Fancy a pitstop on the way to Tagaytay or Batangas? Drop by Nuvali in Sta. Rosa, Laguna for a truly novel experience. Developed by AyalaLand, the entrance to Nuvali boasts of a relaxing promenade along a man-made lake where visitors and residents alike can wind down in one of the many cafes and restaurants in the area. Children and adults will both enjoy viewing and feeding the multitude of beautiful Koi fish swimming at the edge of the lake, waiting for their daily meal from captivated tourists. Packets of special Koi food are available for sale at a reasonable price.
You can also opt to rent bikes and cruise around the area, or pay a little extra to take a boat ride around the lake. The lake is rather small, and the ride will just take you through a mini tunnel under a bridge and around 2 or 3 fountains (literally just pillars of water shooting up from the lake). It lasts no more than a few minutes and is quite tame for adults. It is sure to be quite thrilling for very young children though!
Another perk of Nuvali is that it is literally next to Paseo de Santa Rosa commercial park, well-known for its variety of sports and clothing outlet stores (Dockers, Crocs, Speedo, etc.). You can have a mini-shopping spree here and make your way to Nuvali to relax and cleanse yourself of the noise, crowds, and cars speeding down the main highway.
Showing posts with label place to bring toddler. Show all posts
Showing posts with label place to bring toddler. Show all posts
Monday, November 29, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
Toddler Travels: Fun Ranch, Alabang
I went to Fun Ranch thinking I'd find animals (my daughter is overly fond of horses and ducks). Silly me! Instead, I feasted my eyes on this enormous children's play area encompassing 4-5 levels of plastic balls, obstacle courses, slides, foam, foam, and more foam.
At the time, my toddler was only a little over a year old, but already able to walk so I figured we'd give it a go. She had the time of her life. At the corner just past the entrance was the "toddler's area", a mini play area just 2 levels high in the shape of a ship. It had steps, a wheel, slide, a vat of balls, and tunnels. There was also a large cushion in the shape of a starfish where she launched herself and lay down quite happily.
Of course, I knew it wouldn't end there. Eventually she wanted to go exploring to the big kid's area. This humongous structure reminded me of the medieval "gauntlet" in the movie, First Knight. There was actually a large ball with spikes (made of foam of course) hanging down one of the levels as part of the intricate obstacle course designed for kids. Did I mention everything was made of foam? One of the highlights for me was a rickety bridge that was fully covered by a net on both ends giving you the feeling of being suspended without any danger of falling.
We didn't stay long in the non-toddler area, mostly because there was a party that day and there were a lot of screaming kids and teenagers running around and I feared my little girl would be trampled in the melee. Also, the choice means to return to the first level is via the slides. Otherwise, you'd have to go through these holes on the floor and there is the added danger of a baby falling through one. This is probably why they have a designated toddler area ;)
Other features of note are the availability of walkers and toy cars - though these were rather worn already. There was also a section with large foam (what else?) blocks wherein kids could build an actual castle or fort.
I've only brought my daughter to Fun Ranch that one time, but have resolved to bring her back when she's older and can explore the place in full. Also, the rather finicky and prissy mom in me likened it to a playground - I'm the type who likes to keep my baby in uber clean, open and/or semi-isolated areas. At least until she turns 2. :)
Travel Tips:
(1) Bring socks. If you forget, don't despair - they will sell you some at the ticket counter.
(2) Go on a weekday so it would be less crowded. Call beforehand to ensure there's no party and/or reservation.
(3) Bring a change of clothes for your baby. A towel and/or change of clothes for you as well. The place is air-conditioned, but is just at the right temperature (i.e., not overly cold). Your child is sure to sweat if he/she overexerts himself/herself.
(4) Be prepared to go through the obstacles courses yourself to keep tabs on your child, especially if he/she is just a toddler.
(5) When I was younger, I've read about the dangers of sharp objects that may find their way in sandboxes or pools/vats of balls. I've yet to experience this firsthand, but it doesn't hurt to inspect the area before you let your child swim in a pool of plastic balls.
At the time, my toddler was only a little over a year old, but already able to walk so I figured we'd give it a go. She had the time of her life. At the corner just past the entrance was the "toddler's area", a mini play area just 2 levels high in the shape of a ship. It had steps, a wheel, slide, a vat of balls, and tunnels. There was also a large cushion in the shape of a starfish where she launched herself and lay down quite happily.
Of course, I knew it wouldn't end there. Eventually she wanted to go exploring to the big kid's area. This humongous structure reminded me of the medieval "gauntlet" in the movie, First Knight. There was actually a large ball with spikes (made of foam of course) hanging down one of the levels as part of the intricate obstacle course designed for kids. Did I mention everything was made of foam? One of the highlights for me was a rickety bridge that was fully covered by a net on both ends giving you the feeling of being suspended without any danger of falling.
We didn't stay long in the non-toddler area, mostly because there was a party that day and there were a lot of screaming kids and teenagers running around and I feared my little girl would be trampled in the melee. Also, the choice means to return to the first level is via the slides. Otherwise, you'd have to go through these holes on the floor and there is the added danger of a baby falling through one. This is probably why they have a designated toddler area ;)
Other features of note are the availability of walkers and toy cars - though these were rather worn already. There was also a section with large foam (what else?) blocks wherein kids could build an actual castle or fort.
I've only brought my daughter to Fun Ranch that one time, but have resolved to bring her back when she's older and can explore the place in full. Also, the rather finicky and prissy mom in me likened it to a playground - I'm the type who likes to keep my baby in uber clean, open and/or semi-isolated areas. At least until she turns 2. :)
Travel Tips:
(1) Bring socks. If you forget, don't despair - they will sell you some at the ticket counter.
(2) Go on a weekday so it would be less crowded. Call beforehand to ensure there's no party and/or reservation.
(3) Bring a change of clothes for your baby. A towel and/or change of clothes for you as well. The place is air-conditioned, but is just at the right temperature (i.e., not overly cold). Your child is sure to sweat if he/she overexerts himself/herself.
(4) Be prepared to go through the obstacles courses yourself to keep tabs on your child, especially if he/she is just a toddler.
(5) When I was younger, I've read about the dangers of sharp objects that may find their way in sandboxes or pools/vats of balls. I've yet to experience this firsthand, but it doesn't hurt to inspect the area before you let your child swim in a pool of plastic balls.
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