When afternoon clubbing event Baby Loves Disco first got off the ground, it was as much for the grown-ups as the offspring sitting on their hips; a chance to hang out with friends in a nightclub environment, have a dance and recapture days gone by (albeit with one major difference).

But, as all parents know, children get older, bigger, and less keen to have mum and dad by their side. Which is why organiser Lesley Woodall started a brand new event, Pop Lock-In, aimed at the more mature age group of 4–11-year-olds. ‘We were finding that older children coming to Baby Loves Disco were outgrowing it before they were ready,’ she explains. ‘So there seemed to be a need for something catering for kids who still want to be in that family unit, but have enough independence to dance with their friends and try out activities, without being quite so attached to mum’s leg.’

To that end, the music is up-to-the-minute chart pop (as opposed to parent-oriented nostalgic floor-fillers), and as well as the lure of the dancefloor – complete with streetdance instructor – Woodall and her team provide a range of fun pursuits dotted around the venues. ‘We’ve got karaoke, jewellery making, mini air hockey and table football, nail painting and glitter tattoos,’ she says. ‘And in Edinburgh, we have DJ and Guitar Hero, which the kids love.’

Best of all, young ones get to venture out on their own, but still under the watchful eye of proud parents. ‘There’s very little out there for this age group,’ says Woodall. ‘There are plenty of things where parents drop children off to do a class, but this is a bit fresher and something you can still share as a family. The children feel cool to be in a nightclub, which is different to going into a disco in a community centre – and I think the parents like it for the same reasons.'

Electric Circus, Edinburgh, Fri 21 Feb; The Glasshouse, Glasgow, Sun 2 Mar.