Five Tips for Taking Small Children to an Amusement Park
The lessons I learned from Legoland. Plus, five links for you.
Welcome to So Many Thoughts, a semi-weekly newsletter about royal style and the other parts of life I want to think through with you. You can subscribe here and follow me on Instagram at @EHolmes. Thank you!
Hello! I am back from Legoland and tbqh I need a vacation from our “vacation.” Thank you to everyone who reminded me that a vacation with kids is actually a trip. And our first amusement park jaunt was absolutely a trip in every sense of the word.
Now that I am home and (mostly) recovered, I have thoughts on taking small children to an amusement park; our three kids are ages almost 3, newly 5 and 7. Judging by my Instagram DMs, you all have thoughts — and questions—too! Please hit “Join the discussion” at the bottom of this email or head over to this story on my Bulletin page. Let’s make the comment thread at the bottom a place to ask and answer questions, and share your advice on amusement parks.
Scroll down for five links, including my fave mid-rise jeans, which are half off right now. xx
Five Tips for Taking Small Children to an Amusement Park
You didn't think I would pass up the chance to spend a night in a castle, did you? 🏰
Let me be very clear: There are people who are true experts on all-things amusement parks. I am not one of them! I am a reluctant parent who held off for as long as she could. Living in Southern California, where amusement parks abound, it felt like a real win to wait as long as we did. As I said to Matt while knee-deep in one of the pools at the Legoland water park, this is not how I would choose to spend my time or money. But! I knew my kids would LOVE it and I figured this summer was the perfect time to give it a try.
Here are five lessons I learned from Legoland, and will keep in mind for our future amusement park adventures:
Check age and height restrictions before you go. Sounds obvious! But if you are bringing small children to an amusement park, this is crucial. I learned this the hard way when we first came to Legoland, several years ago, in a trip that I now think doesn’t count because we couldn’t ride anything! I was pregnant at the time, which meant I was mostly sidelined. Our second, Oliver, was too small, too; our oldest, Fitzgerald, could ride only a few things with Matt. We very purposefully waited to return this year until our youngest, Bird, was over 30 inches tall, which is the first cut-off for Legoland. (The flip side is that these limitations can work to your advantage, too. A big part of why we went to Legoland last week was because Bird is still two and therefore didn’t need a ticket—under 3 is free, huzzah!).
Prepare to wait. Another obvious one! But here is your reminder to plan for down time. I don’t know anyone who enjoys waiting in line, but I’m pretty sure young children are the *absolute worst* at it. Soft cover books and small fidget toys were easy enough to throw in a backpack; on-the-fly games like “I Spy” also saved us. For one of our Legoland days, we paid for a pass that allowed us to cut wait times for the biggest rides in half—a huge privilege, to be sure. But I would spend money on that before anything else. So worth it.
Make a food plan. Everyone talks about a ride plan, plotting which attractions you should sprint to when the park gates open. But nobody talks about when and where you eat! There were fewer food options at Legoland than I anticipated and the hotel restaurants required advance reservations because of COVID. Learn from my mistakes! Also, aim to eat a tiny bit early or late to avoid the rush (for example, have lunch at 11:30am instead of noon). Lastly, if the park allows it, bring your own food. We packed some snacks but could have brought more much more; I looked longingly at a family that pulled sandwiches out of a cooler. So smart!
Ditch your family, even for just a few minutes. These trips ask a lot of the grown-ups so, if possible, choose one thing that you get to do for you. If that looks like sneaking away to a magical hotel spa for an hour, amazing. But, if that’s not realistic or not an option (it wasn’t for me) get creative! I rode the biggest roller coaster in the park by myself; the boys weren’t interested and Bird, although very willing, wasn’t tall enough. The 15 minutes I took to ride the ride solo were—my midwestern side is coming out here—a real hoot.
Wait to buy souvenirs. Big ol’ side eye to the gift shops that line the entrance to every amusement park. A chorus of “Can we have a [fill in the blank]??” started before we had ridden our first ride. I told my kids they could each pick out one thing that we would buy at the end of our visit. In the meantime, though, I let them wander through the stores between rides. They got a chance to browse and zero-in on one thing they really wanted. Plus, playing with the toys on the way out of the park helped ease the disappointment of leaving.
But mostly: I am already romanticizing our trip. What felt like…a lot…in the moment is quickly becoming a “gosh, the kids had so much fun!” memory. Isn’t it funny how that happens?
PS: Skip the water park! It was my least favorite and hauling all the suits + towels was a bummer.
Now it’s your turn! Share your amusement park thoughts—or ask your questions—in the comments of this newsletter. Hit “Join the discussion” below. If nothing else, I need someone to tell me it get easier with bigger kids!
A shot of us leaving, or rather what it felt like!👋 Goodbye, Legoland!
Five Things to Check Out This Week
READ / This piece has SMT on what is behind the scorching European heat wave. (New York Times)
READ / You have no doubt seen the headlines about inflation, but what about “shrinkflation?” This piece explains what it is and how to avoid falling for it. (The Washington Post)
LISTEN / If you, like me, are very curious about what the heck happened to Boris Johnson, this podcast lays it out. (The Daily)
WATCH / While I am biting my tongue on her choice of groom, I wholeheartedly endorse Jennifer Lopez’s powerful documentary about her Super Bowl halftime show. Damn! Just DAMN. (Netflix)
SHOP / My favorite mid-rise jeans are half off right now. Take this from a high-rise devotee, the slightly lower waist is extremely flattering. Size down. (Madewell)
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Have a wonderful week, friends. I’ll be back in your inboxes on Friday.
Don’t forget to add your amusement park thoughts + questions in the comments of this newsletter! Hit “Join the discussion” to weigh in or head on over to my Bulletin page.
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