Page 2 | Soft play day before holiday?

BabyDoge · 2025-05-31T19:10:06+00:00

I'm having a bit of a disagreement with DM and would love some other perspectives. We're going on holiday on Monday, and DM has kindly offered to take DC out for a couple of hours so me and DH can crack on with packing. I was very grateful for the offer, until she said she's going to take them to soft play. I asked her if maybe she could take them somewhere else, as I don't think they should be going to a germ factory the day before we go away 🙈 But she thinks I'm being too anxious and it would be fine. AIBU? I have no problem taking them to soft play usually, but the day before we go away just feels like asking for trouble.

NoBiscuitsLeftInMyTin · 01/06/2025 07:24

ButteredRadishes · 31/05/2025 20:55

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Have you met a 2 year old?

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I was with my 3yo nephew most of yesterday and all sorts (apart from food) was in and out of his mouth - he was also in the pool with 15ish others swallowing water and whatever else was in there (yuck!) he's never ill and Im sure my boys were the same at his age - they're 17 and 19 now and I can't remember if they were ever ill.

EDITED - I remember my oldest abroad in our apartment abroad at 11yo (ish?) came up to me very upset and said he thought he'd farted and he hadn't - so into the bathroom into the shower and shorts into the washing machine and carry on - it was a one off thankfully - that's all I can remember - but no soft play??? Dear me! - prob the airport - or the plane, or foreign food etc - who knows?

My other 5yo nephew was with us as well yesterday - and in the same pool (all sorts of autistic/SEND issues) and everything in every room was in and out of his mouth and he's a chunky lad and also never ill.

MrsSkylerWhite · 01/06/2025 07:11

Squidgemoon · 31/05/2025 20:11

The plane/airport is just as much of a germ factory if not more!

This.

Soft play will be excellent, longer the better. Tire them out a bit for the day you travel.

Original poster

BabyDoge · 01/06/2025 07:08

MarketSt · 31/05/2025 23:31

Two holidays and a Christmas we’ve had ruined by stomach bugs.

I don’t think you’re unreasonable.

If I had my way (and I know it’s silly and I don’t do it of course) we’d not see anyone for 3 days before big holidays

Yes I've really been resisting the urge to hibernate the past few days 😬

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MarketSt · 31/05/2025 23:31

Two holidays and a Christmas we’ve had ruined by stomach bugs.

I don’t think you’re unreasonable.

If I had my way (and I know it’s silly and I don’t do it of course) we’d not see anyone for 3 days before big holidays

HMW19061 · 31/05/2025 22:59

Honestly it would never even occur to me to avoid places like soft play before going on holiday. 🙄 My oldest DS will be going to nursery the morning of the day we go on holiday, both DS will have been a nursery the day before we go.

Original poster

BabyDoge · 31/05/2025 22:43

Createausername1970 · 31/05/2025 21:38

I am with you, but for different reasons. DS was, and still is, accident prone. Fell off a swing and broke his wrist a few weeks prior to a flight, on another occasion he put his hand down the back of a cushion in Heathrow airport and brought it back out with a big bit of broken glass sticking out his finger. Another time he tripped down the stairs and ended up in A&E the night before we flew.

I had a blanket ban on him doing anything more exciting than Xbox for the three or four days before a holiday.

What terrible luck, your poor DS!

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Sandsnake · 31/05/2025 22:40

I’m totally with you! It’s unnecessary risk with limited / no benefit. I am not risk adverse or uptight around germs at all but it stands to reason that soft play increases your chance of illness prior to a holiday, including vomiting bugs which could potentially stop you flying / come on in the middle of a flight. The additional risk is still fairly small, but not worth it given the high impact and minimal benefit. Especially when a) you don’t need the childcare and b) there are plenty of outdoor alternatives.

Enjoy your holiday!

LilacPony · 31/05/2025 22:27

Haha yes I’m the same as you, I would say no thank you to the soft play too 😂

DinaofCloud9 · 31/05/2025 22:23

YellowRedwheels1 · 31/05/2025 21:38

I’m with you OP. Went on holiday last month and flew out on the Sunday and kept toddler DC off nursery the Thursday and Friday and hibernated on the Saturday.

Just not worth the risk.

