Kids Picks

Boundless bashes for bairns, but how best to beat the babes' boredom? We browse for the best

feature (edinburgh) | Read in About 3 minutes
Published 16 Jul 2016

Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs 2: The Magic Cutlass (2 and older)

The first Captain Flinn Part 1 was a bit of a hit with our young reviewer back in 2013. The sequel from Les Petits Theatre Company looks to have all of the swashbuckling features that made the original such fun. Pirate dinosaurs: check. Ridiculously high production values: check. No poo stew this year, but smelly sausages instead.

Pleasance Courtyard, 10:30am, 3-29 August, not 16

Aaaaaaaaaaaaagh! Dinosaurs! (5-10)

More dinosaurs! What's not to like? This show, from the BBC's Dommy B, is a mixture of storytelling, comedy and poetry with plenty of audience participation. Dommy uses audience suggestions to defeat the dinosaurs and defend the town. Our guess is that he can probably only do it with a bit of help.

Hispaniola, 12:20pm, 6-27 August, not 8, 15, 22

Children are Stinky (0-14)

Yes they are! This, from Circus Trick Tease's Malia Walsh and Chris Carlos, requires nose pegs to perform, as if proof were needed. It also requires a lot of energy, both from the acrobatic pair, as well as the audience, who will be expected to get stuck in with dancing, hula-hooping... the works.

Assembly George Square, 12:35pm, 4-29 August, not 10, 17, 24

Follow Me (1-7)

This is a ridiculously sweet tale about what it means to become an older sister for the first time. For Nansi, the best way of dealing with the situation is to let her imagination run wild—literally—and turn into an elephant. Cute, imaginative, and thought provoking – especially for big sisters.

Pleasance Courtyard, 12:45pm, 15-29 August

Pub Quiz for Kids with Patrick Monahan (5 and older)

Go head to head with your mum, your dad, standup comic Patrick Monahan and everyone else in the audience of this brand new family quiz show. No general knowledge necessary, so don't panic if everything you learned in school last year flew out of your head the minute you broke up for the summer. 

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 2:30pm, 3-28 August, not 15, 22

Bedtime Stories (3 and older)

When it all gets too much, head to Underbelly's Circus Hub on the Meadows, which has been done up like a bedroom to create the most chilled out family Fringe experience you'll find. Using theatre, circus, dance and 3D animation, Upswing Theatre tell snuggled-up parents and children a lovely story about a mum and daughter and her imaginary friend. 

Underbelly's Circus Hub on the Meadows, times vary, 4-22 August (not 15)

Funny Stuff for Happy People (0 and older)

Bearded Northern Irish comic Martin Bigpig (not his real middle name) Mór presents a winning blend of comedy, circus, storytelling, poetry and science that'll have parents as entertained as their kids – perfect for families looking for a show to enjoy all together. And you might even learn something! 

Laughing Horse @ City Cafe, 12:30pm, 1-20 August

Shlomo's Beatbox Adventure for Kids (1 and older)

It takes a huge amount of skill to make it as a professional beatboxer, but to break it down, this art form is really just about making silly noises with your mouth and throat – something that babies and little kids know all about. Perhaps that's why Schlomo goes down so well with younger audiences – they recognise one of their own! 

Underbelly, Cowgate, times vary, 15-16 August