Kids love construction toys and Lego is one proof of how kids love to build. From playing with their little yellow construction trucks to plastic tools such as hammers and screw drivers. Give a kid such toys and he will be in his glory.
This is also why we have popular shows like “Bob the Builder” and “Handy Manny”. It’s fun and educational to allow kids such pastimes that also improve their own creativity.
Image Source: www.ebay.com
Going one step further is Diggerland. In case you didn’t know, Diggerland is an amusement park with a difference. Based on a construction theme, Diggerland actually allows children to use and play with real life construction machinery such as payloaders, diggers and the work. Diggerland has actually put kids into the driver’s seat.
Image Source: www.diggerlandusa.com
Diggerland, a New Jersey theme park with locations in the UK allows any child to operate heavy machinery. Call it nuts or call it ingenuity for business, but the machines are real and not dummies. They are diesel powered regular sized construction machinery such as backhoes, diggers, excavators and several items used for construction.
Image Source: www.accessibleguide.co.uk
Diggerland is a part of the HE services group and All Safety Limited. It has five theme parks in the United Kingdom and now a sixth in New Jersey, USA. Although it sounds crazy, the website claims, the park is totally safe for children as small as 3 feet in height and there are no instructions required for operating the equipment. You do as you please.
Image Source: www.wheredoitakethekids.com
That’s what the site says which means they have modified the items to prevent any mishap. One can’t imagine a child operating a crane or a pay loader without something going wrong.
According to the Diggerland website, this is the only themed park of its kind in the USA where children and their families can drive and operate heavy duty machinery. It also says the majority of the machinery is real and full sized construction equipment.
Image Source: www.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk
Diggerland originally had four parks in the UK when the fifth was built last year; it had a temporary park in Dubai in 2006. The company opened its USA franchise in 2014 in West Berlin New Jersey.
A day ticket cost $28.95 to $36.95and an annual pass cost $54.95. The park lies sprawled across 14 acres and has 25 exciting attractions.
Image Source: www.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk
But!! Even though Diggerland can be fun for kids, many parents do not quite agree to the concept of putting such large machinery into the hands of kids. Perhaps the machinery has been modified to be made safe for kids but many fear that it could encourage children to think it was ok to play with such types of equipment at construction sites and at home.
In 2014, it was reported in the UK that teenagers had stolen some heavy machinery from a company that provides equipment to Diggerland. The owner stated “The machines that were stolen are incredibly dangerous, and the perpetrator’s reckless behavior has risked both their own and other people’s lives.” The teens were arrested and the equipment retrieved before anyone got hurt.
Image Source: wikimedia.org
The UK incident itself makes you rethink whether it is a wise idea for kids to be allowed in Diggerland because of such contradiction. But Diggerland isn’t without entertainment. It even organizes racing events that are held between March and October as such events need to be held during daylight. Dumper racing is one of the most popular events and held every month.
Image Source: www.diggerland.com
Diggerland also has its own team called the dancing Diggers who operate every alternate year. It features diggers performing exciting stunts. Last year the Dancing Diggers even performed at many county fairs including the West Country Show and the Royal Bath. The display has become quite popular.
Image Source: www.kidspass.co.uk
The incident in the UK went as far as many parents frowning on the activities at Diggerland. Even those in the construction business aren’t too happy about the theme. Many feel kids should be made to feel that such heavy machinery are dangerous items and to be utilized only by adults. They should never be projected as toys to be used for play time and joy rides.
Image Source: motorblock.at
All said and done the theme park of Diggerland safely claims that no child has ever been hurt at the park which is committed to the safety of all visitors. Diggerland the site copy reads ““Diggerland undertakes a full Health & Safety audit annually, in addition to regular audits carried out by Health & Safety consultants.”
Image Source: www.cherrysuedointhedo.com
A popular attraction at Diggerland is the world’s tallest rope course which can be attempted by adventurers. You can take off in a military truck, scale a rock wall or have fun in the video arcade. You can also watch the stunt shows by the Diggerland team.
Image Source: www.pinterest.com
Most of the machinery at Diggerland is supplied by JCB, the world’s biggest heavy machinery and equipment manufacturer that is based in the United Kingdom and North America with a production plant in Savannah GA
JCB is well known for items like the backhoe loader, telescopic handler and side loading skid steer and prides itself over the safety and efficiency of their machines. Diggerland has a total of 30 machines supplied by JCB like skid steers, backhoes, excavators, telehandlers and others. All this can be operated by children themselves.
Image Source: www.tripadvisor.in
It all boils down to the opinion of parents. Those who feel it’s ok will love Diggerland as it makes a nice attraction of a different sort and if you don’t, then simply stay away because it depends on what perspective you view it from. It could benefit children to learn of such things but on the other hand allowing them access to such heavy duty machinery could also warp their sense of thinking.
Image Source: www.fatherly.com