Well, I was not disappointed. What a day. No Monday blues for me this week – note to self: always make plans for Mondays.
We had the usual morning: up at 6.30, breakfast, iPad, then I snuck back to bed for an hour. But today we were all up and dressed with purpose. We were off to a museum but not just any museum. The Postal Museum.
Essentials Packed
I loaded the bag with all the must-haves: iPad, gummies, change of clothes, a mountain of snacks, Summer’s book, sunflower lanyard. We did bus, tube and a 15-minute walk through Chancery Lane (where I used to live for a short while). The streets were quiet, filled with the smell of Lebanese food making us all hungry. Just as we checked the map in a very remote area, Sadie arrived.
Post Early
The museum runs a SEND-friendly event called Post Early. Unlike other museums that shove SEND families into 8am slots, this was during normal hours but closed to the general public. Amazing. Beforehand they’d even sent a detailed visual story that I could show River, so we arrived prepped.
From the moment we stepped in, it was a dream. A kind staff member explained the set-up, showed us the Sensory Trolley full of ear defenders, fidget toys, and squeezy balls. We popped them into little postbags (adorable!) and headed straight into the Postal Play Space.
It was the greatest mix of soft play and learning. Mini houses where doors opened to sound effects. Envelopes to be “posted” through numbered doors. A sorting office. And the best part at the back featured a pulley system that whisked letters upstairs and back down. A self operated conveyor belt that River enjoyed becoming the parcel and making Summer and Sadie pull him along and a slide to get down to repeat the process. River didn’t need to do the correct ‘posting letters’ in the correct houses, he was running in and out in full Postman outfit, squealing with joy. He filled up countless trolleys and bags of letters and posted them everywhere. Summer dressed up and decided she was going to be his Supervisor – tough gig. For the first 30 minutes we were the only ones there. A mum I met told me it was her family’s seventh visit. I could see why.
Mail Rail
Next was the little underground train: The Mail Rail. It looked exactly like River’s toy one. You sit in these tiny carriages and trundle through tunnels, passing abandoned platforms while they project the history of the postal service. We all loved it instantly.
River kept shouting, “There’s a monster at the end of the tunnel!” (a direct quote from his favourite book – There’s a monster at the end of this book) which made everyone laugh. When the “power cut” moment came and it went pitch black, he panicked for a second: “Get the flashlight!” but thanks to the visual story, we all knew it was coming. Twenty minutes of pure joy.
Afterwards there were interactive games: programming trains, racing letters into slots, Summer in full postal costume again. River? Shouting “Earthquake!” and running away but eventually joining in, shoving letters wherever he pleased. He even wore a hat fit for Oliver Twist. Progress.
A Rookie Error
By now I thought we were pushing it. So we headed for lunch across the road where there was a story session. I set River up with the iPad, left him with Sadie and took Summer in. Five minutes later, the scream. I was one floor up and in a closed room but I can pick out that noise anywhere. My mistake: the iPad’s WIFI was connected to my phone… which was in my pocket upstairs.
Sadie tried frantically to find the right Halloween videos but River was squirming, howling. Quick swap — me with him, Sadie with Summer. Guilt pangs but also relief. Sadie saved Summer’s session where she got to be a giraffe. I missed the end of the story but that’s life.
The Big Win
I thought we were done. Two and a half hours, no meltdowns worth mentioning. But Summer begged to see the “proper” museum. And I’m so glad we stayed.
River shot out of his pushchair yelling “Museum!” the best word of the day. Inside, it was wonderfully interactive. Jolly Postman theming, dress-up galore and then… River’s heaven: the Post Shoot.
You write a message, pop it in a capsule and whoosh! It flies overhead, through clear tubes and drops at the other end. Pure magic. He squealed, jumped, demanded “AGAIN!!” at least thirty times. Because it was so quiet, he actually got to. When someone else stepped in, he cried for a second, then moved on. That’s progress.
We lasted another hour and a half. Finally, the gift shop showdown, tears over a yo-yo but manageable. “Bye bye museum,” he said as I pushed him away. And then he slept the entire way home.
Signed Off
Back at home, he woke up at the front door, quietly looked around and said “Bye bye Sadie,” and went inside. Summer and River watched a film while I made dinner in peace.
Today felt like what it’s meant to feel like. Joyful, manageable, even ordinary in the best sense.
We found a place where River wasn’t “too much,” Summer wasn’t “missing out,” and I wasn’t on the edge of collapse. Just… us. Having a day. And it was on a Monday!
Why Places Like the Postal Museum Matter
Days like today make me realise how rare they actually are.
The Postal Museum worked not because River suddenly became “easy,” or because Summer magically stopped wanting more, or because I turned into some perfectly organised parent. It worked because the environment was designed to meet us where we are.
SEND events aren’t about “special treatment.” They’re about removing unnecessary barriers so our children can join in: safely, happily, without constant apologies from us. A sensory trolley at the door, a visual story emailed ahead, closing the building to reduce noise and crowds, tiny things that change everything.
When River was squealing through the tunnels or demanding “AGAIN!” at the post shoot, nobody was rolling their eyes. Nobody was waiting impatiently for us to finish. He was allowed to be fully himself and we were allowed to breathe.
And it wasn’t just him. Summer got the full museum experience: costumes, games, stories, without me dragging her out halfway through to manage her brother. She got a sibling day, not a carer’s day. That matters too.
I wish more places understood this. Because SEND families want to go out, want to explore, want to give our children the same experiences as everyone else. But the truth is, most of the time we weigh the risk and decide it’s easier to stay home.
The Postal Museum got it right. And if more places did, we’d all be out there more often, not hidden away, not apologising, not fighting to prove why we deserve to take up space.
Today was proof: when the world can adapt a little, our children shine a lot. Thank you Postal Museum.
50 days of River 
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