The Kids' Call: Glasgow's Fun for the Young

When it comes to growing up, Glasgow’s pretty great. It’s big but manageable, no matter your age. And there’s no better place for kids to start exploring than Riverside. 

The Riverside Museum (100 Pointhouse Rd) is home to just about every train, plane, and automobile. This transport museum is an easy win and if you’ve not got your licence yet (because you’re six years old), jumping into the driver’s seat of a lorry is a real thrill. Wee ones can even explore the old cobbled Glasgow street for pretend shopping with a pretend price tag. Outside the museum is also perfect for skating. Like most folk in Glasgow, the resident skaters are a friendly bunch – they’d almost certainly be up for teaching the kids a trick or two. Other great skating spots in the city include along the River Clyde and the Arches DIY (Sawmillfield St), a community-built skate park.

But a day in Riverside isn’t complete without the Glasgow Science Centre (50 Pacific Quay). With exhibitions looking at everything from the human body to quantum technology, it’s perfect for any kid with all the questions we don’t know the answers to.

All that thinking can make a kid hungry; luckily, Dockyard Social (95-107 Haugh Rd) is just a 15-minute walk across the river. With multiple street vendors under one roof, it’s ideal for giving wee ones a choice (yes, I guess you can have pakora and churros and ketchup). 

Kids can similarly have it all at Glasgow Club Bellahouston (31 Bellahouston Dr), home to a swimming pool with a flume, rapids, and outdoor pool. If that isn’t enough for you, we’d recommend a trip to Glasgow Ski & Snowboard Centre (16 Dumbreck Rd), just nestled in Bellahouston Park. Thanks to the dry ski slope, it offers snow sports without the slightly damp bum, which is always appreciated by all.

Let off some slightly more political steam by stopping by Kinning Park Complex (43 Cornwall St), home to the Red Sunday School once a month. Nurturing children’s autonomy, the school seeks to share socialist values and spark exciting ideas to empower the younger generation. For some more child-led fun, Baltic Street Adventure Playground (421 Baltic St) is a must. With climbing frames, construction tools, and always some good food, this free supervised playground offers something for everyone. Over in the West End, the Children’s Wood (76 Kelbourne St) is built upon similar principles: an outdoor space designed by children, for children. It’s perfect for hot chocolate in the winter and picnics in the summer. 

But if you’re venturing into the West End from Riverside, it would be rude not to try the Southside, too. Art meets messy play at Rumpus Room’s (Langside Ln) range of community events and workshops. Their outdoor pizza oven is always in our hearts. Children can similarly let loose at Tramway (25 Albert Dr). Exhibitions are free and they’re not too precious about how you exist in the space – you’re welcome to zigzag and spin around the various installations. There’s also plenty of space to run around outside in the Hidden Gardens (25a Albert Dr). At the back, the bushes and trees are perfect for getting lost in make-believe, (almost) away from grown-ups’ watchful eye.

Group together again at Queen’s Park Arena (Queen’s Park) for free movie screenings and live music throughout the summer. Make a proper night of it: fizzy drinks for the kids, cheap wine for the grown-ups, and post-arena chips on the way home. Wee ones deserve nights out too. 

To keep the good vibes going, a late-night trip to Tubbees (675 Paisley Rd West) back in Riverside is great for slushies, ice cream, and a sore tummy. Neon lighting and Science-Centre-esque tubing is part of the fun.

A kid's day in Glasgow doesn’t have to break the bank: some of our best young Glaswegian memories are afternoons spent on the front two seats of a double-decker bus (incidentally, free for under 22s). Enjoy the chats along the way and let the kids call the shots – it’s much more fun that way.