I’m always up for wrapping up in our waterproofs and going for a walk or to the park in the rain. But some months Glasgow just has far too many rainy days to force my kids out in the cold again. Thankfully, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to have some great days out. Glasgow has a ton of indoor places and activities that are either free or cheap.
This list is a compilation of places that we’ve visited and enjoyed at one point or another over the past 5 years. I’ve added the museums that we’ve found to be most kid friendly, or that the kids have found most interesting, but almost all of Glasgow’s museums are free.
Places and activities range from being completely free, up to £4 p/p.
This list is by no means exhaustive and I’ll try to update in the future to add in any others we find. (If you know of any places I haven’t included that you think should be in the list, leave a comment below and I’ll check it out).
This article is part of a series. The Outdoor Edit & a few others are coming soon!
Museums
All of the ‘Glasgow Museums’ museums are completely free (if you don’t include the exorbitant parking costs at a few of them).
Kelvingrove Art Galleries | FREE
A great place to explore with kids. We always have a wander around the animals before we go upstairs to see the floating heads and the rainforest audio-visual room. They love playing in the dinosaur egg room, watching the bees in their hive and exploring all the drawers in there too.
- Wheel friendly
- Cafe & restaurant inside
- Toilets and baby change available
- Parking in car park outside (priced per hour) or metered on surrounding streets
Visit the Kelvingrove Museum website
The Tall Ship | FREE
From scrubbing the deck and ringing the captain’s bell up on deck, to jumping around in the little soft play down below, the Tall Ship is definitely a favourite of ours to spend an hour. My two love climbing all the different stairs and checking out all the different pulleys and ropes in the ship. It’s right next to the Riverside Museum, and we always end up doing both in the same trip.
Wheel friendly (unless their lift isn’t working and then it’s really wheel unfriendly)
- Cafe inside
- Toilets and baby change available
- Parking in car park outside (priced per hour)
Riverside Museum | FREE
This is one of our favourite places to have a run around. The kids just love climbing onto the old buses and trains, having a go on the subway and playing in the shops along the old cobbled street. Their imaginations go wild in here. We always double up with a visit to the Tall Ship, which is just out the back door.
- Wheel friendly
- Cafe inside
- Toilets and baby change available
- Parking in car park outside (priced per hour)
Visit the Riverside Museum website
Hunterian Museum | FREE
The kids absolutely love a wander around the Hunterian Museum and its, at times, weird and wonderful collections. They love seeing the skeletons (human and animal), the fossils and the animals. My kids do enjoy a bit of yuck factor so they particularly enjoy looking the anatomical collection – body parts in glass jars are a big hit. A quick play in the cloisters afterwards is always a winner as long as nobody’s getting their wedding pics taken!
- Wheel friendly
- Cafe inside
- Toilets and baby change available
- On street parking available nearby
Visit the Riverside Museum website
Summerlee | FREE (tram costs £1.50 for adults, free for kids)
Summerlee is a brilliant place to spend a few hours. The museum itself isn’t huge but there are interactive exhibits throughout and things for kids to play with too, like lego, bricks, cogs and various other things. You can also take a tram ride down to a little village with houses from throughout the ages and a wee sweetie shop. (The tram part is outdoors, but I’m including this one in my indoor list because you are mostly indoors!)
- Wheel friendly
- Cafe inside
- Toilets and baby change available
- Parking in car park outside
Visit the Riverside Museum website
Weekend and holiday programme at various Glasgow museums | FREE
Glasgow’s museums have a programme of events taking place at weekends and during school holidays for kids age 5-12. They take place in Kelvingrove, the Burrell Collection, GoMA, St Mungo & Riverside with different activities at each location. They are all hands on fun sessions and mostly drop in. You can see what’s on via the link below (click on the button on the website to download a pdf with all the info in it.)
Visit the Glasgow Museums events website
Mini Museum Explorers at Kelvingrove, the Burrell Collection, GoMA & Riverside | FREE
Mini Museum Explorers is a group for pre-school kids children in various museums around Glasgow. They take place once a month in each location. They are fun sessions with a mix of free play and structured activities to enjoy with parents/carers.
Visit the Glasgow Museums events website
Arts & Crafts
Make Do & Grow | FREE
Arts and crafts sessions for kids aged 3+ with different activities each week. On specific times at the weekend and on Wednesdays. Check their facebook page for up to date information.
Visit the Make Do & Grow website
GoMA Saturday Art Club | FREE
The Saturday sessions are on weekly from 10.30am – 12.30pm. Each week has a different theme and could involve painting, sculpture, collage, printing, drawing… Anything! Sessions are for kids ages 5-12. Must be booked in advance.
Art for Baby @ GoMA | FREE
These informal workshops are on Tuesdays weekly at 11am. Each month has a different theme and will involve making some easy projects for or with your baby to take away. There are sensory toys and books available, so you can make and chat while entertaining, soothing or feeding your babies. Sessions are for parents with babies 0-walking. Sessions must be booked in advance.
Tall Ship Toddler Sessions | £3
Themed sessions for toddlers and pre-schoolers onboard the Tall Ship. Each session is different, with songs, arts, crafts and imaginative play based around the session theme. Themes include pirates, ships and under the sea. Suitable for 0-4’s. (Note: The Tall Ship is closed during winter months.)
