Mrs Dowsons Farm

Just off the A59, north of Blackburn, is Mrs Dowsons farm. Mrs Dowsons is a local ice cream maker, and I can personally attest to the quality of its ice cream, having served it at my wedding. Alongside their ice cream business, they also operate a small farm which is open weekends, bank holidays and school holidays.

The farm features sheep, pigs, alpacas, chicken, horses and more. The enclosures seemed spacious, and the surrounding countryside was breathtaking, a truly lovely spot.

We were offered animal feed when we bought our wristband, and it was clear that the animals are very used to being fed. As you approached their enclosures they immediately walked/ran over to you to poke their heads through/over the fence. Baby found this a bit intimidating, especially the sheep, who baa very loudly to get your attention. In one case, when two women who had been feeding a goat walked away, it jumped over the fence to follow them. 

After our first circuit of the farm we were slightly confused as to why an ice cream farm only seemed to have two highland cows, and then overheard another family discussing the same question. It turned out that the Farm Tour listed on the Daily Timetable, was actually a guided walk to the building housing their dairy cows, on the working part of their farm, so we decided to join the tour. Just before 11.30, the member of staff taking the tour actually walked around telling all the visitors she could see, that she was about to lead a tour over to the working farm to see the cows, so that no one missed the opportunity, which was a nice touch.

The Daily Timetable included chick and rabbit handling, as well as tours and feeding, all at no extra cost. We took part in the rabbit handling, which was well run, and the tour to see the cows. The cow barn we were shown housed pregnant cows and week old calves, as well as three hairy pigs. Visitors were given the opportunity to feed the calves, though Baby was not interested.

In addition to the animals, there was also a climbing frame for older children, a large sandpit, and a fleet of tractors and cars to keep the kids entertained. I knew it was small and had only envisioned spending around an hour there, but because of the sandpit and activities, we actually stayed for around three hours. At £4 per person, I'd call that money well spent.

There is a cafe serving sandwiches, panini, and of course ice cream on site, along with a small shop with the obligatory toy tractors and farm animal cuddly toys.

All in all, a lovely place to spend a few hours.


Key Facts
Month of visit:
August

Weather for visit:
Overcast but dry.

Is it pushchair friendly?
Yes. The path around the animal enclosure was wide and gravelled, so no need to worry about getting stuck in the mud.

How are the baby changing facilities?
Toilets are located by the cafe, with the baby changing in the disabled toilet. They were clean both times we had to use them!

What about somewhere to feed?
The cafe had plenty of seating, and there were lots of picnic benches outside.

Is it worth a visit?
Yes. We'll definitely be back.

Baby's highlight?
The ginormous pig. And her new toy tractor.

Mrs Dowsons Farm
Hawkshaw Farm,
Longsight Road,
Clayton-le-Dale,
Blackburn,
BB2 7JA


https://www.mrsdowsons.co.uk

Mini Moose Land at Chill Factore

Every Friday morning Chill Factore hosts Play n Cake, when toddlers have unlimited access to Mini Moose Land, followed by coffee and cake for the parent, and a cookie and juice for the toddler.

It's been on my radar for a while, but felt quite expensive for what would likely be a shortish outing, at £14 for one adult and one child, however, Baby and her two best friends have their second birthdays within three weeks of one another, so we decided to take them as a birthday treat.

We booked online around three weeks in advance, however it was actually quieter than we expected, especially considering it was the summer holidays, so we perhaps needn't have booked. One point to note was that of the three of us, only one received an email confirmation, however when we checked in at reception we had no issues.

We arrived by 10.00am, but as we were leaving the snow park around 11.30am the queues seemed to have grown significantly, and the snow park itself had definitely become much busier.

Reception gave us tickets to redeem for cake afterwards, and in my case, a voucher for jacket and trouser hire. They asked if we 'had everything we needed' though weren't particularly specific on what that was. The official stance is that hats and gloves are mandatory in the snow park, with waterproof jackets and trousers highly recommended. While booking I had been under the impression that the waterproof jacket and trousers were mandatory, however when questioned, staff confirmed that this was not the case. At a cost of £8 for the full outfit, it wasn't particularly expensive, but it all adds up. Boots and helmets (if required) are provided free of charge.

