February half-term activities in Edinburgh: ideas to keep the kids entertained

Here are five activities you and your children can enjoy in Edinburgh this February half-term as the bad weather is set to continue.

Doodles Ceramic workshops

29 Marchmont Crescent, EH19 1HQ

Get the creative juices flowing with this paint-your-own-pottery workshop. You and your kids can choose from a range of white, unglazed pottery items including mugs, plates, bowls, jugs and more.

You can then then paint your own designs as you see fit, with brushes, paints and stencils supplied by the studio. All the finished products will be food and dishwasher safe and ready to collect three to four days after your visit.

To find out more, check out the Doodles Ceramic Workshop website here.

Edinburgh’s Chocolate Museum

3-5 Cranston Street, EH8 8BE

Perfect for ages eight and up, the Edinburgh Chocolatrium experience is the must-try activity if you have chocolate-loving kids.

The 90-minute tour will cover topics like where cocoa beans are grown and how chocolate is transformed from a bitter seed of a jungle tree to the delicious stuff we know and love.

You’ll also get to taste chocolates you’ve never seen before, with over 30 delicious chocolates from more than 15 Scottish and international chocolate makers in the exotic tasting room.

The best part of the tour of course is making your own chocolate in the Chocolate Kitchen using fun moulds and over 25 flavours you can mix together.

You can find out more and book online on the Chocolatorium website.

National Museum of Scotland

Chambers Street, EH1 1JF

Combine fun and learning at the National Museum of Scotland this February.

Specially designed for the half-term break, the museum has events inspired by the Tyrannosaurs special exhibition, running from 10:30am to 4pm on 10 - 15 February.

The events include:

- Discovering dinosaurs on a guided tour around the museum with Wee Rex

- Askasaurus which allows your kids to chat to the museum curators and learn fascinating facts about dinosaurs, as well as asking dino-related questions

- Recyclesaurus Craft Activity, which lets kids make their own dinosaurs from cardboard

- Dinosaur Object Handling

As well as these special half term activities, the museum will also have its usual run of exhibitions.

Find out more on the National Museum of Scotland website.

Camera Obscura

Castlehill, The Royal Mile, EH1 2ND

Uncover the world of illusions at Camera Obscura and its five floors of interactive and hand-on exhibits.

You can tour Edinburgh’s streets without moving, test your brain against mind-bending illusions, lose yourself in the mirror maze and more.

According to the Camera Obscura website, most people take around two hours to get through all the attractions on offer, but you can spend as much time as you like enjoying the illusions.

Find out more on the Camera Obscura website.

The Department of Mysteries Escape Room

9 Blair Street, EH1 1QR

While not suitable for very young kids, families with older children should definitely put their puzzle-solving to the test at one of the many Escape Rooms in the city.

There are loads of different games to choose from, such as this Department of Mysteries game.

Choose between the different games on offer, like the prophecies quest where you and your team are the last hope for the world of witchcraft and wizardry.

Can you collect the prophecies that have been scattered throughout the Department of Magic by the Dark Lord before it's too late?

It’s recommended for groups between two and five people and for kids at least ten years old and up.

You can find out more about the different games and booking online on the Department of Mysteries website.