Visit the Tall Ship events page
Saturday Art Club at Platform | FREE
The Saturday Art Club is aimed at primary school aged kids (5-11 yrs). It’s on weekly during term time at 11am. Sessions should be booked in advance.
Also, if you’ve never heard of Platform you should definitely check out their website to see what’s on. This arts centre in the East End has loads of activities for kids (and adults) of all ages, plus a whole programme of arts shows and events throughout the year.
Exhibitions at Tramway | FREE
Tramway has different exhibitions on throughout the year, some of which are pretty spectacular. You might not spend lots of time here but we’ve seen a couple of exhibitions over the years that the kids have loved. The Hidden Gardens are out the back door here too if it isn’t pouring with rain and you fancy and indoor/outdoor day!
Find out what’s on via the Tramway website
Science & Wildlife
Whitelee STEM Club | FREE
Whitelee STEM Club provides FREE science-based workshops aimed at children in P4-P7. They run every Saturday at 2pm in the visitor centre, teaching a range of topics such as Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics. Workshops last between 30mins to an hour.
Music
Bounce & Rhyme | FREE
These are free song and story sessions in your local library. Sessions are aimed at babies or toddlers but some libraries also have story sessions for toddlers/pre-schoolers. They’re usually on once a week and are on in petty much every library around Glasgow. Ask in your local library for more information.
Visit the Glasgow Life website
Bookbug | FREE
These are free, pop-in, song and story sessions in your local library, aimed at under 5’s. They last about 30 minutes and are usually on once a week. They are on in pretty much every library around Glasgow. Ask in your local library for more information.
Visit the Glasgow Life website
Active Play
Playgym | £4 for 1 adult and 1 child
What kid doesn’t like playing and jumping and running about on all the gymnastics equipment they can see? That’s essentially what Playgym is. It’s only for pre-schoolers (babies & toddlers too) and is on in Kelvin Hall and the Palace of Art. Check whichever one you’re going to for days and times of sessions.
Visit the Glasgow Life website
Play on Pedals | FREE
I’ve added this one because some of their sessions are indoors. Play on Pedals run free cycling sessions for kids learning to cycle. Locations vary around Glasgow. All equipment provided and sessions are drop in. Check out their facebook page for up to date info on dates and times.
Visit the Play On Pedals facebook page
Flip Out | £5.50 each for child and £2 for accompanying adult
Anyone who’s been knows Flip Out is awesome. But it can be a bit pricey. During the week they run ‘Stay and Play’ sessions for toddlers and pre-schoolers. A child and their adult get entry for £7.50 total anytime between 10am and 3pm on weekdays during term time. It’s a brilliant deal, since an hours entry is normally £8.95 plus full price adult entry for a young kid to play for an hour. (Stay and Play times are reduced during school holidays.)
Inflatanation | £5 each for child and accompanying adult
Inflatanation in Kinning Park is a huge indoor inflatable play area with ball pits and slides and just generally all the fun. It is really good fun, but like everything can be pretty expensive to visit. On weekdays at 11am (during term time) kids age 0-5 can get the run of the place for £5, including entry for one adult.
Swimming at Glasgow Life venues | £2 each for child, £4 for accompanying adult
My kids both love swimming. They are happy just jumping in and getting to the bottom of the pool for a sinker, splashing about and just playing. It’s a great way to let them expend some energy. Our favourite pools are Bellahouston, Gorbals, Tollcross and Scotstoun. If your kids are 8 or over and can swim they can go swimming without you in the pool with them. If not you need to accompany them.
Visit the Glasgow Life swimming website
Others
Visit your local library | FREE
Going to our local library is one of the kids favourite things if we’re having a wee lazy day. They love flicking through the books and choosing what to bring home. Some libraries have clubs on and sessions for young kids at weekends or during school holidays. Other than that, you can get a library card for free and borrow whatever books you choose. Get lost in some stories and escape the winter weather for a while.
Garscube playrooms | £3; £1 for a second child (Plus £15 annual membership)
This is a wonderful place to play for kids under 5. There’s a little soft play area, easels for painting, cars (big and small), loads of imaginative play toys like houses, kitchens etc, jigsaws, craft equipment, plus loads more. It’s absolutely brilliant for young kids and worth the trip there if you’re not nearby. It’s open 10am – 3.30pm Monday – Friday during term time.
Visit the Garscube Playrooms website
The Beach @ Craigend Nursery | £4
This is exactly what it sounds like – a big indoor sandpit. There are a bunch of toys in there and the kids can play for a 90 minute session to their hearts content. You can sit and have a cuppa (living the dream) or play in the sand with your little ones. Can get busy so booking in advance is recommended.
Visit the Craigend Nursery website
Take 2 at the GFT | FREE
Free movies once a week for Glasgow Young Scot or Kidz Card holders and an accompanying parent/carer. Free tickets must be purchased at the box office and are only issued on the day of screening. All other tickets are £6.
NOTE: All information correct at time of publishing. However I know what it’s like to have disappointed kids so please check before heading along whether activity sessions are on/venues are open!
There’s a few of these I’ve never heard of. will try tthem out soon. great list of places to try tho. thnaks.
This is such a helpful article. So many ideas!!! Thanks so much for sharing.
Honestly this is so so helpful. Always looking for places to take my tinies when it’s raining and we can’t just go to the park like usual!
Hey we here is the sandpit?
It’s in Craigend Nursery. There’s a link in the article for it.