A day of digging

Because it's the holidays, and because we wanted a day out, we headed off to Kent to go to Diggerland. This is a small theme park, based around all sorts of diggers. I first took Alex there when he was 6 or so, and I expected to be quite bored (though I knew he'd have fun) but actually, it's surprisingly fun.  You get to use various types of diggers and other construction machinery to do different activities - a couple of them are just for moving dirt around (the diggers don't move other than side to side, but the arms do), some smaller ones are set up to play games like skittles or hook-a-duck, some you can drive (though they have set them to go even slower than usual), some are adapted into rides, and so on. 

There are also a few other activities - like driving a Land Rover - here is Sarah in the driver's seat - they only let you drive in Low gear, so it doesn't go more than about 10mph (and you have to be under 17 to do it). There's a minimum height on this one, which Alex was never tall enough for before, so he was happy to be able to have a go.

One large armed machine is adapted with seats; it raises up very high and you get a wonderful view.

This is the book-a-duck game - it's good fun; the hardest part is remembering which control does what, as there are two joysticks, each of which offers four options.

Sarah concentrating very hard on getting that last duck...

...these are serious things, you know!

And here's the skittles game - you can see how much concentration it requires!

Here's Alex driving a really big JCB - again, you can only do it slowly, and there's a guide who sits on the left of you and helps out as necessary. 

There are also little tractors to drive

and these things, which I'm not sure precisely what they are.

And some little dump trucks, which go at a top speed of 4mph, so Sarah's expression of terror at the speed is of course, complete and utter exaggeration. 

Dig, dig, dig away!