There is plenty of space to get changed, with benches and cubicles provided, as well as wall to wall lockers, which require a refundable £1 coin.

Mini Moose Land is a portion of the snow park reserved specifically for under 4s. It features an ice maze, small ramp with inflatable doughnuts, two wooden houses, two tunnel systems, a soft igloo and various soft shapes and plastic truck toys dotted around. There were also some small skis for the toddlers to strap to their snow boots if they wanted to.

By far the biggest successes were the doughnuts and the little houses. Two wooden houses, each just large enough for two toddlers to sit on small plastic chairs, with windows which opened and shut. All three toddlers spent a long time playing in them.

The ramp initially didn't look particularly exciting or large, but once a child in a doughnut was tipped over the edge they absolutely flew down. Two of our toddlers positively loved this, and wanted to go on it again and again, particularly enjoying pushing each other down the ramp. The other (who is actually the keenest on slides in general), went on it once and didn't want to try it again. There was a soft barrier at the bottom of the ramp which was definitely needed, but because of the speed at which they hit it, also meant their little heads were bounced around, to the extent that Baby's hat was jolted off many a time.

The two tunnel systems were expansive, but didn't particularly attract the attention of any of the toddlers for any length of time. Similarly the soft shapes, although plentiful and colourful, didn't occupy them for long. When we arrived there were various semi circular shaped pieces on the floor, which our toddlers climbed over and walked through. Someone who had been before was obviously in the know however and by the time we left, they had been shaped into a soft igloo, for the toddlers to sit in.

The ice maze looked small at first glance, but when our toddlers entered it, in places we couldn't see their heads above the walls. Variable success with the maze, one loved it, one spent a little bit of time in it, and one barely visited it.

At a temperature of -3 C, we knew that our toddlers wouldn't last too long, even in their padded snowsuits. In fact they spent around 45 minutes on the snow before their noses and fingers started to get too cold, but within that time they'd thoroughly explored the area. I should say that none of them finished the session wearing gloves, as they found them too cumbersome, but there were no staff around to enforce the glove wearing rule.

After we'd returned our boots and clothes, we made our way to the cafe upstairs for our hot drink, cake and cookie. We gave our vouchers to the staff member behind the counter, and in return were provided with a square of sponge cake, with some jam and cream on top, and a cookie each. In a corner of the cafe, there were some jugs of blackcurrant and orange squash, along with water, and large flasks of tea and coffee.

To be honest this was the only negative for the whole experience. Although the cookies went down well, the cake didn't look appetising, particularly given the other more tempting cakes on the counter, which were not included in the offer. It was also disappointing that the hot drink was limited to pre made tea or coffee, as two of us drink neither, and we'd all agreed that actually we were looking forward to a freshly made hot chocolate.

The cost for Play n Cake is £2 more than the cost for an individual session in Mini Moose Land. Although a normal session only lasts 1 hour, whereas Play n Cake is unlimited, we'd be unlikely to stay any longer anyway, so if I went again I'd just book a normal session and be more than happy to pay a smidgeon more to get a choice of cake and drink.

Mini Moose Land was a huge hit with all our toddlers, and although perhaps a bit pricey for a regular morning out, I'd definitely go back as a treat.


Key Facts
Month of visit:
August

Weather for visit:
Irrelevant

Is it pushchair friendly?
No pushchairs allowed on the snow park for obvious reasons, but if you wanted to take one into Chill Factore everywhere is flat, with a lift to the upper floor.

How are the baby changing facilities?
There was a baby changing table in the women's toilets on the first floor next to the cafe, though to use it you would block the door to one of the toilets. The toilets were clean when we used them.

What about somewhere to feed?
Plenty of seating on the first floor, including some booths offering a more private place to feed. Various cafes, restaurants etc with seating as well.

Is it worth a visit?
Definitely as a special treat.

Baby's highlight?
Sliding down the ramp in a doughnut.

