I’LL be honest, I’m not really a fan per se of diggers.

But, this isn’t about me because Elsie LOVES them.

Like seriously loves them. Every time we drive by one on a motorway or come across one on our travels, her little face beams with joy as she shouts: “Look, Mummy, a digger!”

So you can imagine her utter delight when we decided to pay nearby Diggerland Yorkshire a little family visit.

From where we live in Barnsley, it took us about half an hour to get to the site in Castleford, just the right amount of travelling time for an excited toddler.

And as we drove through the entrance and I spotted a female ‘digger’ with the best pout I’ve ever seen, well, naturally I felt right at home. Beautiful isn’t she?!

We went on a perfect spring day.

The sun was shining,  the skies were blue and after queueing for a reasonable 10 minutes, we were welcomed warmly and entered Diggerland, to be greeted by these two smiley faces. Elsie’s special ‘friends’ (as she called them).

First stop of call, was naturally, let’s get on a digger!

Jamie went first with Elsie, playing hook a duck. And then it was my turn. Oh what fun I had! Diggerland was most definitely warming on me.

With Elsie being under three, sadly there were quite a few attractions that we couldn’t go on as she was just that little bit, well little, but there was still plenty to keep us occupied.

After breaking for a pit stop and a quick sarnie or two, next stop was the digger ride which I shall never forget. Oh my days.

We had absolutely no idea what we had let ourselves in for with this ride. NO. IDEA. We just spotted a ride, quickly measured Elsie and because she was big enough, thought, “sure, let’s give it a go!”

After getting on, buckling up (thank goodness we didn’t place Elsie near the edge!) I expected the digger to start driving about. But, I was wrong. Oh so wrong.

Instead the digger rose up high into the air. And just when I was thinking, “oh my, I’m not sure I’m happy about this”, it rose higher still. As this picture taken of the next people to have a go, shows.

As Jamie laughed and got out his camera out to record all the (terrifying) action, I was busy trying to keep Elsie to sit still and battling with my inner self to remain calm.

Me and heights like this are not best friends. Argh! So it’s a good bloody good job I had my old hypnobirthing techniques to fall back on.

For me, the ride did feel like a bit of an ordeal and if I’d known what kind of ride it was (our own silly fault, not the parks!) I would never have gone on in a million years. Or, taken Elsie on either, at just two years of age.

However saying that, typically Elsie loved it and sat admiring the admittedly lovely view as we hovered 50 foot in the air, way above the trees.

That a girl!

Back down to earth, it was time for another digger experience, this one with Daddy. The aim of this digger game? To dig the mud and move it, move it!

The husband’s skills were pretty impressive I have to say and Elsie was on fine form too, pressing every button you’re not meant to press and ‘breaking’ the digger twice.

Wonderful stuff. *winks*

Finally, we finished off our trip with some serious soft play action, as we let Elsie run loose and go wild with the inflatable stuff and balls, in the games area.

Our experience of Diggerland?

We ‘digged’ it! (Let’s just never talk about that ride again.)

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The best bits

• All the rides and experiences were brilliant. And even though we couldn’t go on everything due to Elsie’s age and height, there was enough to keep us all entertained and make it a worthwhile trip out for the morning.
• The soft play area was a bonus, great for kids of all ages and all weathers.
• The certificate given to Elsie when we left, was a lovely touch and a nice memento. She loved the stickers too.

What you should know

• Most of the rides are for older children, so just bear that in mind if you’re planning to visit with little ones.
• The site is mainly outdoor fun, so try and visit whenever the weather is kind or at least make sure you dress warmly and appropriately. Mums, this is a not place to totter around! And if it’s wet, the kids will definitely need wellies.
• Unless you’ve got a special deal, it can be pretty pricey. To make it cheaper, make sure you book online before you go.
• There is a cafe on site but if you want to keep the costs down, take a ‘pack up’! There is seating outside.
• Be prepared to queue. We only had to queue for about 5mins or so for each ride, but I can imagine on a busy day, you might have to wait quite a bit longer.
• Make sure you take some change with you as you will definitely need it, if your kids want to have a go on the slot machines inside the soft play area.

How do I find out more?

Easy! Visit the Diggerland site, like them on FB or say hi on Twitter.

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With love,

Kate

Disclaimer – We were sent free family tickets to review Diggerland Yorkshire, but as always, all opinions are honest and my own. Thank you Diggerland!