WIBU - toddler in play area

[AmiU]

WIBU - I went to the basement play area in a museum on a busy weekend last week. It's specifically for under-5s and their carers.

In one corner, they had padded floor mats and those enormous foam bricks which can be built like Lego. There were absolutely loads, well over 100.

A little girl, around 3 or 4, was building elaborate towers and walls with some of the bricks, using maybe 20 bricks, if that. Her mum (?) was supervising.

My 2 year old DS began 'playing' with the other bricks (mainly making little piles of 4 and knocking them down like a maniac). If he touched her pile, I'd take it out of his hand, redirect and give the brick back to her.

The little girl told my DS a few times, 'go away, I'm playing here!', which I ignored. After the third time, I smiled and said, 'that's a lovely tower you've got. The baby can share, but I'll make sure he doesn't touch your bricks'. She then stockpiled all the bricks in her corner (with the mum helping!) DS helped himself to a few (like 5) and I didn't stop him.

The mum picked up and the little girl and walked away, huffing "some people have no manners"

Was I rude? I thought toys in play areas were shared as long as there were enough to go around, take turns if not?

Thymeout We go from Waterloo on the tube, where do you change for the DLR please?

Ahoy gallery at Greenwich maritime is also brilliant

oh yes Docklands is a little gem of a place. love Science but we no longer bother with play area.

Ahoy Gallery is amazing, its our rainy day favourite. Thanks for all the replies

Readysteady

From Waterloo, Jubilee line to Canary Wharf. Change to Docklands Light Railway. Get off at West India Quay. 2 mins walk to the museum. I think you can actually see it from the station, which is right on the waterfront.

We live in SELondon and get straight on to the DLR at Lewisham. It also connects with Greenwich, Cutty Sark. Great views from the train.

Thymeout Thanks. Now I think about I know where the railway line is, you can see it round the back. It's the Canary Wharf/DLR bit I don't know. I shall do it over half term though! Thanks again.

Half-term gets very busy in there!! Mudlarks is ticketed these days (didn't used to be in my day) so there is sometimes a wait.

It's a great place and wonderful part of London. Happy memories!

And yes, I've only bee. To the science museum once and hated the basement play area - horrid pushy parents!!!

I'm also finding it hard to believe she took 100 bricks? Are they very small? Either way gonna pay a visit in the half term so I will find out as I'm also in London and did like the sound of the museum but thought it would be nowhere near me!

The little girl clearly wanted to use all of the bricks to complete her building.
Sometimes sharing can mean taking it it turns. I'd have taken my DS in a different section to play with something else until she'd moved on to the next thing, but then again I wouldn't have objected if the roles were reversed.

You weren't rude. You were actually being very reasonable by supervising your child do well.

The basement play zone in the Science Museum always gets fraught - luckily DS is only interested in the canal system and has learned to hold his ground when shoved by other children.

The Launch Pad was better, it felt more spacious and less claustrophobic and the children really did cooperate to work the grain machine. Sadly they closed it before DS could go!