Chill Factore

Trafford Quays Leisure Village,

Trafford Way,

Manchester,

M41 7JA

https://www.chillfactore.com

Brick Dinos at the Harris Museum, Preston

Given the recent downpours, we were looking for a weather proof day out. Daddy mentioned having seen 'something about some Lego dinosaurs in Preston', so after a quick google, we set off for the Brick Dinos exhibition at the Harris Museum in Preston.

Running from now until 17th September, and open every day, this free exhibition showcases miniature (and three not so miniature) model dinosaurs created from Lego by artist Warren Elsmore.

The exhibition spans three rooms on the second floor of the museum. The first contains numerous miniatures, a small shop, and two large models. The second, to the left, contains a further large model, and more miniatures, while the third, to the right of the entrance, contains dinosaur/Lego related activities.

Children had the opportunity to build their own dinosaurs out of Lego, stick Lego bricks onto a stegosaurus shaped wall collage, colour in pictures of dinosaurs or take part in an archaeological dig. There was even an area containing larger softer bricks for toddlers to build with.

The models were very well done, and set in brightly coloured, detailed landscapes, capturing the attention of the children in the exhibition. The larger models, particularly the Masiakasaurus, were also attracting a lot of interest. However, the most popular part of the exhibition did seem to be the activity room.

Baby enjoyed looking at the models, though the roar of the Masiakasaurus made her jump every time. She coloured in a picture of a Stegosaurus, but found the activity room a bit too busy with older children, so didn't really show much interest in playing with the Lego. And if your preschooler is the type to put everything in their mouths you might want to steer them away from the buckets of small pieces of Lego.

Even if Baby had wanted to build Lego models or dig for fossils, we probably wouldn't have spent longer than an hour, two at most, but for free, it was well worth the visit.

The Harris Museum has other permanent and temporary exhibitions, including one on Preston's history, which we visited briefly. They didn't seem particularly suited to toddlers, but a handful of older children were perusing the exhibits.

Key Facts
Month of visit:
August

Weather for visit:
Irrelevant

Is it pushchair friendly?
Yes, a lift takes you to all floors apart from the Egyptian balcony, and there are ramps outside alongside the entrance steps.

How are the baby changing facilities?
There are toilets on or in-between each floor, all including baby changing.

What about somewhere to feed?
There is a cafe on the ground floor which is open Monday to Saturday with plenty of seating. The seating is also accessible on a Sunday when the cafe is closed. A few chairs are available in the central gallery of each floor but there's not really anywhere quiet/private.

Is it worth a visit?
A free exhibition that can entertain children for a couple of hours through the Summer holiday, definitely.

Baby's highlight?
The basket of Lego dinosaur eggs.



Harris Museum and Art Gallery
Market Square,
Preston,
PR1 2PP


http://www.harrismuseum.org.uk

What's On Summer 2017

As the Summer holidays begin, most baby/pre school classes finish, leaving us parents with days and days needing to be filled with activities to entertain energetic toddlers. Thankfully there are still some classes, along with various other activities put on especially for Summer, which are listed below.

Obviously please check with providers before setting out to any event.


Monday 31st July

Joxytales Twinkle Toes baby sensory

Gioco Wigan

11.00-12.00

Birth to crawling

£4

Joxytales Twinkle Tunes baby sensory

St Francis Church

City Road (Kitt Green)

1.00-2.30

Birth to steady on feet

Rock N Learn Family Time Rocks
Whittle-le-Woods Village Hall
1.00-1.45
All ages

Balance Bike Championship - Practice Day
Robin Park
10.00-3.00
18 months to 5 years


Tuesday 1st August

Balance Bike Championship - Practice Day
Robin Park
10.00-3.00
18 months to 5 years


