There is no escaping our love of adventure and with the Man on the Pad being of Scottish descent, we are delighted to host this collaborative post on what is great to do with your children in Edinburgh.

Edinburgh is a beautiful and fascinating city full of history and mystery, but no matter where you go, if you travel with kids you need find a way to keep them entertained and interested the whole time. It's also important to decide where you're going to sleep and to book beforehand, because, believe us, not doing so will cause you a lot of unnecessary stress immediately on your arrival to the destination. There are many booking sites offering a wide range of accommodations in Edinburgh and all over the world. Venere.com is a good example if you’re planning to visit Scotland's capital with your family, because you can also see how kid-friendly the lodging is.

So, and now just read on to know the best things to do with your kids in Edinburgh.

The first place we are going to recommend dominates the skyline of the city and will surely intrigue your kids. The Castle of Edinburgh is majestic and worth the visit. Enter through its gate to visit the crown room where the Stone of Destiny is kept, discover the Prison of War to see how prisoners lived in the 18^th century or ask a guide to tell your kids about the history and stories of the castle. They will be awe-struck... and you will, too!

If, like ours, your kids love animals, you should pay a visit to the Edinburgh zoo where you can meet penguins, lions, leopards, koalas and colourful fishes, but also have the chance to see a couple of giant pandas, called Tian Tian and Yang Guang, the only two living in the UK. Otherwise you can go to the Botanical Garden and look for squirrels! You can buy sunflower seeds at the shop at the entrance of the park and actually be able to feed the squirrels from your hands.

Bring your kids to the Museum of Childhood and show them what it was like to be a child in different eras and what were the main hobbies and pastimes of their grandparents. The admission to the museum is free and you’ll get to visit 5 floors full of artifacts, dolls, teddy bears, pedal cars and stamps. No wonder you’ll feel like a kid again!

There’s so much to see in Edinburgh, but hey, don’t forget to eat! Bring your children to Zanzero, in Stockbridge, a restaurant that serve delicious food for the family and that allow children to cook and eat their own pizza for some extra fun or choose La Favourita, where a funny clown plays tricks and some magic every Sunday between 1 and 5 pm while you relax eating the dish of the day!

My youngest daughter LOVES Panda's so Edinburgh Zoo is definately on our "To Do" List and this is without the obligatory family visiting .... I suspect on our next visit to Scotland, it may need to be longer than a weekend trip!

Photo credit :Edinburgh, Scotland by Francisco Diez (CC BY 2.0)