“PEPPA Pig, Peppa Pig!” and “Father Christmas!” cried our three very excited young children as we got out of the car at Paultons Park on a beautiful autumn day. It was the reopening of the park for the festive season with the added attraction of Santa’s Christmas Wonderland.

Factfile

• The park is open weekends from now and during the week leading up to Christmas, finishing on December 23.

• December ticket rates are £21 for adults and children over three (with a reduced rate for the November weekends and for younger children).

• Ticket prices include entrance into Paultons Park and Peppa Pig World (please note some rides in the main park are shut for winter), entrance to Santa’s Christmas Wonderland and a gift for the children or hot fruit punch and mince pies for adults.

• All visits must be pre-booked.

For more information visit paultonspark.co.uk.

We decided to break the children in gently with a stroll around the gardens and lake and to see the animals.

The main park, on the original site of Paultons House, has rolling lawns, exotic bird aviaries and forest walks, as well as rides and play areas.

After feeding their imaginations in Land of the Dinosaurs, we hopped on the Rio Grande Train for a tour of the park disembarking at Peppa Pig World (or ‘toddler heaven’ as it should be known).

Here there are seven magical rides, slides and play parks, all toddler-sized and decorated in bright primary colours and Peppa’s signature sky-blue and piggy-pink.

The favourite TV characters also play part of the Christmas experience with fantastic illuminations and decorated trees – a sight worth seeing which put the children in the mood for Santa’s Christmas Wonderland.

On entering, we wandered through the enchanted land to see Rudolph and Donner – the singing reindeers – and watched the elves working hard in their toy shop to make sure everything is ready for Christmas Eve. At the end of the journey the children met Santa himself who gave them an exciting present!

Alongside all of this, is a magical ice wonderland, filled with adorable animated singing characters. And it wasn’t just the children that were entertained, as there were mince pies and hot fruit punch for parents to enjoy in the Christmas-themed Village Life Museum.

So much fun packed into a day out made this a perfect pre-Christmas treat for all the family.