Isle of Wight - places to go for toddlers!!

[lynniep]

I've already had help with accomodation - now I need recommendations on things to do! Theres a ton of places to go it seems, but as I have an 18 mo and a 4 yr I'd like to narrow it down to great things for small people to do. They don't like sitting still so museums are out unless theres lots of interactive stuff. 18 mo hates being in buggy too long and doesnt seem to like 'rides' (not that he's big enough to go on many - I'm going by his reluctance to stay on Thomas the tank engine in our local garden centre lol) I'd like to get them on a pony/donkey, do some paddling (sea or pool) soft play good but we do have that at accomodation. outdoor play areas great. places to explore? We can split up if needs be if theres anything the 4yo would love (he can sit still for a lot longer!)

thanks in advance!

dinosaur isle at sandown is a great indoor half-day trip if its wet - all the skeletons and models downstairs and upstairs a room with playdough, drawing, books, dressing up etc, the beach at sandown is lovely too, as is ryde, the isle of wight steam railway is good, amazon world zoo is good - lots of animals you dont see in regular zoos and again almost all under cover

try moving the thread to chat for greater volume of readers too!

thank you! will post this on chat!

I should have also said, the amazon world zoo has a great outdoor adventure play area, and they bring some animals out there at set times of day for the kids to see/touch/feed

the steam railway has a park at its biggest station which from memory is called something like havenstreet (?)

we love the IOW, have fun

i posted on your other thread but wanted to comment about ashamedandconfused recommendation for Dinosaur Isle. I wonder if it depends when you go? because we couldn't access upstairs because it was closed for access only to the school groups who were in i wish they'd told us that on entry.

Ventnor Botanical Gatrdens is lovely, there are little paths to explore and a play area that is good for little ones.

Blackgang Chine and The Needles are worth a visit, there are funfair type things at The Needles (you cang et a boat to see them properly too).

QR - possibly, if they had a school trip in i can see why they wouold give them the upstairs room, we were there in school holidays and it was good

also we did not pay to get in we use our tesco vouchers, so most things seem like a bargain! LOL!

the only bit that was not good was the horrendously overpriced souvenir shop, it was outrageous!

I personally wouldn't do the needles with 2 little ones, there are 100s of steps down (and back up) to the beach to see the coloured sandy cliffs and the actual needles, and you wont be allowed in the stair lift with the LOs

also not many of the rides are OK for under 5s

Ah, see, I am a mean Mummy and make mine do steps and the like as if I am on the Isle of Wight (might never go there again) than I am going to see The Needles as it is my holiday too :o

Personally I would not go to Blackgang Chine but I take my kids as they are going to enjoy it, I do expect the same courtesy in return.

thanks folks. I think I'll give the Needles a miss. My DS1 is a moany little monkey at the best of times and I'd rather avoid a whinging session (and a piggybag) if I can ;) Amazon World sounds good if there will be animals they arent familiar with (they've so far seen farm animals + tigers +variations of primates+variations of birds, and camels!) Botanical Gardens - good idea. I went and used all my Tesco vouchers on garden toys so none left!!