The Square Peg reviews…Plymouth Snowsports Centre

The Plymouth Snowsports Centre has been in Plymouth for over 30 years. They have a dry ski slope and training slopes, a toboggan run and sno tubing. They also run holiday clubs that we have sent Matthew (Edward’s older brother) a few times.

A friend suggested that we could go during Easter and I knew that Matthew would love it, but I wasn’t sure about Edward. I thought that if Edward suddenly decides that he doesn’t like it, he will just jump out regardless of any danger.

Then I thought, actually, I could sit with him and I will be able to hold him tight. So I booked us all in for a 1 hour session of Sno-tubing and Tobogganing.

When we arrived Edward was super excited and was jumping up and down flapping his arms. I wore the Sunflower lanyard and I said to the lady on the desk that we might need extra assistance. She said that’s completely fine and just let them know.

Sno-tubing

Edward was really excited and stood in the line with everyone else for the briefing. Then, he suddenly decided that he did NOT want to sit in the ring and he ran off screaming over to my friend yelling ‘HELP ME!!’

I sat in the ring and we watched some of the others go down the slope. When it was my turn he decided that he would try it after all.

I could see in his face that he was really excited but also scared and I suppose that he didn’t really know how to deal with that mix of emotions. When we got to the bottom he was jumping for joy and couldn’t wait to go down again. Obviously leaving Mummy to pull everything back up to the top.

Tobogganing

After half and hour on the sno-tubing we went over to the tobogganing. As soon as we arrived Edward screamed that he didn’t want to do it. So again, I went over and listened to the brief and then we watched the others take their turn.

When I sat down on the toboggan, Edward came running over and sat on with me. So off we went and again he was a mix of excitement and fear. When we got to the bottom of the run he was keen to go again. On our last run, he wasn’t happy that it had finished and so he threw himself on the floor then ran off crying.

I cannot describe in words how proud I am of Edward for doing this. From being scared and not wanting to take part to changing his mind and then loving it and having lots of fun. What a little star he is!

Never underestimate what an autistic child can do. They surprise you all the time!