The Citadel Youth Centre
BEST FOR
Ages 6-21
ENTRY
Free
WHERE
Edinburgh
What it’s like
Free after-school clubs for 6 to 21 year olds, with everything from cooking and 3D printing to trips out for paintball and skating.
This is a youth centre with a proper list of things to do, not just a hall with a table-tennis table. Kids get stuck into arts and crafts, sports and cooking on site, plus a console setup that covers Switch, Xbox, PS5, Wii and PCs if that's more their speed. There's a bouncy castle for the younger ones and, for the older crowd, 3D printing, character design and coding sessions alongside music workshops.
The trips are the bit that'll actually get mentioned at the dinner table: paintball, the trampoline centre, skating, football games, plus a virtual reality arcade, games conventions, escape rooms and laser games. That's a proper spread of activity for a free club, and it means a six-year-old and a seventeen-year-old are both catered for without either of them being bored.
It runs term time, Monday to Friday, with generous hours, open until 7pm or later most weekdays and 8pm on Mondays. Everything's free, which is the standout fact here, though some clubs (particularly the under-12s group) need you to register first and can have waiting lists, so it's worth getting your child's name down early rather than turning up on the day. Parking on Commercial Street outside is pay-and-display through most of the day, so factor that in if you're driving over.
Need to know
- Best for
- 6 to 21, with plenty to keep both younger and older kids busy
- Parking
- Street parking on Commercial Street
- Everything on offer is free, including the trips out
- Register early for popular clubs, especially the under-12s group which can have a waiting list
- Only runs in term time, not school holidays
- Street parking on Commercial Street is pay-and-display 8:30am to 6:30pm Monday to Saturday
Plan your visit
Does it cost anything?
No. All the clubs are free.
What ages does it take?
Children and young people from 6 to 21.
Do we need to register or book ahead?
Many clubs need you to register first, and the under-12s group in particular can have a waiting list. It's best to contact the office to find out what's running and get signed up.
What are the opening hours?
Term time only, Monday 9am to 8pm, Tuesday and Friday 9am to 7pm, Wednesday and Thursday 9am to 7:30pm. Office staff are around Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
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