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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Weekend in london for toddler....(chessington maybe)...advice needed

16 replies

BigBird · 13/07/2004 18:05

Hi - i'm hoping to get some advice. We are spending a weekend in London with dd who is 2.5 in a few weeks. I have checked out Legoland and Chessingtons websites and think she will get more out of Chessington as the height restriction page shows she will be able to go on more stuff. We had planned a Friday (end July). Will this be absolutely crazy busy and long queues or is it manageable? We probably won't want to go on the most popular stuff - just the toddler things. Any advice or should we try something else/somewhere else instead ?

We were also going to do some parks and Hamleys on other days....
any ideas/advice more than welcome !

OP posts:
Twinkie · 13/07/2004 18:10

If you buy Mother and Baby mag this month they have a coupon for something like £15 off the entry price to Chessington!!

hana · 13/07/2004 19:00

kew gardens is lots of fun for toddlers - a new play area has just opened up, there's a make believe badger den and a tree top exhibition ( you climb up scaffolding-like ladders and levels)
Took dd there last week - excellent fun!
I think Chessington/Legoland are awfully expensive and will prob take dd there but not until she's a bit older.
Science Museum is great too (bottom floor with interactive things) or the Nat History Museum. The Aquarium I think is overpriced......but lots to see for kids. Have a great weekend in London BigBird, I'm sure you'll have lots of fun!

SofiaAmes · 13/07/2004 23:27

If the weather is good the Diana park is great.

onlineid · 14/07/2004 01:00

Message withdrawn

slug · 14/07/2004 19:20

If the weather is bad I can recommedn the Discovery Center in Stratford. It's aimed at the under 7's and mt dd, at 2.5 thinks it's just the best place in the world.
here

ladymuck · 14/07/2004 19:36

Chessington should be fine at that age (ds is just 3 and loves it). Plenty of offers available - Tesco clubcard esp good. We went Bank Holiday Monday at end of May and most rides were 5 minutes wait. Animals are good too. Been at a number of weekends since it opened this year and have been surprised at how non-busy it is (though of course we've been on all the toddler rides!). Apparently Thorpe Park is being billed as the "older" park, and Chessington is specialising in the very young.

Finbar · 15/07/2004 13:52

the Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green is good for a rainy Sunday - you can get toddler type food there too. Just a v.short walk from the Tube

soapbox · 15/07/2004 14:12

The London Transport musuem in covent garden is fabulous for little ones. They can see all the cars, buses, trains etc there is also a big softplay/lego area for the under 5's and a nice cafe.

There is a learning to be safe exhibition on all summer which deals with crossing the road etc.

Adults pay £5ish but children are free.

jimmychoos · 15/07/2004 14:18

Bigbird - don't want to sound like a pooper but I wouldn't do Hamleys. It's really un-toddler friendly - too busy, too much there, a recipe for overtired, overstimulated toddler IMO. I'd have an hour on your own and go if you want to choose her something special from there.

Hulababy · 15/07/2004 14:23

Have to say that my DD really loved Hamleys - she was just under 2 last time we went. She adores looking round toy shops anyway and it was her idea of heaven. We did avoid the weekend, out of holiday time though.

Original poster
BigBird · 17/07/2004 13:52

wow - thanks for all the suggestions !

Twinkiw - bought M&B and got the vouvher - thanks for the tip!
Ladymuck - that reassuring to hear about the queues, thank you. What is the tesco clubcard offer and how do you get it ?

Everyone else - I have printed out all the info and plan to make it to a few of the suggested places ! Many thanks.

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 17/07/2004 14:11

If you save your Tesco Clubcard vouchers rather than spending them in store, you can get Chessington tickets for £5.50!

SoupDragon · 17/07/2004 14:12

I went to Chessington on July 4th and the queues were longer than 5 minutes They were generally shorter for the rides for little ones though.

jema · 17/07/2004 14:17

a few years on & my 2 dd's still remembers the aquarium, they didnt like chessington as it was too big & full of rides for older children, think it was sensory overload!, think 5-7 yrs was better for my 2 at chessingtom, Batersea park - near aquaqrium has childrens Farm / playground etc- river trips are good, science museum fab

Hulababy · 18/07/2004 14:15

We took our 2y DD to the National History useum and she loved it, especially the dinosaurs. We are also planning on taking her to Legoland very soon.

jema · 18/07/2004 18:07

iside the asda free mag, is abooklet of vouchers & things to do in hols

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