A SENSORY experience for babies and their adults is to be part of this year’s Edinburgh Fringe.
Float has been developed through extensive workshops in the city’s Wester Hailes and Fruitmarket Gallery and is designed specially for babies from birth to 12 months old.
Tickets will allow audiences to come and go as they want during the three-hour experience, allowing people to arrive late, leave early, or take a break.
Initial development of Float was supported by Dance Base. The performance is conceived and directed by Kerry Cleland and created by Starcatchers, Scotland’s Arts and Early Years organisation, who focus on making work with and for the birth to age five group.
Cleland said: “The making of Float was inspired by my own journey into parenthood, the vastness, the chaos and how moments being in or beside water helped me find a sense of calm and connection back to myself.
“Float journeys through different moments with water, from the simplicity of a single drip, the calming sounds of the ocean waves, to the sparkling sunlight dancing on the surface of the ocean.
“I wanted to make a space where babies and their caregivers are allowed to slow down, to rest, to be free and connect with water in a safe, warm and playful environment. When the world around is slowed down, adults are invited to rest, and babies are invited to be heard.”
Babies can “journey” through five interactive stages – Drip, Dook, Silver, Ocean Club and Waves, which repeat multiple times in the show.
Filled with music, movement, and visual interest, babies and their adults are supported by performers Maddie Broad, Cleland, Rachel Laird and Shiori Usui to relax into the soft and immersive world, which has been created by designer Alison Brown, lighting designer Emma Jones and sound designer Kim Moore.
The performers have a wealth of experience in working with babies and young audiences and adults will be gently encouraged to support and follow their baby to share the experience and exploration of the space.
A spokesperson for Starcatchers said the organisation’s vision is that Scotland’s youngest children have access to arts and creative experiences that give “inspiration, joy and wonder to early childhood”. Recent works including Laaaunch!, Little Top, Mixed Up, MamaBabaMe and Hup.
Starcatchers is supported through Creative Scotland’s Multi-year funding.
Float is part of the Made in Scotland Showcase 2026 and runs from August 9-22 (not 10, 17). Book at pleasance.co.uk