Wednesday 2nd August

Joxytales Baby Bubbles and Rhyme

Gioco Wigan

10.00-11.00

Birth to steady on feet

Joxytales Tiger Feet

Gioco Wigan

11.00-12.00

From steady on feet

£4

Joxytales Story sack builders course

Gioco Wigan

1.00-2.00

20+ months

£20 for four weeks, advance booking required

National Play Day

Haigh Woodland Park

10.00-4.00

All ages

£2 for all day parking

Rock N Learn Family Time Rocks
Whittle-le-Woods Village Hall
9.45-10.30
All ages

Rock N Learn Teddy Bears Rock
Whittle-le-Woods Village Hall
10.45-11.00
Birth to toddlers

Balance Bike Championship - Practice Day
Robin Park
10.00-3.00
18 months to 5 years


Thursday 3rd August

Joxytales Family Frenzy

Westfield School

9.30-10.45

All ages

Joxytales Bedtime Story time

Westfield School

5.15-6.45

Rock N Learn Toddle n Rock
Parbold Village Hall
9.30-10.15
Toddlers to 3 years

Rock N Learn
Parbold Village Hall
10.20-11.05
3-5 years

Rock N Learn
Parbold Village Hall
11.15-12.00
Birth to toddlers


Friday 4th August

Joxytales Tiger Feet

Grand Vault, Old Courts

10.00-11.00

From steady on feet

£4

We LOVE The Stickman

Theatre, Old Courts

11.30-12.30

Under 8

£3 advance, £4 on the door

We LOVE What The Ladybird Heard

Theatre, Old Courts

1.30-2.30

Under 8

£3 advance, £4 on the door

Balance Bike Championship - Practice Day
Robin Park
10.00-3.00
18 months to 5 years


Monday 7th August

Joxytales Twinkle Toes baby sensory
Gioco Wigan
11.00-12.00
Birth to crawling
£4

Joxytales Twinkle Tunes baby sensory

St Francis' Church, City Road (Kitt Green)

1.00-2.30

Birth to steady on feet

The Gruffalo

Theatre, Old Courts

2.00-3.00

Under 7

£6 (both adults and children require tickets)

Balance Bike Championship - Competition Day
Robin Park
10.00-3.00
18 months to 5 years


Wednesday 9th August

Joxytales Baby Bubbles and Rhyme

Gioco Wigan

10.00-11.00

Birth to steady on feet

Joxytales Tiger Feet

Gioco Wigan

11.00-12.00

From steady on feet

£4

Joxytales Story sack builders course

Gioco Wigan

1.00-2.00

20+ months

£20 for four weeks, advance booking required


Thursday 10th August

Joxytales Family Frenzy

Westfield School

9.30-10.45

Joxytales Bedtime Story time

Westfield School

5.15-6.45

Messy Moo with Moo Music

Shevington Youth Club

10.30-11.30

2-8 years

£5

Friday 11th August

Joxytales Crafty Critters

Grand Vault, Old Courts

10.00-11.00

Under 5

£4 booking essential


Monday 14th August

Joxytales Twinkle Toes baby sensory

Gioco Wigan

11.00-12.00

Birth to crawling

£4

Joxytales Twinkle Tunes baby sensory

St Francis Church, City Road (Kitt Green)

1.00-2.30

Birth to steady on feet


Wednesday 16th August

Joxytales Baby Bubbles and Rhyme

Gioco Wigan

10.00-11.00

Birth to steady on feet

Joxytales Tiger Feet

Gioco Wigan

11.00-12.00

From steady on feet

£4

Joxytales Story sack builders course

Gioco Wigan

1.00-2.00

20+ months

£20 for four weeks, advance booking required


Thursday 17th August

Joxytales Family Frenzy

Westfield School

9.30-10.45

Joxytales Bedtime Story time

Westfield School

5.15-6.45

Messy Moo with Moo Music

Shevington Youth Club

10.30-11.30am

Ages 2-8

£5 per child


Friday 18th August

Joxytales What's Cooking Kids,

Grand Vault, Old Courts

10.00-11.00

Under 5

£4 booking essential

We LOVE Matilda

Court Room, Old Courts

11.30-12.30

Under 10

£3 in advance, £4 on the door

We LOVE The Twits

Court Room, Old Courts

2.00-3.00

Under 10

£3 in advance, £4 on the door


Monday 21st August

Joxytales Twinkle Toes baby sensory

Gioco Wigan

11.00-12.00

Birth to crawling

£4

Joxytales Twinkle Tunes baby sensory

St Francis Church, City Road (Kitt Green)

