LEGOLAND Discovery Centre and SEA LIFE: A Kids' Trip Whatever the Weather

If you are looking for a children's trip you can plan without worrying about the weather, the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre and SEA LIFE pairing is just right: both venues are indoors, so the day works in any season. In the morning, play and creativity with LEGO bricks; in the afternoon, sea creatures at the aquarium. The programme is designed especially for preschool and primary school children.

Why an indoor trip?

On preschool and primary school trips, the most common problem teachers face is an outdoor trip planned weeks in advance being postponed because of rain or cold. Between November and March this risk is especially high. A programme spent indoors removes this uncertainty: the date given to parents does not change, and preparing the children's clothing is easier too.

As the catalogue also notes, because this programme takes place indoors, it can be planned regardless of the season.

Morning: LEGOLAND Discovery Centre

LEGOLAND Discovery Centre is a play and discovery centre for children built around LEGO bricks. Inside there are different units such as building areas, small-scale rides, model sections and workshop corners where children can try out their own designs. On our tour you get unlimited use of all units during the time on the programme.

LEGO play may look like pure fun at first glance, but it offers teachers a few useful learning outcomes:

• Fine motor skills: Putting small pieces together supports hand-eye coordination.
• Spatial thinking: Picturing a structure in your head and building it piece by piece.
• Teamwork: Sharing and taking on roles while building something together.
• Problem solving: Rebuilding a tower that fell down by thinking about why it fell.

A small tip for teachers

After letting the children play freely, give them a small task in the second half: "Build the tallest tower with your group" or "Make a house an animal could live in". A shared goal turns scattered play into a team activity.

Lunch break

At 12:30 there is a lunch break and free time. Lunch can be added to the programme as an option; we present the options at the quote stage. For schools that want to bring packed lunches, we discuss suitable arrangements with you too. For young age groups, this break is also important for toilet visits and rest.

Afternoon: SEA LIFE Aquarium

In the second half of the day you visit SEA LIFE Aquarium. SEA LIFE is a chain of aquariums that takes visitors into the world of sea creatures through tanks and tunnels recreating different marine environments. Children watch fish, sharks, rays and other sea creatures up close. The tunnel sections are the favourite spots of children who want to see the creatures swim over their heads.

The aquarium visit ties in directly with the "living things" and "nature" themes of the preschool curriculum. After the trip, you can try these activities in class:

1. Each child draws a creature they saw at the aquarium and tries to remember its colour.
2. Prepare two boxes labelled "lives in the sea" and "lives on land" and sort the pictures.
3. Try building a sea creature out of LEGO; this links the two halves of the day.

The day's schedule

The LEGOLAND Discovery Centre and SEA LIFE Tour lasts about seven and a half hours:

• 09:00 Departure
• 10:00 LEGOLAND Discovery Centre; unlimited use of all units
• 12:30 Lunch break and free time (lunch can be added as an option)
• 13:30 SEA LIFE Aquarium
• 15:30 Departure for the return
• 16:30 Arrival

Preparing with young age groups

• Name badge: Attach a card with the child's name, the school's name and the teacher's phone number.
• Same colour: School T-shirts or hats in the same colour make it easier to spot the group in a crowded venue.
• Spare clothes: For preschool groups, a small bag of spare clothes makes the teacher's job easier.
• Number of chaperones: Decide this according to the current guidelines of your school and the provincial/district directorate of national education; in crowded venues, extra chaperones are always reassuring.

For full pre-trip preparation, take a look at our school trip checklist. If you are looking for a similar play-focused indoor trip, our KidZania article will also help.

A short note for families

The programme is planned for families as well as schools. Families with siblings of different ages will find that older and younger children can spend time together in LEGOLAND's free play areas. In the SEA LIFE section, lifting small children onto your shoulders or letting them stand at the front helps them see the creatures in the tanks more easily.

As the whole day is spent indoors, a light top is enough; leaving thick clothes such as coats and scarves on the coach lets children move freely in the play areas. It also helps to tell children in advance that the models they build at LEGOLAND usually stay at the venue, which prevents small disappointments on the way out. Teachers can keep the memory alive by photographing the models and sharing them in class. This small gesture also strengthens communication with parents.

Frequently asked questions

What age group are LEGOLAND and SEA LIFE suitable for?

The programme is designed especially for preschool and primary school children. Families can join this programme too.

Is lunch included?

The catalogue states that lunch can be added as an option. We present the options at the quote stage.

Can the trip go ahead in rainy weather?

Yes. As LEGOLAND Discovery Centre and SEA LIFE Aquarium are indoor venues, the programme can be planned regardless of the season.

Can all the play areas at LEGOLAND be used?

On our tour you get unlimited use of all units at LEGOLAND Discovery Centre during the time on the programme.