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| HIGH-FLIERS: Louisa Martin, eight, left, and Alana Mackay, seven, showthe dragonflies they created at a summer activities event at Finlaystone Country Estate |
With the summer holidays upon us and the weather shaping up to be on the warm side of damp, parents and carers all over Scotland are beginning to reach the end of their tether as their little darlings utter the phrase we all dread: "I'm bored!"
With these words comes the realisation that everything you seem to do with them costs a small fortune. So, what is a grown-up to do as the credit crunch sets in and boredom curls round the fringes of daily life, threatening to wreak domestic havoc?
Calderglen Country Park and Langlands Moss Nature Reserve on the Strathaven Road just outside Glasgow is a free four-star tourist attraction with a conservatory, ornamental gardens, children's zoo and extensive nature trails. This summer, you can let your child show off their inner artist at the park's drop-in craft workshop. It's suitable for five to 12-year-olds, but all children must be accompanied/assisted by an adult. A small charge will apply to reimburse the cost of materials. It starts at 2pm and lasts until 4pm No booking required.
Call 01355 236644 for details of other free activities.
If the rain continues to fall, the idea of an indoor beach in a shopping centre begins to sound more appealing by the minute. East Kilbride Shopping Centre has set up its own beach, complete with sand for the children and deckchairs for mums and dads. Half-hour beach play sessions are free, with workshops costing £2.50 per person. Every day of the week there will be creative daily workshops from 11am to 4pm. Other innovations include a series of beach-inspired movie screenings.
Call 0845 330 3828 or visit www.shopek.co.uk.
The Tall Ship at Glasgow Harbour is splicing the main brace for a summer of fun, with the highlight being the Glasgow River Festival during the weekend of July 19-20. This summer, there are story workshops being held every Tuesday and Thursday throughout July, from 11am-12pm. Also on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 1pm-3pm, are drop-in maritime-themed activities. On Wednesdays and Fridays, children can join the resident storyteller for A Play in a Day in a race to bring a story to life using props and costumes, before performing for friends and family after lunch. Pre-booking is required for the latter activity. All events are suitable for children aged seven and up. Admission for adults is £4.95, concessions £3.75. Free child entry with each ticket.
Call 0141 222 2513 or visit www.thetallship.com.
Finlaystone Country Estate, which is situated off the M8, 25 minutes from Glasgow on the road to Greenock is a little family-friendly oasis. There is an entrance fee (£3.50 for adults and £2.50 for kids), but once inside, there is no shortage of things to do.
This summer, there is a wide range of additional kids' activities, including make your own sock puppet (July 15), dragonfly-making (July 22) kite (July 23) or shadow puppet (August 13) workshops. These events are aimed at children aged between five and 10 years old and all children must be accompanied by an adult. Time: 2pm. Costs £1 per person to cover cost of materials.
Call 01475 540505 or visit www.finlaystone.co.uk.
This summer all 32 local authorities in Scotland are offering activities for children which range from free events to reasonably priced weekly courses, specialising in sports and crafts. Local galleries are abuzz during the summer months with activities, such as creating your own totem pole or making a tinfoil zoo.
Check your local council's website for details or ask for a brochure at your local library.
Every July, the national Summer Reading Challenge invites children into the magical world of books and, to tie in with this year's Olympic theme, Team Read is the name for the 2008 challenge, which lasts until the end of August. All you need to do is drop into your local library and enrol on the spot. Children are given a collector's card on which to record details of books they have read during the summer. Along the way, there are stickers and rewards to collect.
For more details and some interactive fun and games, visit www.teamread.co.uk
Badgers are intriguing creatures, so why not head to the Falls of Clyde Visitor Centre & Reserve at the old mill Dyeworks in New Lanark for an evening walk in search of one?
The guided evening walk to a badger sett starts at 7pm and ends at 10pm. Remaining dates: Wednesday July 9, Thursday July 17, Wednesday August 6 and Wednesday August 13. Booking is essential and it costs £6 for adults and £3 for children, with a half-price discount for Scottish Wildlife Trust members. Bring sturdy shoes and waterproofs.
Call 01555 665262 or visit www.swt.org.uk.
The Jupiter Urban Wildlife Garden in Grangemouth is a fascinating experiment in how urban green spaces can be created from wasteland. Next Monday, head along for Tales of the Wild at 2pm, which offers up nature storytelling and the chance to create your own story.
Booking is essential and this event is free (donations gratefully received at a suggested rate of £2 per person). Suitable for ages four and upwards. All children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Call 01324 486475 or visit www.swt.org.uk.
Chatelherault Country Park near Hamilton is free and is a great day out for all ages. Apart from the magnificent buildings to gawp at, there is a great swing park, lots of walks, exhibitions and a good cafe.
This summer, on Wednesdays July 9, 16, 23, 30 and Aug 6 and 13 there will be a free supervised kids' kickabout. All the equipment is supplied, but children will have to bring their own kit. Meet in front of the main house. It starts at 1pm and lasts until approximately 3pm. No need to book in advance.
