Primary Times - the definitive what’s on and where to go family guide of activities and events for children of primary school age. Things to do with your kids during the school holidays including arts and craft activities, music and theatre for children, parties, competitions, days out, and family attractions along with term time drama schools, dance classes, after school clubs and sports activities. Things to do at a place near you!
Sport in Action in Edinburgh
Updated 1/5/2015
Sports Science research has highlighted that children need to develop the physical attributes of hand to eye coordination, agility, speed and balance, before they reach their teens, in order for them to reach their full physical potential as an adult. Most sports strongly combine these skills and actions, teaching children valuable life skills such as showing respect to an opponent, self-discipline and being a positive role in a team.
Here’s a brief overview of how children can get involved with sports …
Golf
Golf is a sport that helps create good attributes in young children, such as perseverance, honesty, concentration and respect. It is also a game where a child can easily find his or her competitive level.
The Junior Golf Passport run by The Golf Foundation is a scheme that places its importance on learning in a fun way using a variety of games and activities delivered by a qualified PGA Coach. It provides a child with a permanent visual record of their development helping them to fine tune their game for future years. Find out more: To find your nearest Golf Roots Centre simply go to www.golf-foundation.org
Rugby
Ok, so rugby isn’t a summer sport but it’s certainly worth a mention here due to the impending Rugby World Cup which will start in England in September.
Primary School aged children can take part in Tag Rugby, which is the RFU's official introduction to the game. It involves use of either a tag belt or tag shorts to replicate a tackle that is clearly seen when an effective tag has been made. Teams are made up of seven players with a gender mix of boys and girls. The game has been created for players to naturally progress to play the traditional 15-a-side game. Find out more: Rugby Football Union - www.rfu.com
Climbing...
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Climbing, hill walking and mountaineering are activities that are physically and mentally demanding as well as incredibly fulfilling. Those keen to learn often acquire a host of new life skills and quickly develop a sense of personal responsibility that can stand them in good stead throughout their lives. Many centres with climbing walls offer introductory and progressive classes for
children aged 8+ at the weekend and on weekday evenings with qualified instructors. Similarly, outdoor centres offer grounding courses and taster sessions in many types of outdoor pursuits that could give the under 18's the skills to enable them to climb independently.
Find out more: The British Mountaineering Council website - www.thebmc.co.uk
Cricket
Cricket is introduced to children in a variety of ways. Firstly, Kwik Cricket is a simple game for boys 
and girls aged from 5 years and up. Played in many primary schools it is designed to introduce children to the sport and forms an integral part of the Cricket Board’s strategic goal of increasing interest levels.
The England and Wales Cricket Board also promotes the sport with an ECB Cricket Factory Tour that gives young people aged 4-18 years old the opportunity to experience the game at the right level for their particular level of skill. This touring facility provides activity stations that test batting, catching, fielding and bowling. Find out more: England Cricket Board - www.ecb.co.uk
Swimming...
Swimming is a fantastic way for people of all ages to stay healthy, keep fit and have fun at the same time. It exercises each part of the whole body, improves psychological well-being, releases stress and is a social sport, allowing children the chance to meet new people. Not only is it an essential life skill that everyone should learn, but it is a sport that can save a life. As well as school swimming, there are structured swimming lessons available at local swimming pools, private swimming schools and local clubs. Find out more: www.swimming.org
Tennis
Tennis is regarded as one of the healthiest and least injurious sports with a strong social, yet competitive affiliation to it. The Lawn Tennis Association runs a junior tennis scheme, using a rainbow coloured format that allows a child to progressively move from one stage to the next. The tennis balls are coloured to highlight each stage, namely from red to orange to green.
Starting with Red Ball Mini Tennis, this is for players aged 8 and under, and is played on small courts with short racquets and soft ball; next is Orange Ball Mini Tennis for players aged 8 and 9 who have already reached Red level 1. Green Ball Mini Tennis follows and is for players aged 10. This is played on a full tennis court, with bigger racquets and slightly harder balls. This progressive structure gently eases children to the dynamics of the game. Find out more: The Lawn Tennis Association - www.lta.org.uk.
Free sports party at the Meadows with Edinburgh Leisure
Celebrate the start of the summer holidays in the Meadows on Friday 26 June from 1pm to 4pm when there will be plenty of games and sports to try including athletics, cycling, football, gymnastics, tennis and much more. There is no need to book, just go along to try a huge variety of sports and have a huge amount of fun at the start of the summer. Call 0131 661 5351 for more information.
SportsAid Scotland awards talented young figure skaters
Four young figure skaters who are based and train in Scotland have been awarded financial grants from SportsAid Scotland to support their travel and training costs. Lana Bagen and Danielle Harrison who are both part of the National Ice Skating Association (NISA) performance squad, have each received a £1,000 grant. NISA development squad athletes, Ruaridh Fisher and Greig Smith have also been awarded £1,000 and £500 respectively.
Working in partnership with the charity, The Robertson Trust, SportsAid Scotland provides financial assistance in the form of grant awards, ranging between £500 and £1000, to talented sporting youngsters who are already competing at national level, and ranked within the top three nationally within their age-group. The finance given is to help the athletes with their travel and training costs, and will hopefully assist them in becoming Scotland's future sporting stars. To find out more about how to apply for a SportsAid Scotland grant visit www.sportsaidscotland.org.uk.
