We were invited by the folks from Rise & Shine to the Volkswagen Family Weekend at the Volkswagen showroom last Saturday.
My kids were out the door as soon as they heard that there were going to be tricycle rides, art projects and ice cream! And they were not disappointed. As we entered the showroom, they immediately honed in on the tricycles and before I knew it, Noey was off, whizzing his way around the roadways that had been laid out on the ground. I loved the cute "STOP" and "SLOW" signs, but you can be sure none of the kids paid any heed!
There were a variety of trikes of different designs and my kids made it a point to try out every design they could get into. Naomi can't peddle a trike yet so I was glad that the trikes that were provided all came with parent steering handles so that I could help push and steer her around. Actually, I think it wasn't me but Naomi who was most pleased about that! It was near impossible to get her away to do anything else.
I eventually managed to interest them in the food art activity. Conducted by NutriVille, there were three activity stations for the kids to get involved in. And because it was the Mother's Day weekend, the projects the kids worked on were Mother's Day cards/gifts, which I thought was a nice touch. There was vegetable printing, which was my favourite because I thought the colourful prints looked so pretty.
The kids' favourite was painting with coffee which was diluted to different shades of brown. This was a pretty clever idea really, and with some skill at shading, I would imagine you could create some great pics. Though both of mine were just pleased to cover the whole picture in brown. At least with all that coffee, it smelt great!
The last activity was modelling with homemade salt dough. The created pieces could then be baked in the oven to harden. Again another nice and simple idea, but it there were quite a few kids at this table jostling for dough, so we didn't stay long.
In any case, it was time for the highlight of our visit -- the highlight of Noey's visit anyway: Our Volkswagen Sharan Test Drive!
If you don't already know, Noey absolutely loves cars. He is able to identify a good many different makes and models and is always checking them out on the road. So you can imagine how much his eyes lit up when I told him we'll be taking a drive around in a gorgeous new car!
The good folks at Volkswagen thoughtfully installed two car seats in the car for the two kids, and they were as pleased as punch. I drive an MPV on a daily basis but I was impressed by how roomy it was in that middle row. They easily fitted in two car seats side by side and the kids didn't look squashed together. There was still plenty of room for a third! The feeling of spaciousness carries in to cabin, which can seat 7 persons comfortably. I also like that instead of bench seating, all the seats were individually co. I've found from experience that this allows you more options when you need to reconfigure seating to carry more stuff!
When I entered the car, I what struck me was how nice it was. The sleek-looking sculpted headboard, and the generally luxurious feel of the materials were a treat. The build quality was also top class. There was also a panoramic sun roof that was a real hit with the kids. They are no stranger to the huge sun roof as we have one in our current car, but this one, ah, the front portion opens up! Noey was so impressed.
I'm no car expert, but I do drive a fair distance everyday, so feel I'm qualified to say that the car handles beautifully. It had great pick-up, and I really liked how the weighted steering wheel was extremely light to handle when stationary but stiffened gradually as the car picked up speed. It felt like a big car but I had no problems parking it. Retailing at over $190K at current prices, it is rather pricey, but driving it, I can see why it costs so much.
"This is a nice car," said Naomi approvingly. I thought so too.
The kids were so excited about the ride they kept asking for another car to drive. "They let you ride in it, Papa," Noey told DD impatiently. Alas, they had to content themselves pretending to drive the cars in the showroom, which they did to much giggles and amusement.
We settled down for some food that had been thoughtfully provided for the occasion, and with DD watching the kids for a bit, I snuck off to enjoy the Mum Pampering Corner that had been set up by OTO. Some peace and quiet while my shoulders where being kneaded was pure enjoyment and a much needed break for me.
With so much going on, it was really hard to get the kids to leave! Who knew you could have so much fun in a car showroom huh!
* This post was sponsored by Rise and Shine, in conjunction with Volkswagen.
Hmm, looks like I missed out on a lot of activities - the Food Art, Trikes, photobooth, etc were all not ready when we got there! :\
ReplyDeleteDid you go very early? That's a pity. The kids really did like the activities!
DeleteHi hi,
ReplyDeleteHow does it compare to other usual suspects like the Odyssey, 5005, C5 and Mazda 5?
Hi there! I've no experience with the 5005. Of the remaining 3, I've ridden in the Odyssey and Mazda 5, and drive the C4 MPV (which I think you are referring to, since the C5 is a sedan). The Sharan is definitely bigger and roomier than the Odyssey and Mazda 5. Those 2 really have virtually no legroom for the 3rd row of seats. With the Sharan, I was pleasantly surprised that the 3rd row had a decent amount of leg room. You could sit fairly comfortably. The C4 I have is quite similar, but the build quality for the Sharan is WAY nicer. The engine also feels much more reactive. That's my girly opinion! :)
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