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AIBU?

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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:
Needmorelego · 18/01/2026 16:18

Livelovebehappy · 18/01/2026 16:14

Ah, that’s where i’ve gone wrong with my thought process. I thought the displays were set up to show people how the room could look by displaying the items they were selling. Didn’t realise it was displayed like that for the benefit of kids….

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Adults can try the products too....and they do.
That's the point.

Original poster
Wallasey123 · 18/01/2026 16:17

Livelovebehappy · 18/01/2026 16:14

Ah, that’s where i’ve gone wrong with my thought process. I thought the displays were set up to show people how the room could look by displaying the items they were selling. Didn’t realise it was displayed like that for the benefit of kids….

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You could argue that a realistic lived in look is better though? Then you’d know what’s worth getting 😁

OP posts:
PuppyMonkey · 18/01/2026 16:17

I live close to the Nottingham Giltbrook one and I more or less brought DD up in there.Grin

There was no running around when she was little but playing make believe with her in the room set-ups, OMG so much fun. Fish and chips or meatballs in the restaurant so no need to cook tea afterwards, getting her to find stuff in the warehouse following the codes.. cinnamon buns. Parenting doesn’t get much more enjoyable than this!

She’s at university now studying film set design.

nowahousewife · 18/01/2026 16:16

Used to take ours there nearly 30 years ago on rainy weekends! Great place for them to explore and burn off energy.
The other place we often went to was 4th floor/children’s dept at Harrods. There was always stuff going on from story reading, to toy demos, freebies etc!
Only difference was the meatballs at Ikea were much cheaper than a cuppa and a nice cake at Harrods 🤣

Original poster
Wallasey123 · 18/01/2026 16:15

babyproblems · 18/01/2026 16:10

agree with pps that you are mad to go to ikea on Saturdays if you don’t have kids 😂

100%. Whenever I usually need to go I try to go on weekday evenings. Quick zoom round and finish with a hotdog 🌭

OP posts:
ClaraThePigeon · 18/01/2026 16:14

Rhubarb24 · 18/01/2026 15:24

My kids did too! Took them to the Blue Planet in Ellesmere Port and they were not bothered at all. Money down the drain. The Sea Life Centre opened near us, they didn't want to go. But they would stare at dead frozen fish in supermarkets and begged to go into Pets At Home to see the fish in there. 🙈

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A friend moved to Florida with her American husband. She lives on the Space Coast so they regularly get to watch rockets launch. The first time that she took her young children to watch a rocket launch, they were not impressed at all and were most displeased that they’d missed out on the shredding day that the local library had organised so that people should dispose their documents. They were more interested in watching that.

Livelovebehappy · 18/01/2026 16:14

flopsyrabbit8 · 18/01/2026 14:38

Yes it’s a shop but it’s set out in a way that encourages playing/testing things out. Do you think they set up full bedroom displays and expect people not to lay on the bed? It’s a family focused place with kids toys, setups, menus and play areas. You sound very joyless.

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Ah, that’s where i’ve gone wrong with my thought process. I thought the displays were set up to show people how the room could look by displaying the items they were selling. Didn’t realise it was displayed like that for the benefit of kids….

GoldbergVariations · 18/01/2026 16:13

We had a fantastic day out at Tong Garden Centre near Leeds with the grandchildren just before Christmas. Absolutely loads for them to see and do, and an Ikea just down the road as well. Highly recommended.

Original poster
Wallasey123 · 18/01/2026 16:13

District66 · 18/01/2026 16:10

IKEA or Disneyland ?

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IKEA! We did go, just not often enough for it to be a core memory

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 18/01/2026 16:11

People are being so stuffy on here.
The whole point of shops set out like IKEA is to try the products out 🤷

babyproblems · 18/01/2026 16:10

agree with pps that you are mad to go to ikea on Saturdays if you don’t have kids 😂

landlordhell · 18/01/2026 16:10

We never allowed our dc to climb over the sofas and displays- just go through the mouse holes and down the slide in the kids bedroom part.

District66 · 18/01/2026 16:10

Wallasey123 · 18/01/2026 13:44

We never really went growing up - I feel like I’ve missed out!

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IKEA or Disneyland ?

laserme · 18/01/2026 16:09

It’s a shop not a soft play - I hate parents taking their kids in their for a day out and letting them run around and be feral (yes I do have kids if my own) TBH I find it entitled and actually a bit chavvy

babyproblems · 18/01/2026 16:09

YANBU!!
our local ikea has a free soft play. You can leave kids over 4 In there for a timed slot.
restaurant also has spaces you can sit and work with free WiFi. So I can also leave DH in restaurant!!!

I used to be an interior designer for ikea Europe in a past life and used to think long and hard about how to make life easy for people with kids 😁

ClairDeLaLune · 18/01/2026 16:09

Viviennemary · 18/01/2026 16:06

Thats why I dont go to IKEA. Last time I went a tiny child was tearing round. Looking at any minute they would be falling over and getting injured. And the child noise and chaos was deafening. Saturday morning.

Never ever ever go to IKEA on a Saturday morning if you don’t have kids. What on earth were you thinking???

ClovisPlatypus · 18/01/2026 16:08

When i was little, a trip into town was capped by being able to press one of the display doorbells in the basement of Heelas and then going to the cafe in the Gas Showrooms to share a slice of cake. Ikea would have blown my mind.

ClairDeLaLune · 18/01/2026 16:08

And I used to take DS to look at building sites. Sadly you can’t play on them anymore like I used to do as a kid in the 1970s, now THAT was fun!

landlordhell · 18/01/2026 16:08

Our DC are adult now but they have fond memories of the mouse holes in the children’s furniture area and the slide but I think they may have removed all that. Finished off with a 50p hot dog. Win win!

ClairDeLaLune · 18/01/2026 16:07

Also, once my kids had a whale of a time in the B&Q kitchen and bathroom section #badparent 😂

Viviennemary · 18/01/2026 16:06

Thats why I dont go to IKEA. Last time I went a tiny child was tearing round. Looking at any minute they would be falling over and getting injured. And the child noise and chaos was deafening. Saturday morning.

Spacetours · 18/01/2026 16:06

On reflection while I am sure mine do remember zoo days out it’s Ikea, the shed place with a fort and the gargoyles and giant fish at the posh garden centre which they have the best memories of.

Original poster
Wallasey123 · 18/01/2026 16:05

ShanghaiDiva · 18/01/2026 16:02

Another China memory- we held our monthly book club meeting in an IKEA room display and we had drinks and snacks. Happy days!

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I’m sorry, WHAT! 😂 This is amazing! IKEA needs to start hiring out the rooms for bdays / events or wfh (but not your real home)

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 18/01/2026 16:04

CaptainMyCaptain · 18/01/2026 14:53

They don't need to buy a flat ffs. A few bits from ikea can make a student room in Halls or a shared house feel like home snd at some point they'll get a home of their own even if it's rented.

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Some people are taking this thread so seriously 🤣
A few teens "playing" at being domestic.
I was being slightly tongue in cheek about the having their own flat.

Echobelly · 18/01/2026 16:04

I did have some good trips when the kids were little! There was also a small window when they could both go to Smaland, which was amazing, but I think it was only about a year - it was a lifesaver once when we had to return something which meant an inevitable hour-long wait and we did not want to have to do that with a 3 and a 6 year old (or was it 2 and 5, I can't recall!)

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