Yesterday as a special almost-Summer Holidays treat we took Ben, six and Harriet, 13-going-on-20, to Legoland.
It was Ben's first visit and we quickly realised it would be impossible to make a plan and stick to it, because he wanted to go on every single attraction, from the Dragon rollercoaster to Pirate Falls, and he'd barely finished one ride before he was asking to go on another one. (His big sister is obviously much, much cooler, but even she was excited by the prospect of a ride on Fairytale Brook.)
Ben was thrilled with his Driving School licence. 'Does this mean I can drive a real car?' he asked hopefully. He looked crestfallen when he was told the answer was a firm no, but cheered up no end with a ride on the Vikings' River Splash, which resulted in both his mum and dad getting thoroughly soaked. He thought that was very funny indeed.
Maybe it's the smell of candyfloss, pizza, and hot dogs everywhere you go, but theme parks seem to make you extra hungry. Luckily we'd brought a picnic with us to avoid the astronomical food prices, which we ate on a bench by the lake under the watchful eyes of some ducks (real ones, not Lego ones).
Sadly Fairytale Brook had broken down, leaving a few unlucky passengers stranded by the Big Bad Wolf and inside Aladdin's Cave. So instead we decided to take a stroll around MiniLand, where I was amused to see that in 'London', alongside a broken-down tube and the Gherkin and Canary Wharf, there are some tiny Lego men working on a tiny Lego building site – presumably they're getting it ready for the 2012 Olympics. I do hope they finish it in time.
Afterwards I asked Ben which was his favourite ride. 'They were all my favourites,' he replied loyally.
If you're planning a special day out this summer, don't forget that KidStart members can get fantastic savings on the entry price to some of the UK's best loved theme parks, including Legoland.
written by Liz Jarvis