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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:
ShanghaiDiva · 18/01/2026 16:02

Wallasey123 · 18/01/2026 15:57

WHAT! This is incredible. IKEA should 100% do kids parties

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

Spacetours · 18/01/2026 16:02

Ha ha we live near one and used to go in the evenings when it was quiet and like a giant hoe to tire out a toddler space. See also the outdoor sheds in garden centres and the displays of Christmas toys, the outdoor space in Band Q and reclamation yards for the curious preteen who liked to see stuff. I do have some strange momentous of theses visits but what teen doesn’t have a snuff container and a whale bone?

Livelovebehappy · 18/01/2026 16:02

Didnt realise it was a thing to let your children run feral in there by letting them climb and jump on furnishings? Just because someone doesn’t come up and tell you to control your children, doesn’t mean it’s acceptable….

Ireallycantthinkofagoodone · 18/01/2026 16:02

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 agree with your views on this. I went yesterday, and faced so many small children running around, with parents just letting them run riot. It’s really annoying for those trying to shop and obviously dangerous for the children. I’m sure the parents would be furious if I had knocked one over with my trolley.

Ikea is a shop, not a children’s play park. Either pay for the soft play, put your child in a trolley, or hold onto them.

ClairDeLaLune · 18/01/2026 16:02

Wallasey123 · 18/01/2026 15:57

WHAT! This is incredible. IKEA should 100% do kids parties

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DD was quite old as well, possibly even secondary school age! One of the best parties she’d been to apparently, and cheap! Many posters on her probably hate me now 😂

Original poster
Wallasey123 · 18/01/2026 15:57

ClairDeLaLune · 18/01/2026 15:56

DD went to a party at IKEA! IKEA did not realise that a party was taking place in their premises! They ran around, played hide and seek, cuddled the soft toys then decamped to to café for yummy IKEA meatballs. Great fun was had by all!

WHAT! This is incredible. IKEA should 100% do kids parties

OP posts:
Original poster
Wallasey123 · 18/01/2026 15:56

ridl14 · 18/01/2026 15:45

OP I swear the level of vitriol you're getting on this thread is why I don't like to post on here 😂

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It’s quite hilarious tbh. Going into 2026 like the Elmo gif (with lots of IKEA trips)

s reactions genius GIF
OP posts:
ClairDeLaLune · 18/01/2026 15:56

DD went to a party at IKEA! IKEA did not realise that a party was taking place in their premises! They ran around, played hide and seek, cuddled the soft toys then decamped to to café for yummy IKEA meatballs. Great fun was had by all!

LovelyUser · 18/01/2026 15:50

@ridl14 ,despite it probably likely to be full of out-of-control children I fancy a trip there now.
I went to Sea Life (not in the NW) and enjoyed it but it wasn't with DC in tow.

ridl14 · 18/01/2026 15:46

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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TBF as an adult I am the same 😂😂

ridl14 · 18/01/2026 15:45

Wallasey123 · 18/01/2026 14:04

actually laughed out loud at this ❤️

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OP I swear the level of vitriol you're getting on this thread is why I don't like to post on here 😂

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 18/01/2026 15:42

@Wallasey123 leave them at the crèche. Go and have whatever freebie drink you can with you IKEA Family membership. Pick them up. Return to restaurant. Have whatever meal feels most appropriate for the time of day. Soft play in restaurant. Shop for flannels, felt pens, socktopus, house plants. Check out. Buy squeeze it yourself ice cream. Outdoor playground. That’s a day done.

Paveparadiseputupaparkinglot · 18/01/2026 15:39

We drove to IKEA once which is about 1 hr 15 mins away. My 5 year old thought it was the worst day of his life! If we ever say let’s go to IKEA he literally cries lol! Shame as I enjoyed it, we’ve driven a lot further but he thought it was the longest drive in the world!

