Edinburgh’s magical blend of history, green space and playful attractions makes it an ideal city for family adventures. When you’re planning a visit, book ahead when necessary and always check each venue’s latest schedules. Here are twenty great experiences for children of all ages.
Fort Douglas Adventure Playground
Found outside the city in the 1,000-acre picturesque Dalkeith Country Park, Fort Douglas Adventure playground is the perfect place for intrepid adventurers. Featuring multiple ziplines to fly through the air, tube slides to hit high speeds, and climbing nets to scale the fort. From the top of the fort treehouse, you can get the best view of the kingdom of fun spreading out from you.
Perfect for all ages, with multiple playgrounds for different age categories and beautiful nature walks to take once the fun is over, Fort Douglas needs to be at the top of your list when visiting Edinburgh.
Within Dalkeith Country Park’s 1 000‑acre estate, Fort Douglas is a sprawling play village with towering tree‑houses, rope bridges, slides and ziplines.
Country Park, Dalkeith EH22 1ST
Ticket prices vary by age (£4-12.50)
Gravity Park (Gravity Active, Fountain Park)
Gravity Park is a gravity-defying play centre with various activities on offer. Fly to the moon at their trampoline park, an entire room filled with bounce pads and soft landing areas. Cartwheels and high springs are encouraged!
Or maybe try climbing to space at Gravity Rocks, a rock climbing centre with challenging climbs, such as the curved staircase, or pipe wall. Whatever you choose, the kids are sure to be thrilled. With special post-school jump deals, the kids can have a blast without breaking the bank!
Gravity Park is an indoor activity centre at Fountain Park. Its Open Jump sessions let kids and parents bounce on wall‑to‑wall trampolines; there’s also a climbing area called Gravity Rocks.
6, Fountain Park, 130 Dundee St, Edinburgh EH11 1AF
Prices start at £15 for a one‑hour Open Jump and £15 for a climb session. Special parent‑and‑toddler sessions cost around £5 per person and after‑school jump deals are available
Jupiter Artland
Set across 120 acres, this immersive sculpture garden is impressive! Featuring many hidden installations in different styles and themes, it’s like a treasure hunt trying to find them all. You’re given a map and let loose across the lawns, running through wooded forests, open plains of grass and large-scale landscape valleys and features. Set the kids’ imaginations spinning with each breathtaking art piece.
A great place for a picnic and a walk, the kids will love exploring the grounds and taking in all the different sites. Theperfect way to interest a budding art lover.
This 120‑acre sculpture garden just outside the city turns art into an outdoor adventure. Children are handed a map and encouraged to explore wooded paths, grassy mounds and hidden valleys to find giant artworks.
Bring a picnic or enjoy lunch at the café after your sculpture hunt.
The Steadings, Bonnington House, Wilkieston, Edinburgh EH27 8BY
Admission costs about £11.80 for adults and £7.50 for children aged 4–16
Conifox Adventure Centre
Looking for an adrenaline-fuelled adventure? The Conifox Adventure Centre is just the ticket. In Kirkliston, you can find towers of soft play fun, with a four-lane goliath slide, ball blasters to have a gunfight with others, rope bridges to race across and walls to climb; the kids will be out of puff in no time. And, with a toddler town, the adventure centre is perfect for kids of all ages!
If you want to make the most of a sunny day, Conifox has an adventure park outside featuring a giant jump pillow, pedal go-kart range, mini golf course, sand pits, and much more!
Conifox in Kirkliston offers both an outdoor Adventure Park and an indoor Activity Centre. Outside you’ll find a giant jumping pillow, pedal go‑karts, mini golf and rope bridges; inside there’s a four‑lane slide, ball blasters and a toddler town. Peak/off‑peak pricing differs.
Adventure Park, Conifox, Kirkliston EH29 9ER
Prices vary for indoor and outdoor activities.
Xtreme Karting & Combat
Ready your engines! And 3, 2, 1…blast off!
