A classic soft play AIBU

Or they could have waited until the younger ones had finished playing in there then it wouldn’t have been a problem.

Maybe its a good life lesson, that if you sit in a goal then you're liable to be hit by a ball

Sorry OP, I think YABU. Acted defensively which is understandable but right when you said you should have just removed yours

No I would have removed them from the goal and told them that’s there was a child in there being a bit rough not listening spoiling it for other children and hurting them. Basically being a little shit why should the children who are behaving get removed? Should be the kids who are being little shits with a wet lettuce parent doing nothing about their bratty kid.

The older ones were playing in a way that was appropriate for their age and the area they were in. If your children are scared of the balls or not able to play appropriately in that area then they shouldn’t be in there. You’ve said yourself that the older children weren’t doing anything wrong.
I would have told you to piss off if you had tried to tell me to remove my 7 year old who was doing nothing wrong.

This reminds me of the time we were at a splash park and a woman complained that my son accidentally splashed her a little whike she was sat right at the edge of the water with her feet in and he was playing in the water.

told a member of staff what?

That little ones were left by their parents in the football section disrupting the football?

I would have taken your kids out and let the bigger ones play. There’s usually plenty of designated areas for smaller children to play away from bigger ones in a soft play. The football bit is one of the few bits where the older ones can let loose and play. I only let mine play in there at that age when we were there during term time so no bigger kids.

YWBVU to question someone else’s parenting when her child was using the area appropriately and yours were blocking the goal!

You would have told a member of staff that kids were playing football in the football area? To what end?

OP I think you now know that you were being unreasonable so just take it as a lesson. In future, if you feel your kids are in danger just remove them, teach them that a goal is where balls are kicked (often at high speed) and avoid the football pitch. In a few years, yours will be the older ones trying (but so desperately failing) to keep a ball controlled because of some younger children. They all need to be able to play, hopefully there’s enough space elsewhere in the soft play so that everyone can be happy.

Should have just taken your kids out. They older kids were using it for what it should be used for. Take your kids to a gentler part where they won't get hurt. It's not that hard.

Yeah we have yet to use a football section at a soft play for this reason (and my son is now 7)- the play in there is quite rough and I don't think he's aged into it just yet- maybe soon. I kind of always think of those spaces as unofficially for the 7-10 group, unless really quiet on a weekday. I also would have removed mine at just 4, probably as soon as I saw the older kids coming into the space, the rest was inevitable really...

This. Its football area for playing football.

This is the point I would have removed my child.

Having said that, I know I’ve said things in the heat of the moment too - hopefully she’ll think about it (although I doubt it).

YABU sounds like the older kids were actually trying to play football in the football area and yours were in the way in the goal! You should have got yours out and taken them to a more suitable area.
It’s definitely not ok when older kids are in the toddler areas messing around but it works both ways, you can’t expect older kids not to have fun because smaller ones are around

Soft play on a rainy bank holiday Monday is a recipe for disaster in my experience.

When I used to take mine to a local softplay the footballs were soft so nobody would get hurt if they hit a child. I would have told a member of staff.

That's how softplays work.

You have little ones, you follow them everywhere because that's literally your job.

They are the oldest and can no longer get hurt, you sit down and let them get on with it, keeping an eye on them from far.

'Was it scary in the football bit 4YO?' 'Yeh the bigger boys were kicking the balls hard' 'Yes I could see that you were frightened. Unfortunately that's what football is like and older kids who understand the rules more like to kick at the goal and practice kicking hard. Probably not the best idea to hide in the thing they're trying to aim at it is it buddy?' 'Erm no' 'what do you think you should do next time?' 'Ermmm tell you mummy' 'orrrrr...' 'errrr leave the football pitch' 'Perfect! It's safe to play in there when it's just you but when there's bigger kids playing if you don't actually want to play you maybe need to leave otherwise it's really on you if you get hurt'

It's ok to advocate for your kids but IMO it's really important to teach them to problem solve and make good choices independently too.

YABU, sorry

I know it's annoying when you have little ones, but it's a football "pitch" it's literally designed for kids to kick balls. Yours are too young, you remove them.

as the balls we’re just coming from everywhere at high speeds
you saw that, you should have got your child out. One of always going to receive a ball somewhere

It’s not the other child’s responsibility to modify how they were playing because your four year old couldn’t handle it.

You’ve said yourself they weren’t doing anything wrong…

as soon as you saw your child hiding in the goal you should have taken them out. They are too young for that area.

The football area is for playing football and is usually aimed at older kids, who have a right to play football there. I don't understand why you didn't take your child out if he didn't want to play?

And were all the little ones in there crying/injured/hiding in the goal or was it just your two?

Were the 4 year olds playing football or running around? Either way when it got a bit wild I would have taken them out. The other mum was making am effort to keep football calm it just wasn't working so I wouldn't have given her a hard time about it.