1.00-2.30

Birth to steady on feet

Wizard of Oz

Theatre, Old Courts

2.00-3.00

All ages

£6 (both adults and children require tickets)


Wednesday 23rd August

Joxytales Baby Bubbles and Rhyme

Gioco Wigan

10.00-11.00

Birth to steady on feet

Joxytales Tiger Feet

Gioco Wigan

11.00-12.00

From steady on feet

£4

Joxytales Story sack builders course

Gioco Wigan

1.00-2.00

20+ months

£20 for four weeks, advance booking required


Thursday 24th August

Joxytales Family Frenzy

Westfield School

9.30-10.45

Joxytales Bedtime Story time

Westfield School

5.15-6.45

Messy Moo with Moo Music

Shevington Youth Club

10.30-11.30am

Suitable for ages 2-8

£5


Friday 25th August

Joxytales Storytime

Grand Vault, Old Courts

10.00-11.00

Under 5

£4

We LOVE Alice in Wonderland

Court Room, Old Courts

11.30-12.30

Under 10

£3 in advance, £4 on the door

We LOVE 5 Children and It

Court Room, Old Courts

1.30-2.30

Under 10

£3 in advance, £4 on the door

Friday 1st September

Joxytales Twinkle Toes baby sensory

Grand Vault, Old Courts

10.00-11.00

Birth to walking

£4

We LOVE Paw Patrol

Theatre, Old Courts

11.30-12.30

Under 8

£3 in advance, £4 on the door

We LOVE My Little Pony

Theatre, Old Courts

1.30-2.30

Under 10

£3 in advance, £4 on the door

Southport Model Railway Village

Baby is now a toddler, and her love for trains has only increased as she's grown older. This was our second visit to Southport Model Railway Village, which advertises itself as being the only model railway village in the country.

A five minute walk from both the train station in one direction, and the seafront in the other, and next to Princes Park, it is very easy to find. And at just £4.50 a ticket (in July 2017) for adults, it's a well priced way to spend an hour or so.

The model village occupies a larger than expected area in the centre of the plot, with a tarmac path round the outskirts. Although flat and well maintained, in places the path isn't particularly wide, so if someone ahead with a pushchair or wheelchair stops to look at something in particular, you'd struggle to pass them.

 

Visitors are reminded to keep to the path, and off the grass, by numerous signs at intervals around the village, as well as by the staff at the entrance. I can't help but feel that a small fence, only a foot high or so, would be a useful addition to prevent little feet straying accidentally, or slightly older feet intentionally trespassing.

Two circular train tracks run around the village, with numerous trains running continuously, in both directions. Passenger trains in varying colours, freight trains, and even trains carrying petrol, rounding turns, chugging through tunnels, and passing under and over bridges. Baby loved watching them, crying 'more trains' as soon as one had passed her. There were enough different trains to stop her getting bored, and the frequency with which they passed was very impressive.

The village itself was also excellent. A farm, a church, multiple train stations, a children's playground, and an expansive range of shops were just some of its features. Considering it's exposed to the elements 24/7, it is in remarkably good condition and I can only suppose that it is repainted at least annually. Indeed whilst we were there we saw a member of staff working on improving one of the bridges.

 

Whilst buying our entrance tickets we were given a quiz to complete as we walked around, and as it was the Summer holidays, fairies had been installed throughout the village for visitors to count. Once completed, quiz sheets could be handed in to be entered into a prize draw, and Baby was thrilled to receive a sticker in return, though both the quiz and fairies were lost on her. She did walk around the village three times though, she enjoyed it so much.


Key Facts

Month of visit:
July

Weather for visit:
Grey, but warm and dry.

Is it pushchair friendly?
Yes, there are no steps, and the paths are flat and well maintained.

How are the baby changing facilities?
Toilets are located in a portacabin style building, with baby changing in the women's toilets. Acceptably clean, but rather drafty, even on a Summer's day.

