Anyone going to the Zoo tommorow, zoo tommorow, zoo tommorow?

[chegirl]

I am taking DS to London Zoo special needs day for the first time tommorow.

Anyone been before? Whats it like?

Anyone going tommorow?

I am not going to stalk anyone, just curious

Meee!
No idea what it's going to be like, not been before but really looking forward to it.

We'll be there too. Been years since we went. Gorilla enclosure is new, good insect houses, places with fish plus penguins, big cats, giraffes, massive bird house etc etc. There are places to eat but suspect it will be very busy so we're taking picnic with us. Playground areas too if I remember rightly.

Have a good day ( I am presently trying to get in the spirit of the event after noticing the neighbour has decimated the trees I expressly said he could not trim, grrrr Happily feed him to the lions at the moment.)

Us too!

First time at this event - and haven't been to the zoo for a few years. So I'm probably more excited than the kids.

Hello all,

Thanks for your replies but I missed them!

Just got back. We live quite near so its not a long journey. OH dropped us off and picked us up (so sweet of him).

I came over a bit emotional like a soppy mare. Its the first time I have taken DS2 to a proper special needs event. He has learning difficulties and severe eczema but I have never really been sure if SN applies to him. I felt a bit of a fraud in the past if I took advantage of any SN things.

Now he is 6 and his 'differences' are so much more obvious and he is SEN I suppose I am dipping my toe in a bit. Its not that I have been in denial or anything, I just didnt want to misuse services IYSWIM.

Anyway back to the point - it was so lovely being somewhere among families that just smiled at DS. He has loads of sulks and meltdowns, you have to make him encourage him do things, you have to repeat stuff over and over. Plus I have to do skin care wherever we are. His skin was v.bad today so he was very red and inflamed.

We didnt get any or looks and it was fantastic. There were no laughs at me saying 'oh good waiting/looking/listening!' I was so much more relaxed with him and I know that helped with his behaviour.

It was a lovely day.

There was me, DS2 and DS3. DS2 is mixed race with dreadlocks and bad eczema, DS3 was in his great big ol pram and I was saying 'Oh lovely looking!' a lot (and oh flipping shut up about the blooming bouncy castle).

So if you saw that little group,it was us!

I hope you all had a good time too. We will definately be going next year

Glad you enjoyed it...so did we. Went with two kids came back with a shark and a pink rabbit! First time they've had faces painted and I have been very impressed with how easily it washes off. never seen so many Maclaren Majors in one place! Thoroughly good day out.

Wasnt it great?

Couldnt get DS face painted cos of his greasy face (twod slide off).

I had to drag him to see the animals. Far too much going on. Carosel, play parks bouncy dancing castles and so on.

Think he looked at a giraffe briefly.

Glad you had a good time too.

We really enjoyed ourselves too. ds1 really enjoyed himself too, and actaully was a lot more interested in the animals this time, and he stroked the ferrets! It was our first time at a specifically sn event too, and I really do wish there were more now. Really enjoyed the freedom to let him be and not worry about what other people were thinking.

We are def going back next year too.

Glad you had a good time too.

I tried to get DS to stroke a millipede but he wasnt having any of it!

I think I would be such a better parent (grammer?) if everywhere we went was like that.

It has given me a bit more confidence to check out some of the SN stuff locally. We have a really good centre that holds regular playdays. I think I will give it a go.