Toddler’s Play: Diddy Dinos, Crystal Palace Park
Spring is here! Time for toddler play at Diddy Dinos at Crystal Palace Park and roar like a dinosaur!
There’s no shortage of wonderful parks and open spaces in South London. One of my favourite parks is the lovely Crystal Palace Park. With the lockdown restrictions easing, a limited range of indoor children’s activities have re-opened in London. Parents, rejoice! It’s been a long and cold winter and the kiddos are eager to explore and enjoy new experiences.
One of the new places I took Lady Yeya recently is the lovely “Stay and Play” area called Diddy Dinos in Crystal Palace Park. On a crisp sunny morning, my mom friends met for light lunch at the Brown & Green Life Cafe. Then it was on to see the famous dinosaurs on the lake. I wouldn’t feel right if we made a trip to Crystal Palace Park and didn’t see the dinosaurs. With three 3 year-olds on Micro scooters, my mom friends and I thought we could do the entire circular route around the lake before our “stay and play” session at 2:30pm. Boy, were we wrong! The kiddos were painstakingly slow, hopping on and off their scooters to chase every duck, geese, and bird. We aborted the idea and made a beeline to Diddy Dinos.
A Lovely Stay & Play at Crystal Palace Park
Located near the Sydenham Gate, Diddy Dinos is a lovely place for kids under 5. Conveniently, there is a car park next to Diddy Dinos. There is a private entrance from the park side to avoid using the main entrance from the busy main road. Immediately, you are welcome by a large dinosaur mural adorning the external wall of Diddy Dinos. The kiddos squealed with excitement! It has been a long while since the kiddos attended any indoor children’s activity.
Everything was so well-organised at Diddy Dinos. We pre-booked our 2 hour session online and a lovely lady promptly checked us in at 2:30pm. The venue is closed between sessions for a thorough cleaning and spotless. As Diddy Dino only allows 15 adults per session, the atmosphere was very relaxing. Inside, Diddy Dino is set-up like a pre-school with the main room organised into different themes: the home-corner with a play kitchen; a cosy reading nook; and an area for “cars, trucks, and things that go”. Of course, as a nod to Crystal Palace’s famous residents, there were tons of dinosaurs for everyone’s enjoyment.
A Little Slice of Heaven for Under 5s
I love the outdoor area! It’s spacious and full of age-appropriate structures from a mini trampoline, mini slide, pirate ship, mud kitchen, wooden playhouse, bikes, cars, and wooden train set. There’s also a small forestry school with Julia Donaldson’s beloved “Stickman.” Spring is in full bloom and the kiddos loved visiting the garden garden which also had a little chicken coop. For young babies and pre-crawlers, Diddy Dinos has a few wooden activity cubes under the awning area to shelter from the wind and rain.
Diddy Dinos is a little slice of heaven for kiddos under 5. Lady Yeya and her friends had such a brilliant time, and us mums enjoyed a cup of tea under the glorious spring sunshine! I would highly recommend Diddy Dinos, combined with a leisurely day in Crystal Palace Park for a lovely day out for the parents and kiddos. We look forward to returning soon.