Hit the gravel in Xtreme Karting’s multi-level kart racecourse. Leave your family and friends in the dust as you fly by, taking tight corners in style. This one’s for the thrill-seekers and those with a need for speed.
Looking to take the thrills off-road, the combat range features infra-red laser fights across battlefields. Hide behind sandbags, crouch in the corner of building doorways, and take fire on the opposing side. The kids will have a blast.
Thrill‑seekers will love Xtreme Karting in Newbridge. The multi‑level indoor track lets kids (with minimum height requirements) and adults race at high speed; there’s also an infra‑red laser combat arena.
2 Huly Hill Rd, Newbridge EH28 8PH
Karting sessions start around £22.50 per person and laser tag missions from £15. Check the website for age restrictions and to pre‑book your slot.
Department of Magic Escape Rooms
This Harry‑Potter‑style venue is a magical addition to your Edinburgh family itinerary – perfect for older children (recommended age six or seven and up) who enjoy puzzles and immersive storytelling.
The Department of Magic in Edinburgh’s Old Town offers two wizard‑themed escape rooms – Prophecies Quest and Dark Lord Resurrection – where teams of 2–7 players solve magical puzzles, cast spells and brew potions. Unlike many escape games, there are no locks or keys; your actions drive the story forward in an immersive, interactive environment.
These rooms provide a unique Harry‑Potter‑esque adventure that encourages teamwork and problem‑solving. Both escape rooms cater to novices and experienced players, and a host is on hand to provide hints. Families can also enjoy themed drinks in the adjacent Magic Potions Tavern.
Department of Magic, 9–11 Blair Street, Edinburgh EH1 1QR
From about £25 per person.
Ice Angels
Calling all ice cream fans, big and small, Ice Angels is the number one destination for sugar lovers! Whether it be the height of summer or a chilly winter’s day, Ice Angels is ready to provide. Featuring dozens of flavours, including bubblegum, candy cane, white chocolate and mango, there are also milkshakes aplenty.
Not feeling like a frozen treat? Ice Angels have a range of crepes with a variety of toppings, and the internet-famous bubble waffles and waffles on a stick. There’s something for everyone at affordable prices.
Ice Angels is a small, family‑run ice cream parlour in Edinburgh. It serves dozens of flavours like bubblegum, mango and candy cane, plus crepes, milkshakes and trending bubble waffles.
41 Broughton Rd, Edinburgh EH7 4EP
Midlothian Snowsports Centre and Alpine Coaster
Midlothian Snowsports Centre, Hillend, Biggar Rd, Edinburgh EH10 7DU
Single rides cost £7 and a pack of three rides £19; a ride with a passenger costs £14 or £38 for three rides.
Dominion Cinema
This art deco cinema has been around since 1937 and has regaled film lovers for a long time. With high-backed, comfy seats, the whole family can grab a bucket of popcorn and go see the latest action movie or animated flick.
What’s better than the excitement and thrill of the big screen?
Instead of standard multiplex seating, Dominion offers luxury sofas and in‑screen table service for snacks and drinks. General ticket prices vary by film and screen
Newbattle Terrace, Edinburgh EH10 4RT
Schedules and prices are available via the Dominion website or by telephone; advance booking is advised.
King Pins Edinburgh
Waverley Market, Waverley Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1BQ
Prices vary by activity.
Typically late morning to late evening (check website for exact times)
Edinburgh Castle
Looming over the city, Edinburgh Castle is hard to miss. And while you might think such a history-dense attraction like the castle would be a bit dull for children, this happens to not be the case.
Throughout the castle, there are various activities built with kids in mind. Why not fill out the children’s quiz as you explore, or see if they can find the dog cemetery, uncover the crown jewels, explore the prison cells or watch the 1 o’clock cannon be fired. There’s so much to do and uncover.
Plus, the views are unmatched.
Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NG
Online tickets: £23.50 for adults, £19 for concessions and £14 for children aged 7–15, with family tickets available. Younger children (under seven) go free. Book online for the best price and guaranteed entry.
