW Up the Kids Paisley Arts Centre. New Street. Paisley. 887 1010. Tue 8 Aug. 2pm. £2 (£1). See Film index. I Kids Shows at Paisley Arts Centre New Street. Paisley. 887 1010. Until Thurs 10 Aug. various times.

Puppet Cabaret and Demonstration Sat 29 Jul. 2pm. £2 (£1). All ages. An all- puppet variety show brought to you by Presto Puppet Theatre. and featuring some very swanky half life-size marionettes. Hang about in your seats after the show to pick up some handy hints on puppet making and manipulation. Magic Bob Sat 5 Aug. 2pm. £2 (£1). Magic Bob is magic one more time.

I The Selfish Giant Scottish Mask and Puppet Theatre. 8—10 Balcarres Avenue. Kelvindale. 339 6185. Sat 5 August. 2pm. £2.50 (£1.50). Oscar Wilde's classic fairy tale as told by Hunter Puppet Theatre with the help of some exceptionally large

puppets!

Exhibitions

I Going Wild Queensferry Museum. 53 High Street. South Queensferry. Open Mon. Thurs. Fri. Sat lOam—lpm; 2-5pm. Sun 2—5pm. Free. See photo caption.

Film I Asterix In Britain (U) Filmhouse. Lothian Road. 226 2688, Sat 29 Jul .

2.30pm. £1.50 (Adults £2.20). See Film index.

Theatre

I lletherbow Puppet Theatre Netherbow Arts Centre. 43—45 High Street. 556 9579/2647.

Celtic Tales Until Fri 28 Jul. 2.30pm. £3 (£2). Age 5 and over. Gather round lan Turbitt‘s open puppet booth for some magical. mystical tales of Finn McCooI. Scottish giants and the curious Seal People.

OUTSIDE THE CITIES

Activities and Fun

I Children’s Challenges Barbecue Site One. Almondell and Calderwood Country Park. Mid Calder. 01506 882254. Wed 9 Aug. Noon—2pm. Free. Age 8 and over. Organised games to keep the kids amused whilst mum and dad do boring things with barbecues. Bring your own sausages.

I Family Gay Mon 31 Jul. 1 lam. Muirshiel Centre. Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park. 01505 842803. Fun for all the family at this popular countryside centre.

I llature Games at Lunderston Bay Cornalees Bn'dge Centre. Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park. 01475 521458. Sat 29 Jul. 2—4pm. Comb the beach and dabble in rock pools with these organised nature games along the shore.

I Street Games Grandma Knew Lochore Meadows Country Park. Lochgelly. Fife. 01592 860086. Sun 30 Jul. 2-4pm. Travel back to the days before Super Mario and try your hand at diabolos. whips and peeries. and running with a gird and clcek as well as a chance to sing the school yard rhymes your granny used to sing.

I Traquair Fair Traquair House. lnnerleithen. Peebleshire. 01896 830785/830323. Sat S—Sun 6 Aug.

1 lam—6pm. £4-£9 (family ticket £20/£18 in advance). Annual fair in the grounds of this beautiful country house. with tents. stalls. open-air theatre. live bands. dance. children’s entertainment. and delicious food and drink (including beer tent for mums and dads). Look out for Chinese fire clubs and dance. sumo wrestling. Eezy Trapezy. swing boats. monster procession (the mind boggles!) and lots more. Just pray for sunshine!

I Woodcraft Folk Games Workshop Kelburn Country Centre. Fairlie. Ayrshire. 01475 568121. Wed 9 Aug. 1 1am—4pm. Admission to centre £3.50 (£2). Celebrate National Playday with The Woodcraft Folk —have your face painted. and join in with games of ()ctopus. Dracula and Giants. Elves and Wizards.

Theatre I The Happy Gang Save the World Town

Hall. Penicuik. Info from Susan Heggie 0131 441 4491. Sat 29 Jul. 10.30am. £2.50. There was this gang called The Grumpy Gang and they were like. dead grumpy and out to rid the world of all singing. dancing and general happiness. Luckily for the world The Happy Gang have the power to destroy grumpiness with the aid ofcheesy grins . . . and a little help from their friends in the audience.

I GCTGBIJS The Meadows (at the foot of Middle Meadow Walk). Thurs 3 Aug. I . 12.30pm. It’s purple and green. It has eight legs, and four wheels . . . so what IS it? It's the Octobus. A brand-new mobile play/activity unit painted by local children, and designed to ferry a busload of leisure activities into urban aid areas of Edinburgh. Scottish rugby star Gavin llastlngs, local counclllor Steve Cardownie, children’s entertainer Mr Boom and the district council Play Action team will all be on The Meadows to give the bus Its offlclal send-off on Thurs 3, and thereafter It will trundle off on a grand tour of the city. The launch takes place at 12.30pm, with

organised activities from 10.30am.

The List 28 Jul-10 Aug 1995 51