Call 01698 426213 for more info.
Throughout July, the creative eco haven that is the Moray Art Centre is hosting a series of events for young people between the ages of 11 and 18. The classes, which last from 10am to 1pm cost £10 per day. The workshops range from making your own personalised T-shirts to making carnival costumes to making your own percussion instruments.
Visit www.morayartcentre.org.
Always a hotbed of activity, the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh is worth a visit even when there are no special events on. This summer though, there are several reasons for heading to the garden. Notable dates for the diary include the free events: Come And Find a Storyteller on Wednesday July 16 from 11am-4pm, Talking Trees Storytelling on Sunday July 20 from 2pm-3pm and the hilarious Albert and Friends Instant Circus - Ants in Your Pants, which is part of the Edinburgh Fringe and on from 1pm to 1.45pm for one week only, starting on Sunday August 10.
Call 0131 248 2968 or visit www.rbge.org.uk.
The Battle of Killiecrankie in 1698 was one of Scotland's bloodiest battles. If you have a small boy or girl who delights in the gory details of past wars, steer them along to the Killiecrankie Visitor Centre three miles north of Pitlochry.
The dates are tomorrow (July 9), Wednesday August 6 and Wednesday August 20. Meet at the Killiecrankie Visitor Centre at 2pm. Costs £2.50 for adults and £2 for children. Booking is not required.
Contact Killiecrankie Visitor Centre on 0844 493 2194 or visit www.nts.org.uk/ Property/39.
Ben Lawers Nature Reserve in Perthshire is home to some of the most beautiful alpine flowers in Britain. Throughout July and August, rangers at the reserve will be holding guided two-hour long childrens' walks which will allow young people to get to know some of these animals and plants. Wellies and waterproofs are a must and an adult must accompany all children. Booking required. Meet at the Ben Lawers Mountain Visitor Centre car park at 10.30am. Cost is £2 for adults and £5 for children.
Call 0844 493 2136 or visit www.nts.org.uk.
The Glencoe Visitor Centre is tucked away just off the A82 and it's a welcome addition to the road to the isles. It offers a variety of family-friendly activities, such as a children's safari of Glencoe, which runs throughout July, August and the October holiday weeks. This spooky hour-long tour of Glencoe's dark past includes a visit to some places used in the Harry Potter films. The cost is £5 and booking is required.
Call 0844 4932222 or visit www.glencoe-nts.org.uk.
The Cairngorm reindeer herd is Britain's only herd of reindeer and is to be found ranging free in the Cairngorm mountains. Why not treat yourself and the family to a guided visit departing from the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre? The centre is to be found just six miles out of Aviemore and in the summer months there are three guided visits to the herd. Under supervision, visitors can feed and stroke the reindeer. Admission charges: adults £8, children £6, family ticket (two adults and three children) £20.
Call 01479 861228 or visit www.reindeer-company.demon.co.uk
The Cairnie Mega Maze at Navigate at Cairnie Fruit Farm, Cupar, has become an unmissable stop-off point for any family who finds themselves in Fife over the summer holidays. The farm's giant maze made of maize reaches a peak every year around mid-July and it opens to the public on July 17. Open from July 17 until September 28. Admission charges: adults, £4.50, concessions £4; family ticket £14.
Call 01334 655610 or visit www.cairniefruitfarm.co.uk.
Fast, fun and exciting, these large rubber rings zoom down the slopes at quite a pace. Most dry ski slopes in Scotland offer lessons. Throughout the summer holidays, Bearsden Ski Centre is running open tubing sessions. These will be on the Tuesday and Thursday of each week at 12.30pm and will cost £8 for members and £10 for non-members.
Visit www.skibearsden.co.uk for more details.
This summer, there is an extended programme of events (most of them free) for adults and children at Mugdock Country Park, just a couple of miles north of Milngavie. Many of the events are outside Mugdock, such as the Mini-Monster Hunt which takes place tomorrow and starts at Torrance War Memorial at 2pm. Look out, too, for Lenzie Moss open day on Sunday August 10, featuring walks, talks, arts and crafts.
Call 0141 956 6100 or visit www.mugdock-country-park.org.uk.
There are several places throughout Scotland that offer basic tuition in canoeing, sailing, raft building and windsurfing. The Watersports Centre at James Hamilton Heritage Park at Stewartfield, East Kilbride offers two-and-a-half-hour Come and Try sessions for children this summer for just £7.10. All activities are led by experienced instructors.
Call 01355 276611 or visit www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk
Mud is a recurring feature of daily life in the Montrose Basin. This summer, the visitor centre is hosting a variety of free workshops and events for children and adults alike, including Art Naturale and Treemendous Trees, as well as Mud, Glorious Mud - a look at the many creatures living in the basin.
Call 01674 676336 or visit www.montrosebasin.org.uk.
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