Displays of the remarkable construction skills of animals, including birds and insects, with videos, computer interactives and demonstrations of web-spinning techniques by live tropical spiders.

Discovering Japan

Royal Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh until June 6.

A hands-on exhibition on various aspects of Japanese life and culture: costume, design, food, shire, daruma, writing and wrapping the Japanese way. Pupils can work on a range of practical tasks, including trying on a kimono, designing a family crest and identifying mysterious objects.

A Century of Childhood, 1900 to the Present Day

Borders Museum Service

A year-long activities-packed exhibition, touring six venues in the Borders, moving from Tweeddale Museum, Peebles to Old Gala House, Galashiels, on May 8 for two months.

An Orkney Childhood

Orkney Museum, Kirkwall until September 30

Historic games, toys and customs, including a dolls’ house from No 10 Downing Street, and a medieval yoyo made from a pig’s knucklebone.

Making a Meal of It

Perth Museum and Art Gallery until January 2000

Food preparation over the past 10,000 years, from the cooking of wild animals over hot rocks to the heating of genetically modified tomato soup in a microwave oven.

Washday Blues

Callendar House, Falkirk until July 11

Hands-on opportunities for nursery and primary schools and home economics classes to find out how laundry was dealt with before washing machines were invented.

For full details of museum exhibitions plus information on theatre in education, festivals, music, dance, puppets and literary events for schools, look up TES Scotland’s Arts Events service, updated weekly on the Internet, http:www.tes.co.uk