It’s time to get active in school!
Active Schools is a Sport Scotland led programme designed to encourage children and young people to get active and stay active. Sport Scotland works in partnership with local authorities and associated partners - who have all committed to Active Schools.
Over the next four years Active Scotland’s goal is to ensure there are more and higher quality opportunities to participate in sport within schools, and that these opportunities are well connected to and supported by other local and national partners.
Increased activity levels of children will be achieved by increasing capacity through the recruitment and support of volunteers to deliver the activity sessions in schools which should motivate and inspire young people to participate in sport. Find out more at www.sportscotland.org.uk/schools/active-schools
Kids’ Splash and Dash
Children aged 8 to 16 years are invited to take part in Pentland Triathletes fun swim-run event on Sunday 7 June at Forrester High School in Edinburgh. This event is suitable for all abilities, offers a great introduction to triathlon and provides a wonderful opportunity to get active. To enter visit www.entrycentral.com/PentlandTriKidsDuathlon or for more information visit www.pentlandtriathletes.co.uk
May Days Activator and Aquatics Camp at the Royal Commonwealth Pool
Not just for the main holidays, the Royal Commonwealth Pool has an Activator Camp for children in P1-P7 running on those tricky May Day holidays! All the usual sports, fun and games will be crammed into one hectic day and sessions will run on Monday 4 May, Thursday 7 May and Monday 18 May from 9am to 5pm. In the summer, from 13 to 17 July and from 27 to 31 July, the Aquatics Camp at Royal Commonwealth Pool is a must for anyone who enjoys the water. Kids aged 9 – 14 years will have an amazing time whilst working towards recognised Scottish Swimming and Royal Life Saving Society awards which will be run by qualified, experienced coaches. In addition, diving courses will be running for complete beginners to advanced divers right throughout the summer. Have a look at www.edinburghleisure.co.uk or call 0131 667 7211 for more information or to book.
Scotland’s Only Padel Tennis Club Launches New Open Schools Rackets Programme
Edinburgh Sports Club has launched the first Open Schools Rackets Programme in the city. This initiative offers all schools the chance to take part in free rackets sessions, which promotes excellent hand-to-eye coordination, for up to 40 pupils at a time.
Students are given the chance to try not just Padel Tennis - a mixture of tennis and squash played outdoors - but also tennis, squash and table tennis. Following these sessions pupils are invited to attend two free coaching sessions and given further information on how to access various racket coaching programmes at the Club. Each sport is delivered by fully qualified coaching staff and in partnership with The City of Edinburgh Council’s Sports Development Team.
Primary schools who have already jumped at this initiative include, Crammond, Flora Stevenson, Stockbridge and Ferry Hill. Edinburgh Sports Club has also launched Padel Tennis coaching sessions to complement their extensive Junior Programme. For further information call Edinburgh Sports Club on 0131 539 7071.
Holiday Heights and Rockport Adventure Camp at EICA: Ratho
EICA: Ratho’s fantastic new summer adventure camp, from 13 July to 3 August, combines thrilling indoor and outdoor activities for explorers, adventurers and fun seekers aged 8 years+. Activities include climbing and bouldering at EICA: Ratho, together with great outdoor fun including orienteering, climbing and surfing in East Lothian and the famous Elie chain walk on the Fife coast.
Additionally, the Holiday Heights programme at EICA: Ratho, will offer adventures to children from 4 – 14 years old. Children from age 4 will be able to sample climbing sessions with spectacular soft play fun, whilst children aged 8 years+ will have a chance to climb and abseil just for fun or work towards the nationally recognised NICAS awards. Have a look at www.eica-ratho.co.uk or call 0131 333 6333 for more information.
Summer Fun with Edinburgh Leisure
Five of Edinburgh’s Leisure Centres will be filled with fun activities this summer holiday. Ainslie Park Leisure Centre will be running its popular Aquavator Camp featuring plenty of water based fun and games as well as its week-long intensive swimming lessons. Call 0131 551 2400 for more information or to book. As you’d expect at Craiglockhart Leisure and Tennis Centre there will be tennis lessons and camps galore for all ages from P1 – S6, from beginners to experts.
In addition, there will be a Racquets Camp where kids get to try out and improve skills in not just tennis, but also badminton, squash and table tennis. Call 0131 443 0101 for more information or to book. At Drumbrae Leisure Centre there will be a number of top class intensive swimming lessons and Rookie Lifeguarding for budding lifeguards aged 8 – 13 years. This is the junior award scheme of the RLSS UK where kids have fantastic fun learning the lifeguarding skills and information they need to look after themselves and others in the water. Call 0131 312 7957 for more information or to book.
Meadowbank Sports Centre will be filled with some great sporting activities for kids this summer. There’s football, gymnastics, trampolining and of course, athletics for a range of ages from 18 months to 14 years. Call 0131 661 5351 for more information or to book.
Whilst, at Tumbles in Portobello there’s gymnastics galore for boys and girls including the fantastic freestyle gymnastics with its mix of parkour, free running, break dancing and urban gymnastics – plus lots of trampolining fun too. Call 0131 669 0878 for more information or to book.