Considering that both boys are in fact British citizens yet both have spent more time out of the country than in it I like to take the summer to head around the UK.
So far this year we’ve been making the most of being outside and meeting up with friends, old and new. Barbecues, parks, farms and forests we’ve been off exploring.
With Daddy back in Qatar we headed off on our first big expedition and day out down South. We were headed to Southampton, home to Paultons Park which more importantly is home to Peppa Pig.
Looking at options to stay the night before and night of, we popped our Air BnB cherry, booking a gorgeous little cottage in the village of Romsey for half the price that two rooms in a hotel was coming in at. Driving down the winding, green, Salisbury Road the boys thought we were on our way to Peppa there and then. Only slightly disappointed to pull up to this beautiful cottage with sprawling grounds and a crocodile in the stream at the bottom of the garden.
A pit stop in the pub next door for a play on the slide and some delicious grub, alongside a chilled glass of Pinot after a three hour drive we headed home ready for the big event the next day.
5am. The four year old bursts into the room shrieking he’s off to see Peppa today.
5am.
Waking the two year old.
Sigh. An early start for the park that opens at 10am and was only a ten minute drive away.
Managing to keep the excitement level bubbling at around mildly hyperactive thus began our morning.
Arriving at Paultons Park
Driving up to the car park just after 9:30 we secured a spot metres away from the entrance and away we went. Joining the queue of people who were waiting to get into the park, my two year old running back and forth under the 1 metre sign – as if he was proving again and again that he could in fact go free.
Then we were in and headed towards Peppa. Everyone advised that we should head there first, so we did, stopping only for a quick go on the pirate boats.
And then the two year old was free to run. So he did, luckily straight for Peppa Pig World. The iconic sign above the entrance and the theme music playing. We could see Miss Rabbit’s helicopter, we could see the hot air balloons, to our right was windy castle, and look look it’s Granny and Grandpa’s house.
It is every young Peppa fan’s dream. The attention to detail with the smallest of rides, the characters looking at you from every corner be it Rebecca Rabbit, Grandad Dog or the ducks on the pond.
Then the theme tune playing on a loop.
The boys were bouncing and we hadn’t even been on a ride yet… but we did. Oh we did.
Maybe we got lucky with the day going on a Wednesday in term time on a gorgeously sunny day, but the longest queues we faced were in the morning and even then we weren’t really queuing for longer than 10-15 minutes. I can imagine it being worse during a sunny weekend or summer holiday day though.
After a morning of Peppa we headed to get some lunch, because hangry children are the last thing anyone wants.
Eating at Paultons Park
Whilst there are plenty of food options within the park, boasting four restaurants and various kiosks, we decided to bring a picnic. Leaving it in a locker by the entrance at the start of the day, we found it made a natural break in our day to leave Peppa Pig World to go and retrieve the picnic. Handily the lockers were right by a picnic area where we sat down to eat our treats without the distraction of Peppa.
It also meant that once we had finished eating we could take a stroll through to the rest of the park, filled with family friendly rides that don’t have the Peppa Pig theme tune running through your head.
The Lost Kingdom
After a gentle stroll through the Japanese gardens to get the two year old to sleep in his pram, a quick go on the slide in one of the play areas dotted around the park.
It was time to go and see the dinosaurs.
Except I forgot that my four year old is now terrified of all things dinosaur unless in a book. And the dinosaurs here are real looking, pressing on we managed to make it on the Lost Temple ride before the little one woke up.
After he was awake we took on the Dinosaur Safari, a ride in a jeep spotting dinosaurs. Our mistake. While my two year old was delighted, my four year old tried to scale the car to get onto my lap because of the dinosaurs.
With that we beat a hasty retreat back to Peppa Pig land (having a sneaky go on the log flume before we left…)
Muddy Puddles in the afternoons
I was nervous heading back to Peppa Pig World, having been told to get it out the way with early on. However the crowds had died down and we went on ride after ride.
Windy Castle – check.
Daddy Pigs Cars – check.
George’s Dinosaur Ride – check.
Grandpa Pigs Train – check.
Soft play – check.
And then as the temperature continued to rise we finished off the day in the splash park.
Our day at Peppa Pig World
We were at Paultons Park from the moment it opened up in the morning and we left as the gates closed behind us with two exhausted, but very happy children. For a day out I couldn’t fault it, we had an absolute ball and for anyone who has a little person who is a Peppa Pig fan – then this is a must do.
Things to note:
- Prices start from £27.95 when booked in advance (price list)
- Children under 1 metre tall are free to enter the park.
- There are height restrictions on some rides; some have a minimum, some have a maximum, others have a minimum for kids to ride alone. For example George’s Dinosaur Ride you need to be at least 85cm to ride, thankfully both of mine were able to ride.
- Prams are not allowed in ride queues.
- Bring swimwear and towels for the splash park
- When you enter the park pick up a contact sticker in case, like me, you have a child who is a runner….
I have really enjoyed reading this as Peppa Pig World is on our list of places to go as my daughter has become a Peppa nut! Interesting that you stayed in air BnB, I think we will do the same.
A really informative read. Peppa needs to be booked.
Thanks! X