There is no escaping our love of adventure and with the Man on the Pad being of Scottish descent, we are delighted to host this collaborative post on what is great to do with your children in Edinburgh.

Edinburgh is a beautiful and fascinating city full of history and mystery, but no matter where you go, if you travel with kids you need find a way to keep them entertained and interested the whole time. It's also important to decide where you're going to sleep and to book beforehand, because, believe us, not doing so will cause you a lot of unnecessary stress immediately on your arrival to the destination. There are many booking sites offering a wide range of accommodations in Edinburgh and all over the world. Venere.com is a good example if you’re planning to visit Scotland's capital with your family, because you can also see how kid-friendly the lodging is.

So, and now just read on to know the best things to do with your kids in Edinburgh.

The first place we are going to recommend dominates the skyline of the city and will surely intrigue your kids. The Castle of Edinburgh is majestic and worth the visit. Enter through its gate to visit the crown room where the Stone of Destiny is kept, discover the Prison of War to see how prisoners lived in the 18^th century or ask a guide to tell your kids about the history and stories of the castle. They will be awe-struck... and you will, too!

If, like ours, your kids love animals, you should pay a visit to the Edinburgh zoo where you can meet penguins, lions, leopards, koalas and colourful fishes, but also have the chance to see a couple of giant pandas, called Tian Tian and Yang Guang, the only two living in the UK. Otherwise you can go to the Botanical Garden and look for squirrels! You can buy sunflower seeds at the shop at the entrance of the park and actually be able to feed the squirrels from your hands.

Bring your kids to the Museum of Childhood and show them what it was like to be a child in different eras and what were the main hobbies and pastimes of their grandparents. The admission to the museum is free and you’ll get to visit 5 floors full of artifacts, dolls, teddy bears, pedal cars and stamps. No wonder you’ll feel like a kid again!

There’s so much to see in Edinburgh, but hey, don’t forget to eat! Bring your children to Zanzero, in Stockbridge, a restaurant that serve delicious food for the family and that allow children to cook and eat their own pizza for some extra fun or choose La Favourita, where a funny clown plays tricks and some magic every Sunday between 1 and 5 pm while you relax eating the dish of the day!

My youngest daughter LOVES Panda's so Edinburgh Zoo is definately on our "To Do" List and this is without the obligatory family visiting .... I suspect on our next visit to Scotland, it may need to be longer than a weekend trip!

Photo credit :Edinburgh, Scotland by Francisco Diez (CC BY 2.0)

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A few weeks ago I joined in with the Country Kids linky for the very first time but since then, I have realised how much we are outside and how I have so many opportunities to capture those moments. The glorious sunshine today was one of those moments.

Today we gazed through the farmers field and once again asked why the chickens had been put in the cage. Unfortunately Mr Fox has the answers to that one!

So we went in search of other adventures, like blowing fairies into the wind.

And then chasing them through the bluebells.

Do you remember chasing fairies as a child?

I am also linking up with Actually Mummy's Expressions Linky because I love the expression on my youngest daughters face in the second image.

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When the word "woggle" was mentioned after a Water Babies lesson, my mind immediately flew straight back to 1988 and my brother wearing a Beaver Scout neckerchief with the woggle holding it together but thankfully that it wasn't that kind that was used at swimming.

The woggle or the noodle as it is also affectionately known is a swimming aid, it is less restrictive than arm bands, more flexible than a static float and more versatile than it is given credit for.

I give it credit for allowing my daughter to swim confidently across the water on her own.

I give it credit for creating a fun tunnel to swim through in our lessons.

I give it credit for keeping her safe, in and out of the water, so I am adding it to our life cheats!

So aside from the obvious, how else does it keep a toddler safe?

Simply by ......

This is just one of the parenting life hacks we love but there are loads on YouTube. 

It scores me brownie points with my Mum for recycling and for me for a thrifty idea. Its a win win!!

Do you have any alternative uses for a woggle / noodle??

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Six years is a long time.

Six years is a long time to wait for a sibling.

Six years is a long time to wait for a sibling and gives you the chance to get used to having everything your own way.

So two and a bit years on, we are now beginning to remember the reasons why we wanted a little sister.

Two and a bit years on, we know that little sisters give the best hugs.

Two and a bit years on, we have a play mate that always stays over.

Two and a bit years on, we find that our little sister can teach us to be brave.

Two and a bit years on, we understand that six is really just a number.