The Living Rainforest - A super fun & autism friendly family experience (Newbury, England)

A great half day out for autistic children who love the world of mini beasts and reptiles!

THE LIVING RAINFOREST

Berkshire, England

We visited the Living Rainforest with our two autistic children along with their nonna, uncle, cousins and a close family friend. It was only a 10minute drive from East Ilsey - where we were staying for a long weekend. (You can read my blog on Autism friendly activities for Families in Berkshire here.)

Despite ranging in age from 15 months to 75 years (!) we all found something to enjoy during our trip. It was easy to find our way around (and stay together) as visitors are asked to follow a mostly one way route through the different regions.

Although the site is a small they pack in a surprisingly high number of plants and animals. The little ones loved the rainforest zone with its misty rainfall (very sensory) and seeing the more exotic creatures like iguanas and crocs, while there was plenty of interesting information about the habitats and different animal species on show to keep the adults engaged. As big fans of Andy's adventures on the BBC, the boys were also particularly excited to see their first mudskipper!

WERE STAFF FRIENDLY and WELCOMING TO OUR AUTISTIC CHILDREN?

The staff were very kind. Particularly the young man on one of the hands-on science tables in the communal learning / dining space. He patiently explained the table and was very relaxed about the children's handling of the display items, encouraging them to really get involved in their own way. I was very impressed by him.

WAS THE VENUE ACCESSIBLE? DID IT CONSIDER AUTISTIC CHILDREN SPECIFICALLY?

The venue is physically accessible to people in wheelchairs or with limited mobility and they have recently installed a changing places toilet.

However I feel they could do more to support families / children with hidden disabilities e.g. providing a visual story, a sensory pack or quiet place for families. We were surprised by how difficult our youngest son found some aspects of the animals displays, and there was nowhere for us to go other than outside in the cold to help him calm down.

However our older son coped fine and really enjoyed the experience of following his map around the spaces.

WHAT WERE THE FACILITIES LIKE?

The communal spaces are starting to look a little old and tired and there was a very uninspiring cafe that offered nothing for people with dietary requirements.

At the time of our visit the kids outdoor play area had seen better days, was in need of repair and was not a great space to sit out in.

DID WE HAVE TO QUEUE? WAS IT BUSY?

We visited early on a Saturday in October (not half term) and it was not busy. There was only one payment kiosk, and from the length of the outdoor entry way and indoor corridor it looked as if queues could form. For info on peak times I would suggest contacting them directly. They do run a timed entry system and the website does display available tickets for each time slot which is always helpful in ascertaining how busy it is likely to be when you arrive.

DO THEY OFFER DISABLE CONCESSION ENTRY PRICE

Yes, they do. At time of visit there was a £1 reduction in price for a disabled child and an accompanying adult carer was free of charge (proof required). There were also a number of family ticket arrangements available so you would need to work out the most cost effective tickets for your set up.