I can't work out if this is sarcastic or not. If its serious then wow.

Pinty · 31/05/2025 22:23

Airports, planes and holiday resorts are full of people sharing germs

Blondeerror · 31/05/2025 22:20

im with you OP! I would also avoid before holiday

Ifpicklesweretickles · 31/05/2025 21:59

You have health anxiety or ocd.

Moonlightdust · 31/05/2025 21:52

Well in OP’s defence - my 3 are preteen/teenagers now but I remember them getting sick practically every time we visited a (germ invested) soft play venue. Hideous places 🤢

Original poster

BabyDoge · 31/05/2025 21:48

firsttimemom99x · 31/05/2025 21:46

Wouldn’t even cross my mind. In fact, when we went to Thailand last month, my son was literally playing in the soft play in London Heathrow airport just before our flight .. 😅

It's funny you mention that because I saw something online about a soft play that's opened up in Manchester airport and I thought there's no way I'd let them play in it 🤣

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firsttimemom99x · 31/05/2025 21:46

Wouldn’t even cross my mind. In fact, when we went to Thailand last month, my son was literally playing in the soft play in London Heathrow airport just before our flight .. 😅

BendingSpoons · 31/05/2025 21:44

After a ruined Christmas thanks to a vomiting bug I'm sure we picked up at an indoor play area and other times when we have probably caught colds, I try to avoid them just before anything special e.g. holidays.

I know they can get ill from school, on the plane etc but these are things that have to happen. (Well a plane doesn't have to, but it's a key part of some holidays.) I'm happy for my children to go to soft play, I just postpone it until after the holiday/Christmas etc.

Onethingafteran0ther · 31/05/2025 21:44

No, no and no. I'm with you op. I always lay low before holidays. Definitely don't send them to soft play!

Original poster

BabyDoge · 31/05/2025 21:42

Midnightlove · 31/05/2025 21:36

Maybe I'm OTT but I'm exactly the same as you. I definitely don't want to deal with a vomiting child on a flight/holiday if it can be avoided. Airports and flights are gross too, but I obviously make sure my child has particularly good hand hygiene in those situations

Yes maybe this is part of it as well. If I was with them I'd make sure they were washing their hands, but I can't be certain what she'll do.

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LouH1981 · 31/05/2025 21:42

I’m a bit of a germaphobe and I’m not keen on soft plays either but I think it was a really kind offer from your Mum and I would have bit her hand off. Soft play is hard work, she is being an angel!

Iamthemoom · 31/05/2025 21:40

I’m with you on this one but DD used to get a sickness bug almost every time we went to soft play. It ended up we only went when there were friends parties but I knew the next day nine times out of ten she was sick. So I would avoid like the plague pre holiday!

YellowRedwheels1 · 31/05/2025 21:38

I’m with you OP. Went on holiday last month and flew out on the Sunday and kept toddler DC off nursery the Thursday and Friday and hibernated on the Saturday.

Just not worth the risk.

Createausername1970 · 31/05/2025 21:38

I am with you, but for different reasons. DS was, and still is, accident prone. Fell off a swing and broke his wrist a few weeks prior to a flight, on another occasion he put his hand down the back of a cushion in Heathrow airport and brought it back out with a big bit of broken glass sticking out his finger. Another time he tripped down the stairs and ended up in A&E the night before we flew.

I had a blanket ban on him doing anything more exciting than Xbox for the three or four days before a holiday.

Midnightlove · 31/05/2025 21:36

Maybe I'm OTT but I'm exactly the same as you. I definitely don't want to deal with a vomiting child on a flight/holiday if it can be avoided. Airports and flights are gross too, but I obviously make sure my child has particularly good hand hygiene in those situations

Purpleturtle43 · 31/05/2025 21:36

I'm with you, why chance it? I would ask if she could do something outdoors with them, weather permitting.

Original poster

BabyDoge · 31/05/2025 21:31

SENNeeds2 · 31/05/2025 21:29

I seem to be going against the grain but having spent many a holiday with a child or children vomiting for several days - I'm with you. my daughter went to a soft play day before holiday ... she left limping a bit which worsened on holiday and while on holiday after an xray we realised she had chipped her big toe bone going down the slide.

That sounds painful! And hopefully not too expensive?

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