What about somewhere to feed?
A small cafe selling hot drinks and ice creams had a reasonable amount of seating, and there were also plastic tables and chair outside the cafe. Benches were dotted around the village, some more secluded than others.

Is it worth a visit?
Absolutely.

Baby's highlight?
Watching the trains going through the tunnels.



Southport Model Railway Village
Lower Promenade,
Kings Gardens,
Southport
PR8 1QX


http://www.southportmodelrailwayvillage.co.uk

Mattel Play! Liverpool

Baby is really into trains (choo choos) at the moment, and she's at the stage where she absolutely loves exploring, so with Daddy still on annual leave, we thought we'd take a trip to Mattel Play! in Liverpool.

A relatively new addition to Albert Dock, it's based on three popular characters: Thomas the Tank Engine, Fireman Sam and Bob the Builder. The three rooms are each based on one of the characters, with a shop, green screen experience and cafe, as well as party room, completing the offering.

At the time of visiting, there was a midweek offer on for one adult and one preschool child, costing £10, with additional adults charged at £2, so for the three of us the total cost was £12. The website advertises two hour slots, starting every twenty minutes, however as it wasn't very busy the time limits didn't seem to be being enforced. We entered at around 10am, and it proved to be an ideal time, as for a good ten minutes or so we had the Thomas section all to ourselves, and then the same as we moved on to the Bob the Builder and Fireman Sam sections. Even when a few more families arrived, it was still so quiet that it didn't feel crowded at all.

The first item to catch the eye as you entered the Thomas the Tank Engine section upstairs was Thomas himself. With steps either side, children could go in Thomas' cab, to press buttons and pull levers. If Thomas was full, Rosie was on the other side of the room for an alternative.

The floor was decorated with various train tracks and paths and the (overly loud) music playing was all Thomas themed. The entrance to the room was through Knapford train station, which included a chalkboard timetable, ticket counter, waiting room, and various Thomas themed puzzles.

In between Thomas and Rosie was another, square, train, lying on its side. Possibly Diesel, it was filled with blue foam blocks for construction. And facing Rosie was Percy, or at least Percy's face, in front of a turntable which was movable.

In the back section of the Thomas room was a huge blue ball pit, centred around Harold the helicopter, which also contained a slide, and a rather arctic feeling 'coal pit' which housed numerous large foam blocks (the coal), with the idea being to fill a silo, which could then be emptied.

The last area of the Thomas room was themed around McColl's farm, and essentially just contained a 'vegetable patch' which had plastic vegetables to be picked, then slotted through the correct hole.

The real piece de resistance of this area was a train circuit featuring two little trains, Skarloey and Peter Sam, which could be 'ridden' by the children. The trains had hand operated levers to get them round the track, but Baby couldn't reach them, and nor it seemed could many other children, so I had to push her round. This was a huge hit, Baby went on it several times, and because it wasn't too busy she barely had to queue.

The Thomas room was definitely Baby's favourite of the three. Aside from Skarloey and Peter Sam, the surprise hit was the vegetable patch, even if she didn't manage to get them in the correct slots! One thing that did surprise me was that the steps up to Thomas and Rosie weren't very toddler friendly, and Baby also couldn't climb from the ball pool into Harold by herself. The theming was excellent however, and the staff here were brilliant, always friendly and willing to push children round on the trains if parents couldn't.

Next up was Bob the Builder. The centrepiece of the room was a large Scoop, which children could sit on, with the other activities placed around the sides of the room.

There were diggers in sandpits with faux boulders, pipes to be joined together to allow a ball to pass through, and foam bricks to construct walls.

There were also tables for drawing construction designs and boxes of duplo style blocks, as well as a kitchen which featured a large statue of Bob, hi-vis jackets and hard hats.

