excellent a real insight how children lived hundreds of years ago many things on display including an 80s bmx which i had

This is a great place for children and for adults. Kids can have a great look about at all the old toys and it has to offer and can even play with some of them. Adults will also enjoy this stroll down memory lane.
Admission is free and it has a great little shop where you can buy gifts too.
It is centrally loacted on the Royal Mile which makes for a great day out where you can visit lots of edinburgh’s attractions.

Adequately named “The nosiest museum in the world” the Museum of Childhood is both fun and educational with a pinch of nostalgia thrown in as it takes a look at childhood over the centuries. Located halfway down the High Street it offers a detailed insight into such issues as health, education, upbringing and social activities. The huge displays are fascinating with everything from food items and medicines to toys, dolls and games and contemporary classroom settings. Leisurely wander around the three floors, dodge the racing kids and be amazed at just how far removed a typical childhood today is to that in the early 19th/20th Century.

I took my class here on a school trip and overall found the place an informative blast from the past for adults and of some interest to today's children. However the exhibition has not changed in years and could have moved with the times by exhibiting items from the 70's and 80's which represents the age of most Primary pupil's parents. All the exhibits have been well-cared for but as a lot of them are behind glass a level of interaction is lost and some children become bored by the lack of 'doing' activities offered by the museum.

Edinburgh’s Royal Mile is steeped in history, with many places of interest for tourists and locals alike. But one of the most rewarding to visit is the Museum of Childhood. This treasure trove has been thrilling children and adults alike since opening in 1955 (the first of its kind in the world).

To enter this remarkable location is to truly step back in time, through centuries of toys, games, train-sets and costumes, sometimes into your own childhood. The tenements surrounding this setting were built at a time when housing was crammed into the available room. But this makes for a compact exhibition area, creating a more intimate feel than some cavernous modern gallery. Everything is catalogued with concise descriptions in index cards. Getting close to the displays you can appreciate how items were relished by former owners. There are also audio records – you can listen to 1930s schoolkids reciting maths tables – and depictions of traditional street games in the 1950s.

Displays are arranged according to historic periods, so as well as providing an interesting glimpse into how our younger ancestors amused themselves, the museum presents a priceless ongoing social history.

Some of the older dolls do look crudely pinned together but in today’s climate of mobile phones and PlayStations, it is humbling to be plunged into a world where children relied on nothing more than imagination. One of my own earliest memories of this museum is particularly vivid. It was a simple slot-machine where you poked in a halfpenny, then witnessed the re-enactment of the demon barber, Sweeney Todd, transforming his customers into meat pies. As a child brought up in the 1960s it is a wonderful experience seeing toys, games, football cards, Airfix kits or soldiers that I can remember spending carefree hours playing with, preserved for generations to come.

After completing your tour there is a well-stocked gift shop, providing ample souvenirs to remind you of this spellbinding exhibition.

This is a great place to visit with children and also for adults to remind you of all your childhood toys! Situated on the Royal Mile this is easily accessible and best of all its FREE! The museum houses lots of old toys that can be looked at, touched and played with by the children. It has around 3 floors of things to look at with placards to tell you all about the history of the objects. The museum also has a lovely gift shop on the first floor which is worth a visit. I wouldnt recommend this place to spend a full day in as you couldnt fill it but its definately worth a look while you are in the Royal Mile.

My children and i love the Museum of Childhood. Its like a treasure house crammed full of objects of childhood past and present.
The museum opened in 1955, and was the first museum in the world to specialise in the history of childhood.
There are toys and games of all kinds from many parts of the world from dolls and teddy bears to train sets and tricycles. Most of the objects can be picked up and touched and children are encouraged to play with some of the amazing old time toys. Some of the older more delacate objests are in glass casses and these are amazing to look at too. They all have details and a little bit of the history of the object beside them.
There is a fabulous old time piano that has been there for as long as i can remember and now my children love it and it works as well as ever. The keys are covered oer with a plastic see through cover and when you put your 50p in it starts to play by itself and you can see the keys move. The kids are just mesmarized by this.

An excellent and fun day for all and best of all it is free entry...yippee