While there are many attractions in Edinburgh for the discerning tourist, parents who travel with their children are looking specifically for family friendly activities.
Traveling with kids is certainly not for the faint of heart and it helps to be prepared in advance with ideas and information about appropriate activities that will keep children amused and entertained.
Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland, has a very distinguished past and many of its big tourist draws are historical in nature.
As such they are more geared to adults, however most attractions make an effort (some more than others) to include kid-friendly features.
Below are the top five that I recommend.
They are enjoyable and very suitable for families.

1. Edinburgh Castle - Old or young, no one should leave Edinburgh without seeing its incredible castle.
   This vast fortress appears to grow directly out of the cliffs atop which it is perched.
   The castle holds a large number of attractions and can be a bit overwhelming if one is not prepared.
   When you go, you may want to take a guided tour or use the headsets.
   With kids though, it is often best to select one or two highlights, preferably ahead of time on the web site, and focus on those.
   Try the Royal Palace where there are rooms decorated in old-fashioned style and the Scottish crown jewels are displayed.
   Kids will also love King David's tower which looks like a dungeon and has a creepy but fun quality.
   
2. The Edinburgh Dungeons - I would not recommend this for children under 12, but your teenagers will love it! This is a fascinating tour that is just gross and scary enough to be wonderful fun.
   Each section of the dungeons is presented by an actor in costume who interacts with the audience with hilarious and sometimes ghoulish results.
   You'll get to see some of the horrible instruments of torture used in the old days and there is a great segment about the Sawney Bean clan of cannibals who waylaid and murdered hundreds of travelers before being captured back in the 16th century.
   
3. The Edinburgh Zoo - The zoo is wonderful, especially for younger children.
   It is located a little bit west of the city center and boasts a number of activities sure to delight youngsters including a daily penguin parade and a safari ride.
   At regular intervals you will also see zoo staff members giving talks about different animals and inviting visitors to take a closer look.
   The only cautionary note I'd offer is that it might be best to bring something to eat with you as the food they sell is not great and rather highly priced.
   
4. Dynamic Earth - This exhibit, located at the bottom of the Royal Mile and just a stone's throw from Holyrood Palace, is a fantastic voyage that takes you from prehistoric earth to modern times.
   You can travel in a time machine to see the way the earth formed and all the different stages it has gone through.
   Then watch the big bang from the bridge of a space ship and follow the formation of galaxies, stars and our own brand new planet.
   My kids particularly enjoyed the "active" volcano.
   It even smells like sulphur! There's also a terrific 3-D movie that let's you look at all of the earth's different environments.
   Dynamic Earth is geared to kids and is a fantastic interactive experience for them.
   
5. The Dalkeith Country Estate - Built around the Dalkeith palace (not open to the public), the estate has extensive and gorgeous grounds.
   You can take older kids on the hiking and biking trails, and for the younger ones there is a huge adventure park made out of wood from the estate's trees.
   Other highlights include a farm and a bistro.
   It is important to note that the estate is open seasonally only - from Easter to late autumn.
   

There are certainly many more family oriented tourist attractions in Edinburgh, but I can certify that the ones listed above have passed muster with my own children.
If you are planning to visit Edinburgh with your family, do be sure to try one or two of these enjoyable outings.