February Half Term Activities in Edinburgh 2025

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February Half Term Activities in Edinburgh 2025

The February half-term school holidays are about to start here in Edinburgh, so I’m back with another round up of free and low-cost activities to do with kids that won’t break the bank. Plus some of our other favourite places we like to hang out and a couple of day trip recommendations, to give you my ultimate guide for the February half-term holidays!

Please note: the information is to the best of my knowledge at the time of writing, but please double check details with the venues directly before travelling!

Free Recurring Events

Some free events happening in Edinburgh over the February half-term break, that take place over multiple days so you have several chances to catch them:

Murder Mystery Trails around the Hermitage & the Meadows

All day, any day!

I wrote these trails for my sons, but you can download free copies for personal use, along with answer sheets, maps and certificates. I offer them for free as I want them to be accessible to all, but you are welcome to make a small donation if you are able.

>> Download Hermitage of Braid Trail
>> Download The Meadows Trail

Collective Climate Action at the National Museum of Scotland

Sat 8 – Sat 15 February, 10:30am – 3:30pm; Free, drop-in

“This half term [the museum] will be home to Planetopia, a place to inspire collective climate action. Meet climate impact advocates, get creative, and learn more about what the museum is doing for climate action. There will be an interactive opportunity for you to create your own climate pledge.”

>> More info on the National Museum of Scotland website

Pets at Home Workshops

Sat 8/ Sun 9 February & Sat 15 to Sun 23 February, 2pm – 2:45pm; Free, booking required

“You can learn how to take care of small animals and the birds in the garden from our lovely pet experts. Kids will receive an activity sheet and a certificate as well as meeting our amazing animals.” Available in Edinburgh at the Corstorphine, Craigleith, Pentland and Fort Kinnaird Stores.

>> Book your free place via the Pets at Home website

Celebrate & Create: 40 Years of Photography at the Portrait Gallery

Mon 10 to Fri 14 Feb, 2pm – 4pm; Free, drop-in

“This February half term, come by our art room and discover the many creative ways to explore portraiture!”

>> More info on the National Galleries of Scotland website

Storytime for Under 5s at the Edinburgh Bookshop

Runs weekly on Thursday and Friday mornings from 9:30am to 10:30am, at 176 Bruntsfield Place.

“No need to book, simply come and join in!”

IKEA Edinburgh Events

Various free drop-in events happening at IKEA Edinburgh over the half term holiday week, including:

Board Game Fika, Mon 10, Tues 11 & Fri 14 Feb, 2pm – 5pm
Make Your Own Bedroom Sign, Weds 12 & Thurs 13 Feb, 11:30am – 1:30pm & 2pm – 4:30pm
Half Term Fun-tactic Family Weekend, Sat 15 & Sun 16 Feb, 12 noon – 4pm
Face Painting, Sat 15 & Sun 16 Feb, 12pm – 4pm

>> Details of all events can be found on the Ikea Edinburgh website.

Free One-Off Events

Some more free events happening in Edinburgh over the February half-term break, but these are all on just one specific date, so pick and plan your favourites carefully (there’s lots more happening across the various Edinburgh libraries too, I’ve just picked out some of the highlights):

Last day of the Lunar New Year Family Trail at St Cecilia’s Hall

Sat 8 January, 11am – 4pm; Free, booking required

Lunar New Year Family Craft Afternoon at St Cecilia’s Hall

Sat 8 February, 12pm-1pm, 1:30pm – 2:30pm & 3pm – 4pm; Free, booking required

Magical Owls at the Gyle Centre

Sat 8 & Sun 9 February, 11am – 4pm; Free (donations welcome), drop-in

German Board Games Meetup at the German Church

Sun 9 February, 3pm – 6pm; Free, drop-in (age 8+)

Author Talk & Puppet Show: Lapin is Hungry at McDonald Road Library

Mon 10 February, 1pm – 2pm; Free, drop-in (age 3-7)

Highland Story Quilts: Family Storytelling Session for all ages with Lizzie McDougall at Corstorphine Library

Mon 10 February at 2pm; Free, drop-in

Teddy Bear Craft at Gilmerton Library

Mon 10 February, 2:30pm – 3:30pm; Free, drop-in (age 5-7)

Dancing Dragons 2-Day Workshop at Sighthill Library

Mon 10 & Tues 11 February at 2:30pm; Free, booking essential

Sensory Friendly Morning at the Portrait Gallery

Tues 11 Feb, 10:30am – 12noon; Free, drop-in

Explore Learning: Superhero Shapes at Newington Library

Tues 11 February at 11am; Free, booking required (age 4-6)

Make Mess Matter at IKEA

11 Feb, 11am – 12noon; Free, drop-in

Explore Learning: Analysing Poetry at Newington Library

Tues 11 February at 12 noon; Free, booking required (age 11-14)

Highland Story Quilts: Family Storytelling Session for all ages with Lizzie McDougall at Balgreen Library

