Walking With Dinosaurs
You’ve all heard this pithy saying: “Raising kids is a walk in the park. Jurassic Park.”
Well, some days that statement is literally true.
On the day we left Lake Bled we told the little traveller that we had a surprise for him. The look on his face when we stopped at Dino Park Bled was priceless. Like all 3-year olds, Aidan was (and still is a year later) obsessed with dinosaurs. He roars like a T-Rex any chance he gets and can recognise and name all the well-known ones: triceratops, stegosaurus, diplodocus, pterodactyl.
So we paid the steep entry fee into the park and set out to discover the land before time. As it turns out, 3-year olds are scared of huge monsters with big, sharp teeth! Especially when they’re animatronics and start moving and roaring back at you!
Although overpriced, the park was a fun experience. We came early and were the first people in, walking in the shade of tall trees with nothing but the chirping of birds and the occasional prehistoric grunt reverberating from the overhead sound system. It felt quite authentic, really, if you have a good imagination. It was certainly an adventure for the little one, even if mummy had to help him get past some of the scarier creatures.
If you explore a little further in, you’ll also find some odd sights that you wouldn’t necessarily expect inside a dinosaur park…
We skipped the 3D theater, which we thought would be a little too scary for Aidan. Instead, he played in the sandpit while we sat down and had a few drinks. By then other families had also turned up and Aidan had a chance to play with kids his age, chasing each other around and taking turns riding some of the smaller dinosaurs.
Then it was time for the obligatory stop at the gift shop. We really wanted to get him a little dinosaur figurine or stuffed toy, but they were exorbitantly expensive. In the end, we came away with a snapping T-Rex, which he picked himself and absolutely adored. It turned out to be worth its weight in gold, because it kept him busy on many a long trip in the campervan.
Almost a year later, Aidan still asks me when we can go to his “surprise” again. It makes me smile every time. When you go on holiday with little kids it’s important to remember to do things for them too.
Dino Park Bled might be expensive, and perhaps a little bit lame, but we certainly made some unforgettable memories there – and that’s what travel is all about.
Would you take a morning out to visit a dinosaur park while travelling? What fun things have you done to keep your little ones entertained abroad?
