Field Trip - Storyland

My daughter with her Grandpa at Storyland in Fresno, California

Storyland opened in 1962. It has lots of trees, and shady winding paths that lead to the homes of nursery rhyme and fairy tale characters. At the front entrance, you buy a "magic" key that fits into speaker boxes around the park. The speaker boxes recite nursery rhymes and fairy tales. Three-years-old is the perfect age to visit...

Using her magic key to unlock the speaker box at Humpty Dumpty

Alice's Courtyard is one of the venues that can be rented out for parties.

Sitting in Mama Bear's chair

The Three Pigs used to be live pigs. When I was little, one tried to eat my dress.

Many of the park's features have slides.

The gingerbread house from Hansel and Gretel has a merry-go-round.

When I was little, Hansel and Gretel's tall green witch was on the merry-go-round; she appeared to "chase" after the riders.

Pooh's house

Captain Hook's pirate ship

Unlocking the speaker box at the pirate ship. It tells the story of Peter Pan.

In the background you can see the entrance to what used to be the Crooked Mile.

The park is a little run-down and almost closed 10 years ago. There are no longer live animals (pigs at the Three Little Pigs' houses, and sheep at Little Boy Blue's). They've closed Jack and the Beanstalk - which I loved - but they haven't removed the beanstalk's tall metal skeleton (it used to be that you climbed up inside a beanstalk and at the very top you looked into the Giant's face as he boomed "Fee fi fo fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman!"). They also closed the Crooked Mile: There was a crooked man, and he walked a crooked mile. He found a crooked sixpence upon a crooked stile. He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse, And they all lived together in a little crooked house. I loved the Crooked Mile! The "mile" is still there, along with its crooked entrance, but that's it. The snack bar that was inside the park is closed up and some of the voices from the speaker boxes are a little difficult to hear.

I love Storyland. It was designed for little ones (the entrances are small, the toilets are low, the sinks are low, the paths are narrow, and preschoolers love things that are their size). It's happy (little ones can lead their parents and grandparents down the paths, discover, explore, and climb). 

Older kids and adults might be too jaded to enjoy this park, but three-year-olds think it's magical.