Tues 11 February at 2pm; Free, drop-in

Tricky Ricky Magic Show at Newington Library

Tues 11 February at 2:30pm; Free, drop-in

Virtual Reality Afternoon at Corstorphine Library

Weds 12 February, 3pm – 5pm; Free, drop-in taster VR experiences for all ages

Explore Learning: Grand Maths Wizard at Corstorphine Library

Thurs 13 February, 11am – 12pm; Free, drop-in (age 7-9)

Explore Learning: A Spring in Your Step at Corstorphine Library

Thurs 13 February, 12pm – 1pm; Free, drop-in (age 6-8)

Children’s Art Club: Valentine Crafts with artist Katie MacDonald at Central Library

Thurs 13 February, 2pm – 3:30pm; Free, booking required (age 8-12)

Face painting, crafting & card making at Moredun Library

Fri 14 February, 2pm – 4pm; Free, drop-in

‘I Love Libraries’ Badge Making at Corstorphine Library

Fri 14 February, 2pm – 3pm; Free, drop-in

How Do You Dance? Family Workshop at South Queensferry Library

Sat 15 February at 2pm; Free, booking required (age 4-7)

‘Kindergottesdienst’ Messy Church at the German Church

Sun 16 February, 3pm – 4:30pm; Free, drop-in (age 4-12)

Other Free Activities

As well as the special events, there are also plenty of other free activities to do around Edinburgh over the February half-term break. Here are some of our favourites:

National Galleries of Scotland

Open daily, 10am – 5pm. Free family trails, art trolley and sensory bags at the National; Free family trails, sensory walks and ‘Art Space 2’ activity room at the Modern; Free family trail and art trolley at the Portrait. Find out more on the Galleries website or read our previous reviews about Art Space 2 and The National with Kids.

Museum on the Mound

Open 10-5pm Tuesdays to Fridays, and 1-5pm Saturdays and Bank Holidays. Learn about the (hi)story of banking and money, with lots of hands-on activities scattered throughout the galleries. Find out more on the Museum on the Mound website or read our Museum on the Mound review.

Museum of Childhood

Open daily, 10am – 5pm. Plenty of hands-on activities to keep kids busy, including games, dressing up and a story corner. Can be combined with a visit to the Scottish Storytelling Centre across from it, which has a nice cafe including a Story Wall that kids can play with. Find out more on the Museum of Childhood website.

Museum of Edinburgh

Open daily, 10am – 5pm. Free family activity area packed full of art materials and worksheets relating to the galleries, as well as a reading corner and some replica objects you can explore. Find out more on the Museum of Edinburgh website or read our Museum of Edinburgh review.

City Art Centre

Open daily, 10am – 5pm. Free ‘ArtSpace’ family activity area packed full of art materials and worksheets relating to the relevant exhibitions. Find out more on the City Art Centre website or read our City Art Centre review.

Water of Leith Visitor Centre

Open daily, 10am – 4pm. Cafe and interactive exhibition about nature and waterways, with including water play activities. Find out more on the Water of Leith Conservation Trust website or read our Water of Leith Visitor Centre review.

The Wee Play Hub at Ocean Terminal

The Wee Hub is a community centre in Leith’s Ocean Terminal, run by The Living Memory Association charity in partnership with Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre. The Wee Play Hub is open to the public from Wednesdays to Sundays, 11am to 3pm. As well as the general play area, they also offer regular free drop-in events including arts and crafts classes, and a Lego club. Check out the Wee Hub Facebook page for their latest programme (Full disclosure: This is one we haven’t been to ourselves yet as it’s on the other side of town from us, but we’ve been following them on Facebook for a while and it looks like a great place).

Edinburgh City Libraries

Open Mondays to Saturdays, times vary.

The Central Library has a dedicated Children’s Library with reading rooms and an art room. Most of the other Edinburgh City Libraries also have children’s sections, and as well as the special events highlighted above have regular family events and activities. Find out more about each library on the Edinburgh Libraries map or on their Facebook pages via the links below:

Note: The Scottish Parliament is closed for 8 – 16 February for recess, so no Crafternoons at the Parliament on those two weekends, next one will be Saturday 22 February. The popular Museum of Scottish Fire Heritage is also closed for maintenance until further notice, keep an eye on their website for announcement of reopening date.

Favourite Outdoor Spaces

As we say in Scotland, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing. Here are some suggestions of places to head for some fresh air over the holidays. Don’t forget to bring a flask of something hot (hot chocolate, tea, soup) to have along the way.

Hermitage of Braid

Take a walk through the woods, explore the various side paths, play Pooh Sticks at the bridges, or download our free Murder Mystery Trail! (see above)

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

We love the ‘Botanics’ in all seasons. Open daily 10am – 5pm (last entry 4:15pm) during February. Cafe available. Keep your eye on their social media channels for any closures due to severe weather warnings. Speaking of which, they recent Storm Éowyn caused devastating damage to the Garden, so please check out their Storm Damage Appeal and donate if you are able, every little helps.