Museum of Childhood Edinburgh
Move over iPads and fidget spinners, the Museum of Childhood takes you back in time to explore a collection of toys and games throughout history. Wonder what kids played with in the 1800s? Look no further.
This free museum on the Royal Mile displays toys and games from the 18th century to today. Kids can peer at a 1740 Queen Anne doll, discover mechanical trains and dolls’ houses, dress up in costume and explore teepee play areas.
Plus, it’ll bring out every mum and dad’s inner child.
42 High St, Edinburgh EH1 1TG
Admission is free but donations help support exhibitions.
Dynamic Earth
Got intrepid explorers? Space heads? Volcano fans? Dynamic Earth is the place to go. Next to the beautiful Holyrood Park, Dynamic Earth can be found under its impressive white tent. Inside you can travel through exhibitions showing the creation of the earth, from a violent volcanic past to becoming a place capable of breeding life. Take in science through interactive exhibits, touch an iceberg, and experience an underwater world.
Why not travel out of this world with their planetarium shows featuring a multitude of themes on space and our place within it, while you get to watch on the large domed screen. There’s something for every kid at Dynamic Earth.
Dynamic Earth sits beneath the Salisbury Crags and uses immersive technology to tell the story of our planet. Exhibits let children feel an iceberg, stand beneath a simulated volcano, control a maglev train and then blast off into the cosmos in the planetarium.
Holyrood Rd, Edinburgh EH8 8AS
£21.50 for adults, £18.50 for students/unemployed and £13.50 for children aged 4–13, while under‑4s enter free
National Museum of Scotland
In the heart of the Old Town, the National Museum offers something for every curious child. They can touch a meteorite, marvel at a T‑rex skeleton, explore interactive science exhibits and examine clothing and artefacts from around the world.
Learning can be fun when you’re wandering through animal displays. Or when you’re touching a real meteorite, looking through telescopes or controlling magtrains. Explore various cultural fashions and customs through touch and smell stalls, take in the giant replica Lego display of the museum and try to spot all the funny characters and goings-on.
Chambers St, Edinburgh EH1 1JF
Entry is free.
Edinburgh Zoo
Edinburgh Zoo isn’t just another zoo. It’s home to the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) and has over 2500 animals from all over the world. The zoo has been around since 1913 and has a wide range of different birds, reptiles, mammals and amphibians you can get up close and personal with.
Here are the top things to see and do when you visit:
- Pay a visit to Haggis, the pygmy hippopotamus.
- Stop by Dangling the Chinese goral, the only one in the UK.
- Watch the Sumatran Tigers skulk about their domain.
- See if you can find the hermit crab hiding among the other beasties.
134 Corstorphine Rd, Corstorphine, Edinburgh EH12 6TS
Tickets booked online cost about £30 for adults, £22.50 for children (3–15 years) and £27 for concessions. Booking ahead secures entry and saves roughly 10 % compared to buying on the day.
Kid‑friendly ghost tours (Mercat Tours)
While Edinburgh is known for its paranormal history and gruesome happenings, not all ghostly experiences are scary. There are many different ghost tours across the city, including ones geared specifically towards children. Less gore and more giggles.
Mercat Tours operates tours that touch on dark subjects, but in a fun way, even ending with an exploration of the unnerving Blair Street underground Vaults. For families looking for a thrill, this is the experience for you!
Mercat Cross, High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1RF
Tickets booked online cost £19.
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Looking to stretch your legs? There’s nowhere better to do so than at Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Gardens. With over 80 acres of land to run through and explore, you’ll uncover hidden passages, unique plant species and a range of educational exhibits giving you a better idea about our planet.
This is the perfect spot for picnics or looking for the kids to burn off some energy.
Edinburgh EH3 5NZ
Free.
Opening times depend on the season.
Camera Obscura Edinburgh
Situated near Edinburgh Castle at the top of the Royal Mile, Camera Obscura is filled to the brim with fun illusions and interactive exhibits. The prime spot to snap some photo opportunities, you’ll find stunning rooftop views from the top of this madhouse.
