Abhay at Wonderla!

Children’s summer vacation is hardly a vacation for parents! Of course, we are free from following up on their homework/school work and projects, but life as a parent doesn’t get any easier! How do you keep them occupied for two whole months…..??? Believe me, drawing a two month vacation plan for a six year old that is fun and at the same time creatively or kinesthetically engaging is no joke! Yes…there are summer camps and swimming or sports camp, but this is also a time when your little one is at home more than usual, and when they are home, you don’t want him to fall prey to the idiot box. So this is the best time to plan vacation, picnics or day-trips with your little one, but the flipside being just like you, everyone else has planned the same with their little ones, making every child-friendly destination fall prey to vacation rush!

 

So kick starting Abhay’s summer vacation 2013, yesterday we took our adventurous little one to Wonderla, an amusement park near Bangalore. Well, after having frequented Disneyland and Universal Studios in the US, I must say that we were quite impressed with Wonderla as it was almost on par with the amusement parks of the West. Be it water rides or dry rides, the park is well maintained and equipped with well trained personnel who are ready to assist you at every juncture. When it comes to amusement parks, I am proud to announce that my darling son has taken after me and not his dad and thoroughly enjoys the thrill rides as much as the regular attractions! In fact, as and when he was permitted, he even got on some of the adult thrill rides!   On rides he wasn't eligible for, he watched his parents (read mom) go on them while enjoying an icecream! 

So a day before the visit to Wonderla, I had him read “Berenstain Bears Ride the Thunderbolt” a Level 1 Early Reader from the Step into Reading series, by the Berenstains. The Berenstain family visit an amusement park and decide to ride a rollercoaster named Thunderbolt. So they wait in line, buy the tickets, and get on the ride. As they buckle up and are ready to go, the four seater ride climbs up the rollercoaster track making a clickety clack sound reaching the top. As they slide down with a clickety clack sound, everyone except papa bear is shown enjoying the hi-speed descent. As they go around, upside down, into the dark and finally slowing down, papa bear looks relieved to be getting off. As soon as they get off, both sister and brother bear scream for an encore. (Again! Again!) After a few minutes break, the Berenstain family gets ready for another ride on the Thunderbolt, but this time, its minus one- Papa Bear! Looks like Papas all over are not exactly thrilled about the thrill rides! J