Block rocking feats: Legoland

Although it is fairly common to remember childhood TV shows and argue that the ones you watched were clearly the best, it is a whole different matter when it comes to toys. Who really wants to be reunited with their Barbie or moth-eaten teddy bear? However, one childhood toy not only endures, but continues to fascinate because it changes as you grow older – occasionally, much older.

Lego seems like such a simple idea – interlocking plastic bricks which can be put together in interesting ways and then tugged apart when the child – or adult – gets bored or discouraged by a particularly hopeless structure. It can also be thrown at siblings, but the owners of Lego probably wouldn’t approve of such behaviour. At a young age, Lego can be used to build basic objects such as houses; at a more advanced age motor-driven robots become possible. It reflects changing interests without being patronising or faddish.

However, to see masters at work there is only one place to visit, namely Legoland. Theme parks are a fantastic way to spend a day or a weekend because you can get lost in a self-sufficient, mythical world. Entering through the gates is the real-life equivalent of picking up a book like Harry Potter. There is also the added bonus that they are family-friendly, so you can go with a mixed group and all have something to do and lots to talk about.

However, a problem can be picking a suitable theme that everyone is happy with. Theme park breaks are really great for children, but boys might want pirates, girls might want knights in shining amour and adults do not want to be bored or feel silly. Legoland seems to bypass these particular difficulties; it has pirates, knights and all the other usual suspects, with the added bonus that most things are made from Lego. It also has enough ostensibly ‘adult’ forms of entertainment.

There are Legoland sites all around the world, but Britain’s version is situated at Windsor, where it opened in 1996. Nearly forty million bricks have been used to recreate scenes from various cities: Notre Dame from Paris, Edinburgh Castle from Scotland and all kinds of buildings from London, some ancient, others modern. This is really the ‘adult’ part, where frequent travellers can amuse themselves by comparing the small versions to the larger ones and marvelling at the attention to detail.

For children – and adults – who prefer more high-adrenalin activities, there are plenty of rollercoasters, rapid rides and log flumes. The latest addition to the park is the Viking River Splash, where participants should not only expect Nordic models, but also lots of drenching water – probably a good one for a hot day.

So if you can’t quite get together the pennies for that Paris jaunt, or the children are complaining about the deficiencies of the local playground, then a theme park break at Legoland may be just the ticket.