Warwick Castle is a magical family day out and Zog Live show left huge smiles on my kids’ face

“WHAT a good idea!” said Zog. Then up and off he flew.

They are words I have read out loud to my four-year-old daughter at hundreds of bedtimes, from Julia Donaldson’s story Zog.

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So we both had big smiles on our faces as we heard it while watching Warwick Castle’s Zog Live show.

The charming show, running until September, was a big hit, with smoke, giant dragons and a knight on horseback.

My daughter Estella also couldn’t wait to see Zog Playland, tugging my hand and urging “Come on Mummy!” as she raced down a wooden walkway towards the slide which is a kid-friendly gateway to the area.

It was difficult to coax her from this bright play area that’s designed with younger children in mind, full of inventive swings, tunnels, towers and even a zip line.

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And my two boys, Henry, 11, and Nicholas, seven, were right in their element at the Horrible Histories maze next door.

Based on the bestselling books, the mind-muddling maze takes families on a journey through time, picking up fascinating, funny — and gross — facts along the way.

Warwick Castle is a great day out for families with kids of all ages because such a wide variety of attractions, shows and tours are included with your entry ticket.

The boys were captivated by The Legend Of The Trebuchet show, awe-struck by the giant wooden siege machine catapulting ammo across the sky in dramatic style.

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And also gracing those skies, best observed from the beautiful riverside setting, were the stars of The Falconer’s Quest show, the UK’s largest birds of prey display.

And all this adventure came before we had even set foot inside the imposing castle, with its near-1,000-year history.

Our guided tour of the Great Hall and State rooms gave the children an insight into what life would have been like within their walls, while The Kingmaker walkthrough exhibit recreated the sounds and the atmosphere of the build-up to a War of the Roses battle.

But Estella and I sought a moment’s solace from all the bloodthirsty historic tales with a trip up the Princess Tower.

It’s a delightful interactive storytelling experience aimed at children aged three upwards, where we helped crown Princess Eve the Queen of Warwick.

Before we headed home, we scaled the ramparts and towers with the many stone steps of the spiral stairs ensuring we had three worn-out adventurers at the end of the day.

In the words of the magical Zog, our day out at Warwick Castle really had been a good idea.

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