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Original poster

AIBU to think IKEA is a top parenting hack?

338 replies

Wallasey123 · 18/01/2026 13:26

DS2 is 3 and we went to IKEA yesterday not because we needed anything but just to get out of the house (and tbh I couldn’t face soft play).

He ran around loads, looked at all the rooms, climbed on the sofas and beds and I didn’t need to be on red alert every second like I am at the park.

I don’t know why I’d never considered it as a day out before! I think when it’s too busy it’s prob not great but we went at opening time and it was great. Also obvs helps that there’s something in it for me - I get to mooch, get ideas and pretend I’m being productive.

Ofc ended up buying a few bits and pieces and hotdogs in the end but I feel like I’ve provided an enriching outing, even though I mostly just walked in circles looking at storage 😅

Any other unexpected places that are actually fun for kids AND adults (and don’t cost the earth) that I might not have considered?

OP posts:
Rosealea · 19/01/2026 10:38

IKEA is always good with kids but I would never let them climb all over the furniture. That's not on!

HS1990 · 19/01/2026 10:15

Smyths toys where they can ride all the scooters and bikes down thr aisle is also great to kill an hour

Freddy67 · 19/01/2026 10:15

When my son was small enough our rainy day out was a trip to IKEA. Put him the crèche for an hour and have a coffee while he played. Often left without it even going through the shop bit.

HS1990 · 19/01/2026 10:12

Check if you have a branch of Maidenhead Aquatics or equivalent. We can feed fish and stingray for a quid and look at all the lovely colourful fish in their tanks.

Needmorelego · 19/01/2026 09:48

Wallasey123 · 19/01/2026 09:34

I think IKEA need to launch a cuddly swan in a bag toy

Show quote history

So a quick Google....
Swedish for Swan is Svan.
Swedish for bag is Väska.
Therefore I hope to see a new product called Svanväska by the end of the year 🦢

Needmorelego · 19/01/2026 09:42

Wallasey123 · 19/01/2026 09:34

I think IKEA need to launch a cuddly swan in a bag toy

Show quote history

YES 😍

ObelixtheGaul · 19/01/2026 09:36

Wallasey123 · 18/01/2026 13:26

DS2 is 3 and we went to IKEA yesterday not because we needed anything but just to get out of the house (and tbh I couldn’t face soft play).

He ran around loads, looked at all the rooms, climbed on the sofas and beds and I didn’t need to be on red alert every second like I am at the park.

I don’t know why I’d never considered it as a day out before! I think when it’s too busy it’s prob not great but we went at opening time and it was great. Also obvs helps that there’s something in it for me - I get to mooch, get ideas and pretend I’m being productive.

Ofc ended up buying a few bits and pieces and hotdogs in the end but I feel like I’ve provided an enriching outing, even though I mostly just walked in circles looking at storage 😅

Any other unexpected places that are actually fun for kids AND adults (and don’t cost the earth) that I might not have considered?

My stepdad used to take me to Texas Homecare, where I'd spend a happy hour ringing all the different test doorbells...

paristotokyo · 19/01/2026 09:36

Honestly I hate it unless I put mine in the free crèche which honestly, more stores should have!!

Original poster
Wallasey123 · 19/01/2026 09:34

BertieWoostersChaps · 19/01/2026 01:13

Totally agree. Also I am loving the pic of the swans in Ikea bags 😂

Show quote history

I think IKEA need to launch a cuddly swan in a bag toy

OP posts:
Clarefromwork · 19/01/2026 07:33

The ikea nearest to me has a pretend kitchen in the main cafe which we always sit near so they can go play in it inbetween eating bits of food !

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 19/01/2026 07:03

TroysMammy · 18/01/2026 14:08

My Dad used to take us to the village mart 50 odd years ago where we would pet the sheep in the pens and look at the cows and pigs. Loved it.

My grandmother used to do that when we visited her in the 90ies / early 2000ies. I looooved trying the fresh produce with her and getting to see (and buy) the fluffy baby ducks and chicks as well… (the animals were bought to be kept as farm animals until their slaughter, btw.)

Those markets were probably fairly dodgy from an animal welfare point of view but as a child I was in heaven.

redteapot · 19/01/2026 04:36

Go Outdoors is also a great one - we have one in walking distance so we sometimes have a walk down and my two (5 and 2) 'test' all the tents!

Contraryjane · 19/01/2026 02:23

I used to puppy raise for Guide Dogs. Great place to take a Labrador puppy for shop-training, but had to march them quickly past the floor level soft toys.

