Discovering Nature Play at Legoland

Let’s be honest: No one goes to Legoland to commune with nature and the great outdoors. We go because our kids absolutely love the place.

But being the nature and wildlife lover that I am, I decided it might be interesting to put Legoland to a test: Does the park provide any nature-inspired fun for my little ones?

You might be surprised at the answer (I was!). Here’s what I discovered:

Kids can dig for fossils. Right alongside the dinosaur-themed Coastersaurus is a fossil station where kids can sift through sand digging for dino bones.

If you rent and return a bucket and shovel ($3 for one dig; $5 for two), you’ll receive a Lego paleontologist. What kid needs more excuse than that to play in the sand?

Wild animals abound. Sure, some of them are extinct. And most of them are made out of Legos.

But, hey, the animals featured on the Safari Trek ride got my 5 year old excited about naming everything he saw. And that works for this wildlife lover.

Legoland takes water play to a whole new level. At Water Works, kids can enjoy interactive water play. My son enjoyed shooting water out of a cannon into an alligator’s mouth.

Kids can also stomp or jump on circles to activate water fountains. There are levers and pulleys to try, each making water shoot and spray in different ways.

And the larger Pirate Shores area has even more water fun to offer — from pop-up water jets and fountains for the little ones to Soak-N-Sail, with more than 60 interactive gadgets to tinker with. Just be sure to bring along a change of clothes and a towel, plus a swim diaper for kids under 4.

You can go adventuring. At the Adventurer’s club, kids can walk through an Amazon rainforest, Egyptian temple and arctic ice forest.

The attention to detail here is amazing, although the loud sound effects and dark setting may be a little scary for the younger crowd. I loved the polar bears and wolves!

There’s a rock wall there for the taking. Seriously? Wow! For $3, kids weighing at least 45 pounds and standing at least 36 inches tall can scale a rock climbing wall at the Skyscraper Climb. There are straps, helmets and spotters there to ensure your little one’s safety. (My 5 year old doesn’t weight enough just yet, so we missed out!)

Mini golfing? Check! The aptly named “Wild Woods” features a mini golf course in a beautiful, tranquil natural setting. (A round of golf costs $5 per person.)

There are trees, a creek running through and some picturesque places to stop for lunch in the area just alongside the course.

There’s also a nature-themed multi-level play structure nearby called the Hideaways, which begs to be discovered.

The verdict? Nature is always there and so are the opportunities to share it with your kids. Sometimes you just need to open your eyes and look for it.

A note to the wonderful folks at Legoland: Thanks for the amazing natural surroundings you’ve included at your park. I had no idea there were so many nature play opportunities to share with my little ones. Just wish they were all included in the admission price!