Hampton Court flower show - take the toddlers or not?

[Sevillemarmalade]

Would be very grateful for some advice from mumsnetters - we have tickets for the Hampton Court flower show this year and pondering whether or not to take our children - they are 2.5 and 1. Has anyone taken children before to a flower show? Does anyone know what the shows are like for baby/toddler facilities? Thanks for any tips x

We went to the outer bit of it a few years ago when DD1 was 3 and DD2 was 18m and it was fine. We didn't go to the very posh garden bits and would have avoided it with them at that age because of their love of picking flowers and picking up pebbles :o

I never took my dd when she was little, but I think a lot could depend on the weather. It's a large site and I imagine you'd take the buggy, which could be a trial if (as it had some years) it rains a lot and the ground turns to a quagmire. That said, the loo facilities are (from memory) reasonably good, and last year there were some children's activities near one of the main gates.

Many thanks! Will keep an eye on the forecast in the run up, hope it will be fine and the children can have fun without picking all the flowers! x

If the show gets too much, you could - if you keep an iron grip on your dc - go and dangle your feet in the Long Water!

:)

I think 2.5 is probably the wrong age to take. I took DS1 when he was younger and it was fine, he was happy to spend lots of time in the push chair, we had a picnic lunch and I got to see lots of things. Took him when he was 3 1/2 and DS2 who was 1 yr. Absolutely awful. He wasn't old enough to appreciate the children's area, and too hold to stay put in the push chair for the length of time required. It's too crowded to let them walk around in a lot of the areas - especially if it's fine.

I would be tempted to take DS1 at 5 yrs now, but not 3 yr old DS2.

Given the choice, leave them at home. I'm sure the facilities are ok but it's hardly going to be fun for them to be dragged round, there's nothing there for them, it's a HUGE site knackering enough to get round without a double buggy let alone with one, it can get very crowded, and surely you will have a much much better time of it if they are happy somewhere else.