Shows and hands-on fun

Christmas might be a long way in the rear view mirror, but you can still enjoy the magic of a light trail in the dark nights. Edinburgh Zoo’s Under the Sea themed lantern trail is timed to perfection, finishing up on 22 February (tickets from £13).

Revisit a couple of classic fairytales, told through puppetry at the Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre in Glasgow. Great for littlies, there’s Jack and the Beanstalk on 15 February and Pinocchio on 16 February. And on 17 February Gary and his cheeky sidekick, Chico the Monkey, are back! More of a magic show, it’s an absolute hoot for the kids and great if you’ve got siblings of different ages to entertain all at once. Plus there’s craft and colouring in the cafe before and after the show (£2.50 a kit or £6 for three).

Camera Obscura at the top of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh is extending its opening hours for half term (8 to 13 February, 9am to 9pm; 14 to 21 February 8am to 9.30pm; 22 to 27 February 9am to 9pm), bringing glee to what are undoubtedly going to be gloomy days outdoors.

It’s not often we’ll recommend you head to the Gyle in Edinburgh, but this half term it’s where the circus is! With acrobats, clowns and plenty of wow moments Big Kid Circus’s new show Jurassic (13 to 22 February, tickets from £9.99) will keep your kids buzzing long after curtain call.

Does your child fancy themselves as a future Masterchef winner? Half day baking classes at Edinburgh‘s New Town Cookery School could be just the ticket. Grab a spot on 17 February for £70.

Teens who love a glow up will love this jewellery and hair clip making workshop on 10 February at Dunblane‘s Central Scotland School of Craft. For £35 you get everything you need to stamp, dip-dye and shape pre-prepared sheets to create rings, pendants, earrings and hair clips.

Animal magic

Get close to the action at West Lothian‘s Five Sister’s Zoo. Visit as normal or book in for an experience – like helping to give the zoo’s cohort of rescued brown bears their breakfast! A treat for the animal obsessed.

A full day at Wynford Farm Park just outside Aberdeen at Kingswells starts from £4.50 – with lots of very cute farmyard animals to see as well as some tropical wee beasties (parrots, giant tortoises and yes, even meercats). Pay a bit more and you can get involved with feeding the spring lambs.

Outdoor adventures

Younger kids will love The Den and The Glen at Maryculter, Aberdeen (from £5.95). Purpose-built for fun – it’s a soft play fairytale storybook place to run about set in 28 acres of stunning scenery.

Looking for something a wee bit calmer? The Scottish Snowdrop Festival runs through February meaning there are lots of gardens and estates open across the country for woodland walks and exploration. Have a look at our pick of the best.

Camp out

Head out to Milngavie and let your kids wear themselves out in the woods. Mugdock Country Park is hosting a three day Junior Ranger Camp (16 to 18 February, tickets from £65). Putting the muddy into Muddy Stilettos, kids can learn woodland skills, spot wildlife and enjoy supervised outdoor adventures – a brilliant option for primary-aged children.

Saints in St Andrews run holiday multisport camps for pre-school to P7 every break and in service day and this half term is no different. Running 11 to 13 February, kids get a full day of running off all that excess energy in games and organised sport appropriate for their age group. From £36 a day.

It’s spendy (£185 per day), but undoubtedly entirely worth it – Gleneagles’ half term fully supervised childrens programme runs between 9 and 21 February. For that, kids get lunch, snacks and refreshments throughout the day, and an adventure pack – backpack, water bottle and snack box. Drop them off in the morning and pick them up at 3.15pm bright eyed from a day of orienteering, tree climbing, archery and more.

Adrenaline junkies

It’s ice hockey season and there are matches being played every weekend at Aberdeen’s Linx rink, Edinburgh’s Murrayfield, the Solway Sharks’ rink in Dumfries and across Scotland. Matches are fun to watch and the rinks often stays open for skating after play – in Edinburgh, for example, you can skate for an hour for free at the end of the match. Check out the full fixtures listings for info.

If your kids are climbing the walls, why not let them have a go – literally? Bloc10 Bouldering in Dundee and Aberdeen offer courses of climbing classes for kids as young as three, and all the way up to 16. Experienced instructors help the kids explore their limits and build confidence and, if they really take to it, they can work towards a NICAS qualification. In Edinburgh check out the taster sessions at Eden Rock and in Inverness, there are classes for kids of all ages at The Ledge.

At Gravity in Edinburgh and at Airhop in Aberdeen (and also in Edinburgh) kids can climb AND jump – thank the gods for massive indoor trampoline parks ideal for burning off all that youthful energy.