I was slightly disappointed that this room also contained a large TV screen with beanbags in front of it, which felt slightly out of place in an attraction designed to help kids be active. Other than Scoop, Baby showed very little interest in this whole area and I suspect it was designed with slightly older kids in mind. She couldn't operate the diggers as the levers were too heavy, and she didn't have the comprehension or coordination required to attempt the pipes or brick laying. We barely spent ten minutes in this area before we moved onto Fireman Sam, but I can see that older children would love building walls and working the diggers, though two of the four diggers were out of order for our visit.

The Fireman Sam area was back on the ground floor, with a wall of helmets greeting you at the foot of the staircase. Immediately the eye was drawn to a boat, and to Jupiter, the fire engine, both of which were accessible, though the steps up to Jupiter were again too difficult for Baby to manage by herself.

Jupiter featured a long seat so Daddy could get in with Baby. There were various buttons and switches which operated sirens and lights, as well as the engine, and of course there was the all important steering wheel. One side of the fire engine featured even more switches and buttons, as well as hoses. It certainly made for some excellent photo opportunities.

The boat also featured a steering wheel, of course, and Baby loved that she could walk all the way around the wheelhouse. At the bow of the ship was what I presume was a wind blower, but it wasn't working for our visit. At the back there were three 'water' cannons, which could be used to put out a fire on a screen on the wall.

Tucked away in a corner was a jet ski, which looked great for photos but didn't do much, and two small slides. One wall featured three pieces of rope and instructions on how to knot them, and in another corner there was a fireman's pole, which Daddy thought was fantastic.

The real success of this section however, was Dilys' shop, which contained shelves of tinned foods and boxes of fruit and veg, that could be loaded into shopping trolleys and baskets, before being totalled up at a till. Baby absolutely loved loading and unloading her shopping trolley, as well as taking the trolleys for a walk around the area.

I was pleasantly surprised by how long we spent in this area, given that Baby hasn't really seen much of Fireman Sam before.

I had read other reviews which suggested that the shop was expensive, but while there were certainly items on the pricier side, there were also items that were on the cheaper end of the scale. I'd seen the green screen advertised, and was expecting a hard sell as we exited, but actually it was a do it yourself green screen, and no member of staff even mentioned it to us. The prices for the products didn't seem that expensive, starting at £4 for a keyring, but we didn't give it a go.

The cafe was in the entrance area to the attraction, and featured standards such as toasties and panini, as well as a few special options such as pasta, and children's lunch boxes. At around £4.50-£5 each they weren't cheap but neither were they overly expensive for the location. There were a handful of cakes, but they didn't look particularly appetising, though they were presented nicely in the cabinet. The cafe area was rather draughty and cold, and we struggled to find a table that didn't feel like it was in the way, but for convenience, it was worth eating there.

Although there were a few bits, mainly in the Bob the Builder section, that were too advanced for Baby at 20 months, I wouldn't hesitate to take her back again. She enjoyed herself so much, from the vegetable patch to the ride on trains, the shopping trolleys to the fire engine, she loved so many of the activities that it was £12 well spent. The only real negative was the cost of car parking. The recommended Albert Dock car park, was £7.50 for three hours, though we parked in the marginally further away Acc Waterfront car park, which was £7 for five hours.

I'm not sure I'd go on a weekend or during school holidays, as it doesn't seem like it would handle that many children at any one time without them having to wait a while for everything, but on a midweek morning it was great, and we'll definitely be back.



Key Facts

Month of visit:
April

Weather for visit:
Irrelevant

Is it pushchair friendly?
There is a pushchair park on the ground floor, which we used as Baby didn't need her pram while we were going round, though some families with sleeping tiny babies did take their prams round. There was a lift to access the first floor, and everything was accessible, however I would have thought that if too many prams were in there they would start to get in the way.

How are the baby changing facilities?
There is a set of toilets on each floor, both with baby changing. The one we used was downstairs in the disabled toilet and was acceptably clean.

What about somewhere to feed?
Lots of bench seating in each room, plus the seating in the cafe, though nowhere particularly comfortable.

Is it worth a visit?
Definitely.

Baby's highlight?
The shopping trolleys or the vegetable patch.




Mattel Play! Liverpool
Albert Dock,
Liverpool,
L3 4AA

http://www.mattelplayliverpool.com