LovelyUser · 18/01/2026 15:39

popcornandpotatoes · 18/01/2026 15:33

Free in theory but I've never made it through an IKEA without buying something or stopping for lunch tbh

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I have. Went to have a look and had a free coffee. I went back later in the week after having a think.
It only works if you have self-discipline. It's hard to not at least pick up some
Food Bag - Food Bag Clips - Food Cover - Freezer Bag - IKEA UK

popcornandpotatoes · 18/01/2026 15:33

Uppitymuppity · 18/01/2026 14:55

When my dc were little I would regularly take them to IKEA just for the sake of getting them out of the house, they'd spend ages in the children's part where they had tents and such set up, and the best part was it was free. Our local IKEA also had a creche where you could have your dc for an hour or so but that's now closed down. The cafe at the end was cheap as well which is a big bonus.

Free in theory but I've never made it through an IKEA without buying something or stopping for lunch tbh

Emigree · 18/01/2026 15:33

When my DS was 2 - 3 we lived close to a second hand car showroom that had a very large indoor display room - so when it was raining DH used to take him a wander around there where he could look at the cars (he was quite obsessed)
Ikea was fabulous for that as well

Rhubarb24 · 18/01/2026 15:33

ShanghaiDiva · 18/01/2026 15:22

IKEA is a lovely day out with kids. When I lived in China and it was 40 degrees in the summer holidays dd and I would go for a couple of hours as they had superb air con.
grandparents would take their grandchildren there and tuck them up in the beds for an afternoon sleep. One of my favourite China memories!

This is now on my bucket list to hope to see. It sounds so cute! ❤️🥹

TheNightingalesStarling · 18/01/2026 15:28

As ababy, my now teenager loved the Lights section at B&Q.

My 12yo loves the fish bait section in Go Outdoors. Now that is a wierd one...

Rhubarb24 · 18/01/2026 15:24

Pussert · 18/01/2026 15:07

My daughter also loved the asda fish counter when she was little. She was fascinated looking at all the fish 😄

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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. 🙈

ShanghaiDiva · 18/01/2026 15:22

IKEA is a lovely day out with kids. When I lived in China and it was 40 degrees in the summer holidays dd and I would go for a couple of hours as they had superb air con.
grandparents would take their grandchildren there and tuck them up in the beds for an afternoon sleep. One of my favourite China memories!

Needmorelego · 18/01/2026 15:19

LovelyUser · 18/01/2026 13:58

@Needmorelego , Teens generally are still at school until 18 and many go on to university. How can any of them afford flats?

Yeah but they can't afford them at 30 either 🙁

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

Also we all live in a world with children and parenting is not easy. Some people need to go to shops and take their children with them and their children might end up being loud/tantruming/annoying etc. I don’t love it either but just put up with it for 5 mins because it’s not easy and the parents prob have that going on for most of their day yeah?

OP posts:
Original poster
Wallasey123 · 18/01/2026 15:17

To clear things up when I say climbing and running, I don’t mean it in a bad way.
He’s 3, I’m bored of soft play and hadn’t considered IKEA as a nice place we could go together precisely because I was worried it would be too overwhelming/he might not behave. It turns out, when it’s not heaving, it’s actually lovely. He sat on chairs, he picked up cuddly toys, he pretended to cook. He was very respectful and no IKEA products, employees or other customers were bothered, hurt or damaged during our lovely day out (apart from the hotdog at the end). I’m not perfect, but I’m not that much of a knob as to let him destroy the place or annoy others.

Can we go back now to the lighthearted-ness and memory sharing? 😅

OP posts:
Sewaccidentprone · 18/01/2026 15:17

Took ds when he was early 20’s when one opened in our city. He loved opening and shutting the soft close doors and drawers and admiring the different room layouts etc.

tbf he’d not been since he was a small child 😁

TakeTheCuntingQuichePatricia · 18/01/2026 15:15

CarrieMoonbeams · 18/01/2026 14:39

No DC here but I remember bumping into my friend with her wee boy when he was about 3. He was clearly raring to go, and when I asked him where they were going he said "ASDAAAAAAAAAA!"

Apparently standing looking at the fish counter there was the epitome of an excellent day out, and he was easily 'bribed' while she did her shopping by being told to be very quiet and hold mummy's hand all the way round so that he didn't "frighten the fishes"!

Edited

This has reminded me that mine also loved a trip to Morrisons to do the weekly shop. I cant drive so my mum used to take us. They'd get to create a pizza each and visit the salad bar. When we'd done the shop we'd get dinner in the Morrisons cafe which used to cost less than a tenner for the 4 of us. Good times.