Free Things to do in Edinburgh with Kids 2026
Free Things to Do in Edinburgh 2026 – Love the capital but money’s tighter than before? Look for free activities in Edinburgh to make your budget stretch further.
National Museum of Scotland
The National Museum of Scotland is a fantastic free indoor resource. The stuffed animals and skeletons are an instant hit with wee ones. The Science & Technology Gallery is full of real life planes, alongside hands-on experiments. Charles Rennie Mackintosh shines in the gallery of Art, Fashion and Design, and we uncovered some national treasures in the Kingdom of the Scots. [There’s also a café, which sells typical museum café fare.]
The National Portrait Gallery – Free Things to Do in Edinburgh
FREE This free gallery works on several levels. Modernity – portraits of the great and good bedeck the walls, from Glasgow’s Billy Connolly to Aberdeen’s Annie Lennox. History – in the historical galleries discover key figures, such as Mary Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie. Architecture – the Great Hall is stunning, with its starry-night ceiling and glistening mural of key influencers, and leaders of Scotland, from Balliol, Bruce and Wallace, to Telford, Hutton, Adam and Watt, and statues of Burns and Robert Louis Stevenson. Topical exhibits can be a highlight – we visited specially to see the McTominay bicycle kick photograph. There is also a café on site.
The Museum of Childhood
FREE Spanning five galleries this was a surprise hit with our family. Nostalgia for the adults, and toys for the kids alongside hands-on activities such as memory games. We especially loved the films revealing concepts of play and toys through the ages. Situated on the Royal Mile, apparently it was the first museum in the world to specialise in the history of childhood. Some of the dolls are quite spooky!
The Writer’s Museum – Free Things to Do in Edinburgh
The Writers’ Museum celebrates the lives of three giants of Scottish Literature – Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson, located just off the Lawnmarket in Lady Stair’s Close.
Royal Botanic Gardens – Free Things to Do in Edinburgh
Beautiful for all ages – our favourite spots were the Queen Mother’s Memorial Garden and labyrinth, the Chinese Hillside, the Rock Garden, the Alpine House and the Demonstration Garden. A great place to meet up with friends and family, and let kids run off some steam. Remarkable that tickets are absolutely free! rbge.org.uk
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
We visited the grounds of this renowned gallery, and the children actually asked to explore Charles Jencks’ ‘Landform’ outdoor landscape art. Other sculptures piqued their interest, especially a buried man on a pavement. From the SNGMA we walked to Dean Village and Cemetery (see below).
Dean Village – Free Things to Do in Edinburgh
This historic mill town offers an easy walk along the Water of Leith, then heading through the cemetery takes you back to the gallery of modern art where we’d started. There are lots of architectural curiosities, social history stories and surprisingly calming city scenery to entertain children along the way. You’ll even find a pyramid in the cemetery.
For more to do in Edinburgh click here…
Scottish National Gallery – Free Things to Do in Edinburgh
This gallery on the Mound contains an international art collection for Scotland, including masterpieces by Botticelli, Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Landseer, Gainsborough, Constable and Turner. And, of course, Scottish art and its history is comprehensively covered featuring works by Ramsay, Raeburn and Wilkie. The gallery has a café as well.
The Scottish Parliament
As the home of Scottish democracy, the Scottish Parliament is open throughout the year. Visitors can watch Parliamentary business taking place, and on certain days there are free guided tours and talks. I attended a tour and learned SO much about the building, its design, the artwork and what it represented, and even the materials carefully selected to represent Scotland. Discover more here.
Princes Street Gardens & Monument
A good place to chill, perhaps have a picnic (lots of nearby shops to pick up some scran), people watch and take a peak at the Scott Monument.
Calton Hill – Free Things to Do in Edinburgh
A relatively easy walk for little legs. Walk to the top to explore the many monuments on the summit – several climbing opportunities for sporty kids. Calton Hill offers fresh air and fun. The views over the city are exceptional, and it’s great to do something healthy on a city break.
Arthur’s Seat
For a more challenging walk, hike to the summit of Arthur’s Seat for fantastic views over the city. It’s a relatively strenuous walk, depending on the age of your children, and takes about two hours. But tell wee ones they’re climbing up an ancient volcano and that may spur them on!
Walk up to Edinburgh Castle
If pennies or time are tight, remember you can walk pretty close to Edinburgh Castle without paying to go inside.
Harry Potter Trail
Harry Potter fans can walk around Edinburgh ticking off key sites linked with the wee wizard and the famous author JK Rowling. Sites include Greyfriar’s Kirk where you’ll find many names that feature in the literary series, the Elephant House café where Rowling hung out to write, and her handprints at the City Chambers on the High Street/Royal Mile.
Walking Tours – Things to Do in Edinburgh for Free
Catch one of the many free walking tours available in Edinburgh. I say free, but you are expected to tip at the end, but a very cost effective way to see and learn more about the city.
Portobello Beach – Things to Do in Edinburgh for Free
Hit the beach for miles of sand and surf, as well as cafés and bars peppered along the shoreline.
Gladstone’s Land
Including this as it’s free to National Trust for Scotland members. One of the very oldest buildings on the Royal Mile, Gladstone’s Land takes you through three centuries of Edinburgh life. An ice cream parlour is situated in the former ground floor dairy too.
Quick Free Activities
The following activities don’t take up much time so they’re not ideal to fill an entire afternoon, especially if you’re trying to entertain little ones, but keep them on your radar as they’re part of the Edinburgh experience. Admire the colour of Victoria Street and the Grassmarket, visit Greyfriair’s Bobby sculpture on Candlemaker Row and rub his nose, then wander the lanes, stairs and closes such as Lady Stair’s Close.
Find the best places to eat in Edinburgh here – including Budget finds.
Budget Accommodation
Self-Catering – Get bang for your buck staying two nights in stylish and central but affordable self catering apartments. Try Melville Street and Destiny Scotland properties on the Royal Mile or Princes Street.
Hotels – If you want a hotel with a pool at a reasonable price point try the Novotel near the Grassmarket or, slightly out of town, the Best Western King’s Manor. For central options try Motel One, Apex, Yotel, easyHotel and Cityroomz.
Also try:-
Afternoon Tea in Edinburgh – Family Friendly Options too
If you found this guide helped you plan a break then please consider subscribing here or buy us a cuppa to support our work. Please join the conversation on Facebook, or check out the bonny photos on Instagram. For any queries or opportunities please email scots2travel@hotmail.com. Content and images copyright of Scots2Travel. Contains affiliate links. Check out our Privacy Policy here.
