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Welcome to a new series of posts on this blog. Our lovely customers are spread around the country and many of you travel over the holidays and the long weekends. You might enjoy getting the help of other parents who live there and have tried and tested the activities for you.

If you’re north of the border on holiday or visiting friends or family, Glasgow has so much for children to do that it’s a good idea to plan your trip in advance to make the most of all the city has to offer..

Many people have heard of the famous Kelvingrove art gallery and museum in the West End – still one of the most popular destinations for families, especially during the school holidays. Other well-known destinations which host activities and events for children include Glasgow Science Centre, the Burrell Collection in Pollok Park, the newly-opened Riverside Museum, and the People’s Palace. However, why not try some lesser-known Glasgow attractions which are a wee bit off the beaten track to most visitors? Here are a couple of examples:

Just a 20-minute train ride from Glasgow Queen Street Station is Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life in Coatbridge. It’s been much expanded and improved in recent years due to a lottery grant, and now has a fantastic kids’ playpark and a photographic studio/media centre, as well as the traditional attractions of vintage machinery, a working tram to ride on, a bulldozer to climb on, a mine shaft to clamber your way down, and a row of recreated miners’ cottages so you can steep yourself in the atmosphere of 150 years ago. Oh, and did I mention that, in common with many Glasgow museums, admission to Summerlee is FREE?!

Another place that may not instantly occur to visitors is Scotland Street Museum which is just on the south side of the River Clyde (Shields Road subway station). This used to be a school and retains most of its original Charles Rennie Mackintosh features. It’s perfect for families, as children can experience what school was like back in Victorian times.

Let your children swing, slide, trampoline, row boats and feed the ducks to their hearts’ content in Glasgow’s amazing parks. Per head of population, Glasgow has more green space for its residents to enjoy than any city in Europe! In the city you have Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow Green, and Queen’s Park with its beautiful glasshouse and reptile collection. Rouken Glen Park has a gorgeous trail with waterfalls and wildlife and our own favourite at BKG, Victoria Park in the Scotstoun/Broomhill area, boasts the famous Fossil Grove, a collection of petrified trees 300 million years old! On the fringes of Glasgow, but still well within reach, are the country parks at Mugdock, Calderglen, Palacerigg and Muirshiel.

If you would like more help choosing activities while you are in Glasgow, visit www.busykidsglasgow.co.uk, and please get in touch using our contact form for more specialised ideas and advice.

Have you visited Glasgow recently? What was your favourite place? Any recommendations for places to eat or stay? Would you like to share your local favourite places, just get in touch with us and we’ll feature them here.