BertieWoostersChaps · 19/01/2026 01:13

Vivi0 · 18/01/2026 17:59

I love this thread.

It’s so funny hearing all the seemingly mundane places that little kids find fun.

And what’s even funnier are the usual comments by people getting their knickers in a twist about it.

“It’s irresponsible parenting”
”So entitled”
”Feral children trashing the place”

Take a day off 😂

Totally agree. Also I am loving the pic of the swans in Ikea bags 😂

BertieWoostersChaps · 19/01/2026 01:10

Totally agree, my twins love Ikea, we also did trips out on rainy days to Pets at Home, garden centres, and a big Waterstones where they sold toys and a big in the middle where the kids could play with the toys. Also Westfield where you can hire those cars but obvs that's not free.

Also weirdly the yearly optician appointment in late August was like a fun trip out for them - they loved it 🤣

PuppyMonkey · 18/01/2026 22:28

@Robyn847 yeah, so full of tat - is that why you go in there too? You clearly go a lot as you’re able to give such a definitive analysis. Grin

Dragonflytamer · 18/01/2026 21:44

Ikea literally give out tiny child sized pencils. The place is designed for kids. No adult would have that many soft toys in a room if they don't have kids.....

onceagainforrose · 18/01/2026 21:10

One rainy Monday, seven months pregnant, I took three year old DS and he discovered the clever storage behind the kitchen doors and drawers.

He opened every single one. Great day.

Original poster
Wallasey123 · 18/01/2026 20:59

Robyn847 · 18/01/2026 20:51

I always find IKEA is the up market version of B&M. It's the packed full of lazy ass parents with a trolley of tatt they don't actually need, letting their feral kids annoy everyone else by running uncontrolled and screaming, whilst being oblivious and only occasionally stopping to glance over their shoulder and tell them off.

In IKEA it's women in bretton tops or dry robes hissing "Tallulah-Mae, do please quieten down. I really shouldn't have let you eat yoghurt with additives with your granola".

Whereas in B&M they shout much louder, and it's more of "Get here Jazzledine-Skye, you fuckin shite. Put that back. What have I fuckin told you about runnin round? You wait till I tell your bastard Dad about this. Yer little shite.".

Same circus, different monkeys.

Show quote history

Shit, I do love a bretton top. I draw the line at a dry robe though

OP posts:
Original poster
Wallasey123 · 18/01/2026 20:57

SixtySomething · 18/01/2026 20:24

Is this an advertising post by IKEA?
I was telling my DH about it and he said it mirrors IKEA's ad on Times Radio in every detail.

Nope! But if they want to sponsor me with free stuff then they know where to find me 👋

OP posts:
Robyn847 · 18/01/2026 20:51

ClaraThePigeon · 18/01/2026 13:31

YABVU for allowing him to climb on the furniture. It always amazes me when I see parents allowing their children to do that and generally run riot in shops. Surely common sense and common decency and consideration for others makes it obvious that you shouldn’t?

Edited

I always find IKEA is the up market version of B&M. It's the packed full of lazy ass parents with a trolley of tatt they don't actually need, letting their feral kids annoy everyone else by running uncontrolled and screaming, whilst being oblivious and only occasionally stopping to glance over their shoulder and tell them off.

In IKEA it's women in bretton tops or dry robes hissing "Tallulah-Mae, do please quieten down. I really shouldn't have let you eat yoghurt with additives with your granola".

Whereas in B&M they shout much louder, and it's more of "Get here Jazzledine-Skye, you fuckin shite. Put that back. What have I fuckin told you about runnin round? You wait till I tell your bastard Dad about this. Yer little shite.".

Same circus, different monkeys.

willstarttomorrow · 18/01/2026 20:49

@FromTheBlock we did the same and also got the bus to random places! So much more exciting than getting in the car, always the top deck!

calishire · 18/01/2026 20:49

OMG. We did this in the pandemic when we couldn’t go anywhere else. It was open for essential shopping and it was pure gold.

SixtySomething · 18/01/2026 20:24

Is this an advertising post by IKEA?
I was telling my DH about it and he said it mirrors IKEA's ad on Times Radio in every detail.

StrawberrySquash · 18/01/2026 20:21

Trying81 · 18/01/2026 13:34

The Range at Christmas was great for this, my 3 year old enjoyed it more than the expensive Santa visit

Mine had a pretty good light tunnel. I'm sure a small child would have enjoyed it.