Complete with infinity rooms, swirling bridges, forced perspective sets, a mirror maze and more than 100 illusions to wrap your head around, the kids will love this! Plus, see if you can find the titular camera obscura amongst the other attractions.
549 Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2ND
Online ticket prices are £23.95 for adults, £20.95 for students and seniors, £17.95 for children (5–15) and free for under‑5s.
Monday–Thursday 09:30 – 19:30; Friday 09:30 – 21:00; Saturday 09:00 – 21:30; Sunday 09:30 – 20:00, with last admission one hour before closing. Buying tickets online guarantees entry and avoids queues.
Craigies Farm
Set on West Craigie Farm near South Queensferry, Craigies combines a farm shop, deli, café and pick‑your‑own fruit fields. Families can enjoy the seasonal PYO experience (strawberries, raspberries, apples and pumpkins) and there’s an indoor‑outdoor adventure play area called Little Farmers where children meet goats, sheep and other animals.
The farm shop and café celebrate “farm‑to‑fork” produce, and the site also runs events like jam‑making classes and fruit‑picking sessions.
West Craigie Farm, Queensferry, South Queensferry EH30 9AR
Tickets available for Pick your own fruit and little farmers adventure park.
Opening times vary by season.
Chihuahua Café
Edinburgh’s Chihuahua Café is one of the few dog‑cafés in Britain. Guests share a cosy lounge with a family of friendly chihuahuas and can order drinks and cakes.
15 Frederick Street, Edinburgh EH2 2EY
Sessions cost about £10 per person for 50 minutes, with optional drinks and cakes for around £5.
Sessions last 50 minutes and must be pre‑booked. Children under five are not permitted; minors must be accompanied by an adult.
Maison de Moggy (cat café)
Scotland’s first cat café, Maison de Moggy can be found just off Grassmarket and features one-on-one time with furry feline friends. The café boasts a wide sweet food menu that will please any tastebuds, and what’s better after is to relax and play with the variety of cats roaming the cafe.
Adventurous and friendly, these cats are gentle and love the visitors that come by. If you’ve got animal lovers, this is the spot for them!
17 West Port, Edinburgh EH1 2JA
£15 per person for an hour. The café operates through pre‑booked time slots.
Opening days and times vary so check the online booking calendar before you go.
Museum on the Mound
Bank of Scotland Headquarters, The Mound, Edinburgh EH1 1YZ
Free.
Tuesday‑Friday 10 am – 5 pm, Saturday 1 pm – 5 pm and Bank Holiday Mondays 1 pm – 5 pm; closed on ordinary Mondays and on 25–26 Dec and 1–2 Jan
Scrambles Soft Play at EICA Ratho
EICA Ratho, South Platt Hill, Edinburgh EH28 8AA
Babies under 5 months free; 6–12 months £1.50–£2 per session; ages 1–2 £6–£8; ages 3+ £9–£13, depending on session length.
Daily from 9 am (10 am on Wednesdays) to 5 pm
Scottish Owl Centre
Scottish Owl Centre, Polkemmet Country Park, Whitburn, West Lothian EH47 0AD
Adults £11.50, children (3–15) £9.50, concessions £10.50 and family ticket £40; under‑3s free
April – August daily 10:30 am – 5 pm; February, March, September and October 11:30 am – 4 pm; weekends only in November and January 11:30 am – 2 pm
The Chocolatarium
Fan of Kinder Bueno, Nutella, Cadbury or Mars? Look no further than the Chocolatarium. About two-thirds down the Royal Mile, this quaint chocolate micro-factory can be found. Inside choose from their wide range of chocolates, including ice-cream float white chocolate, banoffee pie milk chocolate and cinnamon toast blonde.
The Chocolatarium is full of interactive activities, including the 90-minute-long Tour of Chocolate. You find out how we grow cacao and how we make chocolate, followed by making your very own chocolate bars. Marshmallows and brownies milk chocolate? Sounds delicious! Smarties? Yes, please.
You end the tour by eating your body weight in 50+ types of chocolate. A must-do for all families.
