www.ceilidhkids.com
What happens at CeilidhKids classes?
Lots of fun and participation! CeilidhKids is for families so everyone gets involved. You and your child dance, clap, and march together with the music and learn a few very simple (often simplified) dances and figures that you might meet at a ceilidh or Scottish Country dance. We dance to CD recordings of top bands and the emphasis is on fun and staying within your child’s comfort zone. The 3-5 year olds don’t even have to let go of your hand if they don’t want to!
Lots of fun and participation! CeilidhKids is for families so everyone gets involved. You and your child dance, clap, and march together with the music and learn a few very simple (often simplified) dances and figures that you might meet at a ceilidh or Scottish Country dance. We dance to CD recordings of top bands and the emphasis is on fun and staying within your child’s comfort zone. The 3-
What will my child learn?
Rhythm and movement to music, and improved confidence, attention and listening skills. Also an awareness of him or herself in relation to others and to the available space, as well as the social aspect of dancing with a partner and with friends. We do a lot of counting at CeilidhKids (generally to eight) and introduce the concepts of ‘right’ and ‘left’ in conjunction with the very beginnings of dance steps and simple movements and formations. But above all it’s about FUN for adults and children alike.
Rhythm and movement to music, and improved confidence, attention and listening skills. Also an awareness of him or herself in relation to others and to the available space, as well as the social aspect of dancing with a partner and with friends. We do a lot of counting at CeilidhKids (generally to eight) and introduce the concepts of ‘right’ and ‘left’ in conjunction with the very beginnings of dance steps and simple movements and formations. But above all it’s about FUN for adults and children alike.
What do we wear?
Anything you like! School uniform, fancy dress, kilts, party dresses and tracksuits are all popular. Soft shoes are useful though - plimsolls are great and ballet shoes even better.
Anything you like! School uniform, fancy dress, kilts, party dresses and tracksuits are all popular. Soft shoes are useful though -
Why so much adult participation?
Ceilidh dances have traditionally been passed down through families, with the older generation teaching the younger. More practically, though, the instructions can be tricky for smaller children to follow and a guiding adult hand makes all the difference between carefree participation and bewilderment... So CeilidhKids is not a ‘drop off’ facility. It’s for everyone.
Ceilidh dances have traditionally been passed down through families, with the older generation teaching the younger. More practically, though, the instructions can be tricky for smaller children to follow and a guiding adult hand makes all the difference between carefree participation and bewilderment... So CeilidhKids is not a ‘drop off’ facility. It’s for everyone.
Why don’t you do more classes elsewhere, on other days?
CeilidhKids is not a franchise or a chain, it’s a one-person set-up run entirely by me, Caroline. At present my children are in P1 and P3 respectively, and so I’m limited by pick-up times and childcare availability. But who knows might happen in the future? Also I need a group of at least 10 families for a class to be really successful, and at present requests are only coming in ones and twos from each area... Plus I work two mornings in a school, so I’m not free then.
CeilidhKids is not a franchise or a chain, it’s a one-
Why are the classes so early in the afternoon? My child sleeps then and it’s a rush from nursery...
Sorry. But if the classes were any later, they would clash with the school pick-up time, and I need to collect my own children, as do many other families. We can’t please everyone unfortunately! We tried an
Sorry. But if the classes were any later, they would clash with the school pick-
after-school class once, but having all those older children about was chaos...
CeilidhKids classes aren’t appropriate for my child, who is busy during class times / lives too far away / has already outgrown CeilidhKids...
Don’t worry. Phone me or send an email to ceilidhkids@ceilidhkids.com and I can give you details of other children’s Scottish dancing classes in the Edinburgh area. There’s plenty going on so hopefully there’ll be something suitable! (Naturally I’m devastated not to be meeting you and your child myself though...)
Don’t worry. Phone me or send an email to ceilidhkids@ceilidhkids.com and I can give you details of other children’s Scottish dancing classes in the Edinburgh area. There’s plenty going on so hopefully there’ll be something suitable! (Naturally I’m devastated not to be meeting you and your child myself though...)
I’d like to host a CeilidhKids event - what do I do?
Find a suitable venue in the Edinburgh area and a roughly equal number of adults and children who want to dance. Then get in touch to arrange a mutually convenient date and time. CeilidhKids can arrange music and dancing to suit your requirements. A small party or budget event to recorded music, or a visit to your nursery, school or youth group can be arranged at a few weeks’ notice. However if you’re looking to run a larger ceilidh to live music please give me several months’ notice as the best musicians get booked up months or even years in advance...
Find a suitable venue in the Edinburgh area and a roughly equal number of adults and children who want to dance. Then get in touch to arrange a mutually convenient date and time. CeilidhKids can arrange music and dancing to suit your requirements. A small party or budget event to recorded music, or a visit to your nursery, school or youth group can be arranged at a few weeks’ notice. However if you’re looking to run a larger ceilidh to live music please give me several months’ notice as the best musicians get booked up months or even years in advance...
I’m organising a ceilidh at 2pm on Saturday 6th - can you come and run the dancing please?
Aaaaggghhhh... I’d love to, but most probably not! I get very booked up a long way in advance, particularly around St Andrews Day and Burns night, and I also have a life and a family... So if you can give me a few alternatives (such as ‘a weekend in February’ or ‘ a morning at the start of June’) that would increase our chances of finding a mutually convenient date and time.
Do you do children’s parties?
Yes, and most have been a huge success but they can be variable. It helps a lot if everybody who is invited actually wants to dance, if adults join in and if other distractions are kept to a minimum. Please don’t invite the whole class, unless you’re sure that the whole class thinks that dancing would be a nice way to spend the afternoon. I will run the party WITH you (not FOR you) and can do just a session of dancing, or a combination of dancing and games. I’m happy to discuss the pros and cons before you make a decision. However with an enthusiastic bunch, CeilidhKids parties can be brilliant and an event for everyone to remember - most have been fantastic!
Yes, and most have been a huge success but they can be variable. It helps a lot if everybody who is invited actually wants to dance, if adults join in and if other distractions are kept to a minimum. Please don’t invite the whole class, unless you’re sure that the whole class thinks that dancing would be a nice way to spend the afternoon. I will run the party WITH you (not FOR you) and can do just a session of dancing, or a combination of dancing and games. I’m happy to discuss the pros and cons before you make a decision. However with an enthusiastic bunch, CeilidhKids parties can be brilliant and an event for everyone to remember -
I’m looking forward to hearing from you.
Happy dancing!
Frequently Asked Questions