Jurassic Encounter is back this holiday week at Ballantyne’s Backyard and you’ve got three more days to get your family out there! The traveling dino-extravaganza is a great activity for kiddos who are starting to climb the walls!! We have had it on the calendar in our house for more than a week and it was a life-saver when playdates and even some visits from family members were cancelled at the last minute this holiday. Cold and flu season for sure!
This is the second year Ballantyne’s Backyard has welcomed Jurassic Encounter – the walk-through event featuring 50 something static and moving dinosaur figures of all shapes and sizes! And nd it’s the second time I took my three sons, now ages 6 and 5-year-old twins. Just when I thought it might be a little less exciting to go back a second time, I found out that the anticipation of the event – and knowing what to expect – just added to the entire experience. My boys asked about it for days. And the morning of, they got themselves dressed (without a fuss – huge!) wearing their favorite dinosaur shirts, and my eldest even found the dinosaur hat he got at Jurassic Encounter last year and wore it when we went back.
We opted to skip the app this time, and just walk through the tour at our own pace. The time it takes to sync up at each dinosaur was more than my boys wanted to wait, but the cool thing was they wanted to read the displays for the dinosaurs and my 6-year-old can now read them himself! The organizers rearranged the lay-out this year, moving some of the bigger, louder dinosaurs toward the back of the exhibit for littles who might be intimidated. And they keep the milder-mannered dinos and the younger kiddo-friendly activities like dusting and sketching for dinosaur fossils and little closer to the front (and in the old sand trap of a golf hole – smart!)
My oldest Wade petting “Tiny” the T-Rex.
The highlight of the afternoon was still getting to see “Tiny” the T-Rex put on a show – it started at 11 a.m. an hour after the exhibit opens at 10 a.m. – and jumping around in the bounce houses afterward. Our boys also loved revisiting the swag tent and they picked out some cool toys this year. Note to self, could have avoided the amazon shipping costs for a birthday present we needed to get this week! Oh and the boys loved the tote bags that double as backpacks that they carried their loot in on the way out.
Long and short, if your kids love dinosaurs – and mine definitely do – this is a slam dunk activity. Just having a place they ran run around roam and dictate their next move is priceless!
Last weekend for Jurassic Encounter
My son Wade wearing his dino hat from last year!
What: This prehistoric outdoor experience lets your children mingle with more than 45 life-sized animatronic and static dinosaurs, and they can listen in to learn all about the dinos on a free educational app from your phone!
Kids are invited to dig for bones, jump in a bouncy house, and shop for swag at the Dino Village.
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: Ballantyne’s Backyard, 11611 N Community House Rd.
How much: Tickets start at $19 in advance for ages 3 and up. Parking is free. Sellouts are expected so get your tickets now!
Click here to purchase tickets.
