Adventure Wonderland and Lego Marble Mazes

Adventure Wonderland.

For the first time ever, we have committed to buying Annual Passes to something! For a commitment phobe like me, this really is momentous!

Adventure Wonderland used to be called The Alice in Wonderland Theme Park when I used to work there circa 1998 when I ahem...played the part of Alice. (So wish I had a photo to post here, but can't find one. Before the digital age after all -but I will keep looking.)

Anyway, I digress - its a lovely smallish theme park near here, a place where I can take the kids on my own and not need a stiff drink by nightfall (as parents to 'special needs kids will understand - this is really rare) and posted on the Adventure Wonderland Facebook page was a super dooper deal on passes, so we did it!!!! 

The kids adore it, and so do we now that we have managed to convince them that they really and truly dont need an adult to go on the sick-making Ghostly Galleon or tummy curdling teacups!

There will be many picture like these in our family photobook for the year, but to celebrate our minor investment, and so you can see what its like - here are some of our recent pics:

Lego Marble Mazes.

On the home front, I have been looking for ways to help develop Lucas' spatial awareness, and understanding of representation through tactile maps, and came across this idea via Pinterest by Kids Activities Blog. You create a 'maze' through which you have to guide a marble. (Note: I adapted the idea from Kids Activities Blog because Lucas only likes certain cars, and would get very upset if the car didnt drive 'properly' through the maze - a marble has no 'baggage'!)I made the first so that Isla could see how to construct one, and Lucas could have a try with a simple one, then Isla built one, and then Lucas had a try rollng/pushing the marble through the maze. He didnt find it that easy, as obviously the marble didnt roll as such on a bobbly Lego mat, but he did it, and he got better at it! I am wondering if building a larger maze channel would help or hinder, but I can definitely see the possibilities for using Lego which Isla adores to bring play for us all together, and to help with tactile skills, mobility and much more.

Then Lucas astounded me by asking if he could just 'play' with the Lego! From a boy who doesnt enjoy building tasks, and finds them insanely difficult due to blindness and various brain abnormalities which mean the two sides of his brain dont communicate, I was blown away by his representation of what Isla suggested was a "Traffic Signal" to which he concurred happily.