Finding a day out that pleases a toddler can be hard work, especially when you have already visited all the soft plays, parks, zoos, and farms nearby. So when I heard about Peppa Pig's Space Adventure opening at Birmingham NEC ready for the summer, it sounded ideal.
While my daughter, only 17 months old, is not necessarily a Peppa Pig fan, what she does appreciate is an interactive day out, as do we as parents. Billed as an 'out-of-this-world adventure' with 'playful discovery moments and hands-on fun', we were excited to see what was on offer.
Arrival and First Impressions
We arrived a little earlier than our ticketed time, so we headed for the new Lakeside area opposite Peppa Pig Space Adventure. There, we found a children's play area, activity trail, picnic seating with food and drink stalls, and a huge outdoor screen showing CBeebies. Swings, slides, and climbing frames kept our toddler entertained for half an hour before we headed over to see Peppa. This is definitely a great addition to the NEC site for the summer; I can only hope it stays for longer.
Entering Peppa's World
As we entered Peppa Pig Space Adventure, we found a huge holding area with tables and chairs, colouring activities for kids, a buggy park, toilets, and a gift shop. Once it was our time to start our space adventure, we were greeted by two lovely entertainers who handed us an interactive star and told us they would be our guides for the exploration.
Each walk-through area is inspired by Peppa's fun when a rainy day moves playtime indoors and imagination allows the Peppa Pig family to blast off on an adventure through space. We sat down in front of Peppa's house, with interactive screens showing Peppa and the whole family. Everyone was very excited as we entered inside the house, which looked exactly like the one in the TV show.
The Surprise Interactive Star
There was the kitchen, living room, Peppa and George's bedrooms, Evie's nursery, and a playroom. Each area had lots to see and explore. There were plenty of sensory and craft activities, too. My little one particularly enjoyed making a wooden sandwich in the kitchen.
But one thing completely took us by surprise: the little interactive star we were given at the start. There were stars in every room we visited, where you placed your star against a shape on the wall, and an interactive reaction occurred every time. In the living room, you could change the channel on the television, but my daughter's favourite was a record player where you pressed a button to change the music. She spent a good ten minutes pressing the coloured buttons and dancing along to the tunes.
The Launch Pad and Moon Landing
We were having so much fun that we forgot we had more to explore. We next headed into the launch pad, and there was even more to see and do. Again, we could use our interactive star in various aspects here. There were interactive elements with Peppa and her friends as we counted down to landing on the moon. My daughter loved the bubble lamps and a section where she could put multi-coloured shapes into holes in the wall, a bit like a game of Battleship. She also loved sitting and steering the rocket into space.
The final room, when you land on the moon, is a sensory heaven. Children can climb, run, bounce, and play. We particularly enjoyed the soft play in the centre and the sensory-feel moon craters. My other half was even challenged by an assistant to a race on one of the space hopper bikes.
Meeting Peppa Pig
It was so much fun, and the icing on the cake came once our space adventure was over: we got to meet Peppa Pig herself. I was not sure how my daughter would take to Peppa, but she absolutely loved her, flashing a big smile and even planting a kiss on the end of her nose (or snout) before having a photo taken.
We loved our afternoon at Peppa Pig's Space Adventure. There was so much to see, do, and explore. However, the experience is quite short, lasting only around one hour, which some might think too short for the cost of tickets. But if your toddler or child loves Peppa Pig, it is definitely an experience not to be missed.
Need to Know
Peppa Pig Space Adventure takes place inside a purpose-built space at Birmingham NEC. It opened on Saturday, May 23, and will run on selected dates through until November as it stands. Tickets can be booked through the Peppa Pig Space Adventure website, and prices start from £20.
