Tips for Legoland California with a Toddler
Wednesday, May 4, 2016 at 3:16PM My family recently spent 3 days at Legoland California. When we told people about our long weekend, the response was, “3 Days?!?” We did and we had fun. We found new places to explore. We ran to our favorite attractions to ride again and again. We didn’t rush to do everything in one day.
Legoland California, which is located in Carlsbad, is for families with children between the ages of 2 and 12. My son is three years old and my daughter just turned one. My son is a thrill seeker. He wanted to go on every ride. My daughter was too short for many of the rides but there was still plenty that she could go on. She enjoyed people-watching, being outside and the rides she did go on.
A trip to an amusement park with two little children can be overwhelming. Follow the tips below for success in visiting Legoland California with a toddler (and a baby).
Check your Toddler’s Height
Legoland’s rides have a variety of height requirements. Check your toddler’s height at the front of the park to confirm which rides they are eligible to go on.
You don’t want a situation where you wait in line to be told your son or daughter is not tall enough to go on the ride. You’ll have a disappointed toddler. My son is just a little over 36 inches. This allowed him to go on more attractions than our last visit.
Start your day at the back of the park
If you arrive when the park opens, head straight to the back of the park and work your way forward. You’ll find less crowds and get on more rides in the early part of your day. Click here for a map of Legoland California.
Take a break from the lines. Visit Duplo Playtown & Minilands
A great way to break up the day is to bring your kids to the Duplo Playtown or explore the Minilands.
Duplo Playground is a playground with every type of play structure you can imagine. My son ran from sitting in Lego cars to going down a slide. He would have been happy spending all day there. It can get crowded so it’s important to keep an eye on your children. A big plus is that there is only one way in and out of the area. Find shade and recharge while your children play.
Also, there is a train in the back corner that is hidden. Make sure to check it out.
When walking through the Minilands, make sure to remind your kids that it is all built out of legos. The replicas are true to form you can forget!
Splash! Bring an extra change of clothes, maybe two!
There are a lot of places throughout the park where kids can get wet. You’ll find spots to run through fountains, race boats, and explore a pirate ship splash area, etc. Bring more than one change of clothes and a towel. It’s hard to resist watching the joy in their eyes as they run through the water, especially if you go on a hot day.
Grab snacks at The Market
The Market
The Market is a favorite place of mine to stop throughout the day to pick up snacks for the kids. It is located at the front of the park.
The store carries nutritious snacks which will keep your child happier in the long run rather than sugary items. We’ll grab a fruit cup, milk, string cheese or a food pouch. Grab a coffee if you need a little extra boost.
Coast Guard Build-a-Boat
We made a lot of memories throughout our 3 days at Legoland California park. Do not be too focused on the rides, as the park has a lot of the other attractions. My son says his favorite ride was the roller coaster, Coastersaurus, however, he spent over an hour at the Coast Guard Build-a-Boat. He enjoyed building boats and racing them in the water.
Legoland, amusement park, family travel, toddler in family travel
Reader Comments (3)
The snack place is a huge find, I wish more places would have this!
I hear people love Legoland but I didn't know when a good age to go was, thanks for the tips!
Don't forget to check out the build a race car attraction, My toddler spent an hour there working on his and enjoyed racing it for ribbons.