Whippersnappers winter wonderland recommended :)

[esme]

We had great fun today - 4 yr old loved helping the elves make toys, decorate gingerbread, got his face painted, met Santa and got a toy and we had photo taken... Baby loved sparkly wintry room upstairs where they did the face painting, they had a colourful ball (like a glitter ball) cdnt take his eyes off it :)

Dulwich park, college gate entrance off Dulwich village

Whippersnappers is not for profit organisation so great cause too.

Tickets left for 23 and 24 dec, see East Dulwich mummy website home page for link

[Bellenden Belle]

In the interest of balance, I would say that actually, after reading great reviews of this event last year, I was really quite disappointed with the offering.

The opening introductory session was essentially a local author trying to flog his book to a bunch of fairly disengaged children. Not a natural performer, we really were faced with a middle-aged man dressed in an elf costume.

The "craft" session consisted of leaving mums and dads to bang nails into bits of wood to make trains that had already been half made, scribbled on, by the previous group. Too many children, with the organiser rushing in to try and hurry us on to the next "biscuit decorating" event. These biscuits were cleverly kept til the end of the experience so that you had to pick them up in the "shop" - ahhhhh, yes, a chance to buy that oversized elf's book.....and other things.

Santa was great, and I thought for younger children the sensory room upstairs was a good idea. But I wouldn't recommend.... a good Christmas show and a visit to a free Santa will be on my wishlist next year instead.

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

I agree with above. It was better than all the other grottos I have been to but it still wasn't great.

I was expecting a lot after all the reviews and thought the same as BB.

Also , we were expecting a real reindeer but they had these fake ones which were barely visible ! Why mention there are reindeers when it was just a bit of twig that you could barely notice ?

I'll give Hamley's a go next year .

[alaska721]

I visited the Whippersnappers grotto with my three year old on December 7th. I have to agree with Bellenden Belle - I found it very disappointing and it all seemed rather disorganised.

The introductory session with the author was really cramped and not really engaging for my three year old. When we entered the arts and craft tent, none of the elves were ready and we had to wait for them. Also the sign in the room where the kids decorated their biscuits had a typo. "Clasroom" instead of classroom. They acknowledged they got it wrong and laughed it off.

Santa, on the other hand, was fantastic and convincing. However the family photo that was taken with the Santa was awful.

I probably won't book here next year.

[kudo10]

Reference more :

http://adf.ly/q5sD9

[buggie]

Really sad to hear whippersnappers hasn't been as good this year - no author elves the previous 2yrs,

We didn't book for here this year as knew our 13mth old wouldn't have the patience for it & sounds like we had a lucky escape :-(

[newtoedf]

We normally take the kids to see santa at Harrods but couldn't make it this year and went to whippersnappers instead. We really enjoyed it. No authors tried to sell us books (the story was referred to and the book was in the shop). Our kids (6 and 4) enjoyed it all and although you don't spend long in any area, they found it quite exciting the way there was always something else to do. It wasn't too busy and Santa was great. Our photo with santa is not very flattering and I'd have preferred not to have had the shop at the end but apart from that it was really good. Would definitely recommend it.

[Otta]

Well I just looked at their website, and they've still managed to completely sell out.

Sounds absolutely horrific to me.

[born&brED]

Just so you all know for next year - we had a great time at Morden Hall Park (National Trust) this year. 30 mins drive from Dulwich. We were 4 adults, 6 kids (ages 3-8) and an oblivious newborn. There was a lovely christmas market with handmade produce and food, music and dancing and a couple of massive inflatables for kids (tho v pricey). In the stable yard there was a room with 3 different crafts for children - and really lovely ones too - pomanders, wax candles and lollipop stick decorations - all 3 for just ?2.50 and the kids spent about 1.5 hours doing them!! Santa (pre-booked) was reasonable -?8 per child and you get a quality book - Santa himself was great! The park itself is big with a river, pretty bridges, natural play areas, an old mill, trails, cafe/shop/bookshop/art galleries, garden centre and free parking. Would def recommend! Sounds like a bargain compared to the above!

[jimnem]

I also agree with Bellenden Belle, we were very disappointed with the Whippersnappers experience this weekend. Will definitely look at Morden hall park next year, it sounds much better!

[damzel]

Maybe we got lucky and it wasn't too busy when we went, but both last years and this years experience (yesterday) at Whippersnappers was great!