It’s retro but kids (and honestly, us grown ups too) love roller discos. Rollerstop in Glasgow are running 90 minute sessions (6 to 18 February, from £9) and Rollerbeats will be popping up at UHI Perth and Glenwood High School in Glenrothes on 14 February and The Dunblane Centre on 15 February (tickets from £13).

Immersive spectaculars

Get drawn into the stories of Scotland’s history at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. They’re hosting Storytelling: Inspired by Drawings (17 February, tickets from £5), bringing the art of the Italian Renaissance on show to life for kids aged 7 to 12, with a little bit of imaginative help.

Wannabe stars of stage and drama kings and queens will love creating a Play in a Week (9 to 13 February, £75) at the Macrobert Arts Centre in Stirling. Perfect to keep your 12 to 17 year olds busy for the full half term, they have to commit to the full days including a rehearsal and performance on the Friday.

Sporty shorties

Football crazy? Scotland’s local teams have holiday clubs for that. Hibs, for example, are running player development camps for different age groups between 16 and 20 February and Hearts (keeping it fair) have Play the Game courses at Tynecastle the same week. Celtic have a soccer academy as do Rangers. And so on – check out what’s on at your local club.

Wet weather winners

Everyone loves a reliable fallback plan, especially on a rainy day, and let’s face it, that’s every day in February half term. Glasgow Science Centre is one of these, with loads of hands-on exhibits, live science demos and planetarium shows.

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is another. Free, vast and wonderfully varied, it’s got dinosaurs and armour. What more could you ask for?

Transport-obsessed children will love exploring trams, bikes and vehicles at the Riverside Museum. Coffee is on hand too at the cafe.

Giants at National Museum — Photograph: Fisheye

Over in Edinburgh, The National Museum of Scotland is always a hit at half term thanks to its spaciousness, range of things to see – science, animals, fashion and space all under one roof! — and the fact it’s totally free. Check out the recently opened – also free – Giants exhibition of life-sized 3D sculptures, skeletons, and fossils.

If your kids have been captivated by the stars in the clear winter night skies, you could do worse than take them to Dynamic Earth. Wonder about big ideas about big questions – time, space and the natural world. This half term they’re running a Space Club for 7 to 12 year olds (£55 per child, per day) – do one day or do them all, as you please.

The V&A Dundee is literally designed as a ‘living room’ for the city. With its family design trails and hands-on making activities, it’s an ideal space to hang out in through the school holidays.

Dundee Science Centre is compact but brilliantly interactive. Particularly good for younger children who like to touch, try and experiment with everything. Better still, they’re hosting a Science Festival which falls right over half term week (7 to 22 February). Geek out over a programme jampacked full of STEM and science activities for all ages.

Block party

Lego at Fort George — Photograph: Warren Elsmore Ltd

It’s the last chance to see Brick Wonders at Fort George this half term. Great timing for your LEGO® obsessed kids. From the pyramids to the International Space Station, via the Grand Canyon, it’s a mini world of iconic creations, made in 500,000 bricks. Runs until 20 February, tickets £6 for children, £10 for adults.

Largs Lego — Photograph: Historic Environment Scotland

There’s more LEGO® action further south in Largs. Over two days (9 to 10 February) kids can join sculptor and enthusiast Alistair Jelks to help build a scale model of the Art Deco Viking Cinema. Better still, it’s free!

History without the yawns

Cry freedom! Take the children to the National Wallace Monument in Stirling for an afternoon exploring the legacy of William Wallace. Who needs Mel Gibson? On 7, 8, 14 and 15 February the story of a national hero will be brought to life on repeat.

Get the imaginations of your primary school kids running at Crathes Castle near Aberdeen. On 9 and 10 February there’s a chance for children to explore the castle, including the tower. It’s part of a kid-friendly tour that ends with a creative arts and crafts session in the café. Tickets are £5 for children, adults go free.

Could you qualify as a Second World War pilot? Find out at the National Museum of Flight at East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian. The Pilot Training School runs 14 to 18 February from 11.30am to 3pm, free with museum admission. Check out your navigation skills, learn how to make a perfect paper aeroplane and discover how pilots stayed smart AND warm in their freezing cockpits.

Kids eat free

PizzaExpress’ Holiday Heroes are back from 16 to 22 February. And they’ve brought a friend… SuperKids under 12 eat free once again. The price of a Piccolo meal vanishes with a full-priced adult meal. For bigger appetites, MegaTeen Saver is back too, shrinking the price of a Classic Pizza and drink to just £12. T&Cs apply.

Half term survival guide: what to do with the kids, tweens and teens in the school hols

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