Soft play day before holiday?

We’re a blase about germs, rarely unwell family as well. I’ve often assumed there was a link, and the link was that we’ve toughened up our immune systems.

But what if the causality runs the other way and the families who are more paranoid about germs because their kids are often sick?

@DappledThings we don’t know what happens after 5 (although where I am the soft play is available after official closing hours for private parties and people do hire them for that). However many times we’ve gone as soon as they open and it’s filthy - dried food at least a day old, general dirt. I’ve noticed people often bring their sick kids there too to ‘entertain’ them and keep them busy so they don’t have to look after their own kids when they’re poorly.

This is the hang over from COVID!

How do you know what happens at 5 and how much cleaning is done then?

This is what tips it for me into overly obsessive. Being certain that a completely normal age like soft play is dirty enough to warrant any kind of risk that's worth any headspace. Cancelling a playdate with a specific child who you know is ill, fair enough. Worrying that soft play isn't cleaned sufficiently and that there might be contagious children there is overthinking and paranoid

I’d be more worried about them falling off a slide and breaking something which would ruin the holiday. Definitely wouldn’t be worried about them catching “germs”!

I do actually agree with you, and this is the stance I take... We're very blasé about germs in day to day life, and I feel this has led to my 4 kids having very robust immune systems. I just can see it from another point of view too, and don't think it's ridiculous for op to want to mitigate the risk by preferring her kids to do something outdoors the day before the holiday. A little over-cautious maybe, but not ridiculous. Which is why I mentioned hyperbole.

I've only ever read about people thinking they are any risk to health on here. Germs are everywhere. May as well lock yourselves in the house and have Dettol showers if you're that convinced soft play is dirty enough to worry about getting ill from. They could go to the park and pick up norovirus from the chain of a swing.

Any indoor place that is full of young children will have a high proportion of germs, just like nurseries and schools etc. Strange that you've only read that on this site....

It's ridiculous because this idea that they are notorious for being full of germs is paranoid nonsense I've only ever read here.

We run a soft play. It had to be completely sanitised between each session. The booking times are organised to give the staff time to thoroughly clean everything. On a hot day OP’s children would probably be the only ones there as we are the last place anyone brings their children when it’s good weather.

So much hyperbole on this thread. People calling the op ridiculous. Surely 'ridiculous' would be refusing to let them leave the house, not simply preferring the idea of letting the children visit one of probably dozens of other options available to them on a dry summer day, rather than an indoor place notorious for being full of germs, the day before a big holiday. Yes, the plane will be germy too, but that part is not optional. Soft play is optional.

I must admit, it probably wouldn't have occurred to me, but once someone else mentioned it, I would definitely have seen their point. It's not 'ridiculous' to try to mitigate the risk a bit.

My kids are way past soft play age and I am not an over anxious parent but no way would I have had them in soft play before any important date. Especially little ones who are more likely to mouth things etc. Running around outside, picnic in the park kind of thing would be my first choice.

I would avoid personally but only because it’s happened to me before with my dc and they were sick the day after softplay. Thankfully we had already arrived at our destination by the time it happened but ruined the first day of the holiday.

No they aren't. They have a two week half term so will be off school this week so cheaper to go away.
My fear of soft play is not the germs so much but the risk of hurting themselves when they throw themselves off the top stage thinking it's OK because it's soft. (Talking from experience here - DD2 broke her wrist just before a holiday)

So, am I correct that your 5 year old is missing school for this holiday?

But you’ve already said if they’re exposed to germs in the plane at least you’d already be there when the bug hit. Isn’t that the same with the airport softplay?

There have been so many threads lately about things parents will not let their children do because of their own adult fears about germs, and other risks which are everywhere. I think bringing children up in such safetyism is very sad, has echoes of the madness of 2020, and will breed a generation of very anxious young adults (and we are not a million miles from that happening already). Even if you don’t tell children why you’re not letting them do certain things, they will probably sense it.

Life is full of risk. Going on holiday in itself has too many risks to count.

I’m with you on this one. There’s so many things she can do with the kids that don’t involve being practically in a Petri dish. Also, I think soft play is worse. I’ve taken my kid to so many airports-he’s touched everything, rolled on the floor etc and not gotten sick. Soft play- almost every single time.

Joking aside - if you've been affected so badly in the past and it ruins the holiday I don't blame you for not allowing soft play or anything else - but most people don't have this issue so are laughing - in a nice way. Keep yourself safe and have a good time