To think that there should NOT be a children's play area at every single bloody tourist attraction I go to?

[LittleBella]

I mean, Leeds Castle - a beautiful, interesting castle with stunning grounds, peacocks, restaurant, land train, maze, grotto, craft room... isn't that enough? Isn't an effing CASTLE enough? And Wildwood - wolves, wild boar, badgers, loads of wild animals, craft stuff, trails - WHY do children need a play area? OK perhaps I am being very unreasonable, but I feel there's something philistine and vulgar about teaching kids that they have to have effing special playgrounds at every single attraction they go to. Why can they not be expected to just enjoy the fact that they're being taken for a day out and play around the grounds which have masses of space?

I almost feel like writing letters of complaint saying that the playgrounds spoilt my enjoyment of the venue. Am I a grumpy old curmudgeon? I suspect I am...

see camcorder and think put the damn thing down look around, enjoy

LOL at the endless camcorders. Too busy recording the moment and stressing out about getting the right angle, to enjoy it.

I'm not children should be seen and not heard though. I don't want to stop children playing at these attractions. I just don't see why they can't play in the grounds, which are large and fab with a mass of green space.

There is something about having a playground everywhere which is so... philistine. Agree about the DVD's in cars as well. What? What? If you are driving to Scotland for 8 hours OK I can see the point. But someone I know has them and she never drives beyond the local supermarket. What is the deal in teachcing kids to expect ready made entertainment everywhere?

I agree about play areas everywhere. For one, I cannot STAND standing and watching, it's tedium incarnate. I detest parks (I mean playparks) and standing around in them, I really do. And for two, I do think children should be able to enjoy being somewhere without needing a swing or slide to go on.

When my ds's class(all deaf) went to Leeds Castle last month, they hadnt been there five minutes when one of the girls accidentally backed into the fire alarm... the whole castle was evacuated... and of course the kids couldnt hear the alarm...the staff were very good and said it was a good practise!!!

I do agree with camcorders-you never live the moment if you are busy recording it.
I have mixed feelings about the playgrounds. We used to live in Wiltshire and used to go to Wilton House regularly just for the adventure playground, we had tickets for the grounds and took a picnic and spent the day it was very relaxing sitting in nice surroundings with friends and we would get a walk along the river at some point. We used to do the same at Bowood House, a whole day, just a ticket for the grounds and the playground but end up with a walk around the lake. I think that if they are tucked away, so that you can either see them last or ignore them altogether, they are fine. I find there is only so much culture DSs can take before they need to run around and let off steam!

We have annual passes for Leeds castle because I prefer to take the dd's there to play rather than local parks (always seem to have teenagers all over the play equipment or at Mote PArk the play area just to busy) DD1 loves the wooden castle play area and dd2 loves the sand pit in the smaller area. Also in the summer holidays they do falconery displays by the play area, we took the dd's into the castle but they are to young to understand (3.7 and 15months) and we always walk to the play area but get the little train back to car park as they are knackered from running around.

YANBU, I think I also resist the idea that everything everywhere has to revolve around children, it can't be good for them.

You are so lucky to have soft play areas , adventure play parks , chldrens play areas in your parks / attractions. If you don't like them don't go. I live in a city of 65,000 inhabitants we have a total of 10 swings , 6 slides , 2 climbing walls, the odd see -saw No soft play centres and all of this in 2 stupidly small green areas and 2 reasonable ones. Needless to say when I have access to the ones in the UK I can't get enough of them !!!

I think that you have to bear in mind the people who are not going as a one off trip. If I lived near Leeds Castle, once we had seen it, we would probably regularly visit just for the playground. I found playgrounds a very easy option in the summer, I could either go with friends and chat or just go on my own with a book and everyone was happy.

