So for my four-year-old, a trip to the CBeebies Rainbow Adventure was a chance to explore the worlds of two of his favourite shows – as well as those of Mr Tumble and JoJo and GranGran.
Located in Westfield London, the experience is just a short walk from a number of Tube stations and my son was very excited when he arrived and saw pictures of the characters outside.
Visitors can play in Bluey and Bingo’s bedroom (Image: CBeebies Rainbow Adventure)
As luck would have it, our visit ended up being akin to a personal tour – our early afternoon timeslot perhaps coinciding with lunch or nap time for many with young children and the other family also booked in our slot not turning up.
Busier times, I was told, would see 25 to 30 participants per slot and that would no doubt provide a different experience for children.
We were greeted by a cheerful Rainbow Gardener who explained the story concept – finding the colours of the rainbow which had disappeared – and led us through the approximately hour long experience.
The first room we visited was Mr Tumble’s house, and my son was initially a bit apprehensive, not being familiar with the show. But we both soon got stuck in, following the friendly Rainbow Gardener’s lead in completing that room’s activity.
The next room saw us go shopping for JoJo and GranGran, with my son enjoying using the shopping list to find the items and count out the required amount.
It was then on to Duggee’s clubhouse where we were greeted by the big friendly dog himself – with my son running up to give him a big hug.
Sessions typically involve meeting one of Duggee or Bluey, but for an extra cost there are certain timeslots that offer the chance to meet with both.
After a dance party, we were given our very own badges from Duggee and the chance to have a photo taken with him. Somewhat refreshingly for parents’ wallets, these are taken on the adult’s phone rather than being sold at the end for an extra cost.
Then it was onto Bluey and Bingo’s bedroom, where we got to join in with some of the games played by the sisters in the popular show. Once we’d had a go at magic xylophone and dressing up, it was back to the start – well, almost – to put together the rainbow pieces we’d found along the day and see if the colours would return.
Also wanting to return was my four-year-old who asked if we could go round again as we left. Asked to describe his day, he said he was “very happy” and said his favourite bit was “when we found the violet” – the last piece before repairing the rainbow.
The experience is aimed at children aged 0-6, but non-walking babies must be carried in a sling or baby carrier at all times. However, they are admitted free. Buggies can be left in the waiting area at the start of the experience, where there are also lockers provided to leave coats and bags in.
Realistically, very young children may struggle to follow the storyline but would likely enjoy the sensory nature and different activities as well as being in the worlds of some of their fictional favourites, while older ones would enjoy trying to find the rainbow pieces and have fun completing tasks. From an educational perspective, it also explores colours and counting in a way accessible to children at different levels.
Tickets from £16 at cbeebiesrainbowadventure.com/london