Lauriston Castle Grounds

Entrance to Lauriston Castle itself is by guided tour only, but the grounds are free to access daily from 8am to 4:30pm and are a popular spot for walks. Though keep your eye on the Lauriston Castle Facebook page for closures to the grounds due to severe weather warnings. Mimi’s cafe is open daily 10am – 4pm, as are the toilets.

Parks & Playgrounds

Edinburgh has no shortage of parks and playgrounds across the city, for when you want to go out with the kids to burn off some energy over the holidays. Tip: Bring a towel to wipe down any wet play equipment!

Check out our A to Z map of playgrounds in Edinburgh for inspiration on which ones to visit next. Our favourites include East Meadows Playpark, Saughton Park, Leith Links Playpark, Victoria Park, Seven Acre Park, and the newly refurbished Princes Street Gardens.

Or grab a bag of bird seed and visit one of the many spots across the city where you can feed ducks, swans and other birds. Our favourite spots include Blackford Pond, Easter Craiglockhart Nature Reserve, Inverleith Park, and Duddingston Loch & St Margaret’s Loch in Holyrood Park.

Buckstone/Mortonhall Woodland Walk

Speaking of playground, the walk from Buckstone Park to Sevenacre Park takes you through the woods, and has a playground at either end! You can combine it with a trip to the café at Mortonhall Garden Centre, and if you’re lucky you might see the Highland cows along the way too. The route does not show up when you search on Google maps, but our family walk guide will help you find the right way. Accessible by various bus routes.

Winter Beach Walk

You may associate beaches with sun bathing and paddling, sandcastles and ice cream, but we love a good beach walk at any time of year, including in Winter. We love our local Cramond and Portobello beaches, which you can visit by bus within Edinburgh, and there’s also plenty other beaches within reach that you get to within 30 – 45 minutes by train. Our favourites include Dunbar, North Berwick and Longniddry in East Lothian; and Aberdour and Kinghorn in Fife. And with Kids for a Quid, up to four children can travel for just £1 return each with an adult on Scotrail train journeys.

Low Cost Day Trips

These day trip destinations are all reachable by public transport from Edinburgh, and most of them will only cost you a train ticket, and if you buy your tickets in a person at a ticket desk you can ask for ‘Kids for a Quid‘ which will help to keep costs down even more.

Summerlee Museum, Coatbridge

Regular opening hours: Daily, 10am – 4pm
Cost: Free entry
How to get there: Train from Waverley or Haymarket to Cotabridge Sunnyside + 15 min walk. Total travel time from central Edinburgh ca. 1hr 15 mins.
Find out more >> Summerlee Museum Review | Summerlee Website

Callendar House, Falkirk

Regular opening hours: 10am – 5pm daily except Tuesdays
Cost: Free entry
How to get there: Train from Waverley or Haymarket to Falkirk High or Falkirk Grahamston + 25 min walk. Total travel time from central Edinburgh ca. 50 mins.
Find out more >> Callendar House Review | Callendar House Website

Riverside Museum, Glasgow

Regular Opening Hours: 10am – 5pm Mondays – Thursdays & Saturdays; 11am – 5pm Fridays & Sundays
Half Term events: Chinese New Year Family Day (8 Feb), Intergalactic Peg Dolls (15 & 16 Feb), Mini Figure Trail (until 6 April)
Cost: Free entry
How to get there: Train from Waverley or Haymarket to Partick (change at Queen Street Station) + 15 min walk. Total travel time from central Edinburgh ca. 1hr 15 mins.
Find out more >> Riverside Museum Review | Riverside Museum Website

Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Glasgow

Regular Opening Hours: 10am – 5pm Mondays – Thursdays & Saturdays; 11am – 5pm Fridays & Sundays
Half term events: Mini Museum Explorers (14 Feb), Show the Love (15 & 16 Feb), Discover Sessions (weekly on Saturdays)
Cost: Free entry
How to get there: Train from Waverley or Haymarket to Glasgow Queen Street then Subway to Kelvinhall + 10 min walk. Total travel time from central Edinburgh ca. 1 hr 15 mins.
Find out more >> Kelvingrove Museum Review | Kelvingrove Museum Website

Weehailes Adventure Playpark, Musselburgh

Opening Hours: Open 10am – 4pm daily during February
Costs: Adults £1, Children £3.50, under 3s go free
How to get there: Train from Waverley to Musselburgh + 15 min walk. Total travel time from Waverley ca. 25 mins.
Find out more >> Weehailes Review | Weehailes Website

Please note, this is not a definitive list. If you know of any other great free events in Edinburgh during the February Half Term, just leave a comment or send me a message and I’ll add them in. Also, the information is to the best of my knowledge at the time of writing, but please double check details with the venues directly before travelling!