'Looking' at things on its own doesnt cut it as an inetersting day out for my full of beans 2 year old!
I think its great that there is a play area to burn off some energy in between looking round the castle. If he burns off a bit of energy first then he is more likely to enjoy looking at the intersting things ime.

littlebella, have only read your op, but my children and i have spent lots of time at leeds castle and can tell you that they enjoy it imensely because of the play area. and so do we. I actually cannot see why you are complaining since the playarea is right at the back and out of the way. If you don't want to go there just don't walk down to that part. There's nothing else past it so i really don't see a problem.

Many parents find the playareas a great resting place.

YABTU

We liked the Slate Museum.

Playgrounds in these sort of places don't bother me too much.

TBH I would use them as an opportunity for the adults to sit and have a cup of coffee, a chat and a breather whilst watching the children in the playground (if the children are old enough of course as I appreciate its a different matter with toddlers)

However what does bother me are indoor ball pool/soft play places in attractions eg. Plymouth Aquarium had one in the cafe area. The number of children we saw having various degrees of wobblies because they wanted to play in there rather than eat lunch.

I don't know why I find these different to outdoor playgrounds? I think its just childrens attitudes to them, they play differently in them somehow (much more of an "everyone for themselves" attitude? There are always tears in them too)

there's a dogcollar museum at leeds castle i haven't been in there yet as we're too busy in the playground

I have no objections to children's playgrounds in these sorts of places, they are a good place to have picnics, sit down and enjpy a cup of coffee after enjoying the attraction, as long as they are tucked away and not the first thing you see as you walk in.

What I do object to are those bloody awful flipping 'kiddie rides' that they have everywhere, I bloody hate those, ugly monstrous primary coloured noddy cars and tweeny tihngs and brum and postman pat vans and the like. If I was in charge I'd get rid of them all.

I agree about the 'kiddie rides'-in fact anything that you have to pay to go on is a menace.

I actually quite like having play areas. DD would enjoy the maze, the animal, the gardens and crafts etc but ds woudln't he is a bit young and would just get bored and grumpy or end up running around mad.
Having somewhere like that one of us could take him would give dd the oppertunity to do some of the other things with me or dh in peace.
Oh I have a DVD player for the car as well only been used on a couple of really long journeys one of the mums from nursery ha hers in the car all the time but believe me one long journey with my dd and you would be rushing out for one.

lol at 'menace' Abbey.
We got away for years with telling our lot you just sit inn the rides outside supermarkets while Daddy shakes it about.

Martian,no it was Rhuddlan, which is very nice. Yes,Slate museum is great and they also have very good whizzy wire that you fly about 100 metres grabbing onto it.I am regularly pushing away little kids to have a go.

YABU, but I can see your point about camcorders and living the moment.

I have taken my sons to Leeds Castle and Wildwood and many similar attractions and am always thankful that there is an adventure playground.

IME children vary so much in how they enjoy these places. Some children just naturally gravitate towards the craft workshops, story telling activities and organised treasure hunts etc ie the more 'educational' and themed stuff. Other children (like mine) run a million miles from this. But they are not mini philstines - they really do like to see and hear about new places, like to trot around a farm or historic house, will talk about it afterwards and find things that that interest them. But they also like to let off steam! Taking them to historic and educational attractions, minus a playground would not go down at all well.

And aren't playgrounds for children the equivalent of tea rooms for adults? If children can't let off steam in a playground, why should adults have time off to relax over a slice of home made cake?

Oh I would ban fatties cramming cake into themselves too.
Like a shot.

I think you are being a teeny bit UR BUT, when we came back from France last year, the bit the ds's said was the best was the soft play area we went to near our hotel on the last night

I think play areas are a product of our obsessive and over-protective modern parenting.

When I was a child (blah blah...) as soon as we got through the gate of somewhere with extensive grounds - Newstead Abbey was a common trip, for e.g, or Belvoir castle, or Bradgate park, or just out in a load of bracken by the river Wharfe) my brother and I would tear off exploring, running about, looking at lakes and waterfalls etc etc and be told to be back for the picnic at a certain time. NOW parents must be able to see thier child at all times - hence the organised playground.