to freak out about ball pools/pits?

[LifeIsButtercream]

Ok, I'm not trying to start another 'OMG soft play centres are hell in primary-coloured vinyl' debate, but....

.... am I the only person who thinks - "EW! I am NOT going in that ball pool!"

DD is 1, she loves pottering around in the toddler section at the local soft play, today she clambered into the ball pool, and was merrily crawling around, picking up balls to investigate. I was watching her from the side. you couldn't see the bottom of the ball pool, and the balls I could see - most of them had dried muck (in small amounts) stuck to them, I dread to think what could have been in there!

I'm probably being majorly OCD but it just seemed so dirty, gave DD a good bath when we got home!

Any kindred souls?

Oh no, they are properly disgusting - there have been posts on here about fossilised shits.

But its good for her immune system

YANBU

I stupidly thought the only problems were lost dummies and socks etc, till DDs almost 4 yr old friend did a MASSIVE poo in one - came out with it all over her hands, feet, right down her legs

I did shudder when dts were that age but like you a good scrub in a bath afterwards made all the difference.

However now they are older(8)they are fairly mucky all the time. Learn to live with it, no matter how much it gives you the heebie jeebies!

@ Laurie!

But I thought that was just a brown ball.....?

My daughter worked in one of these soft play areas during the holidays.
In the evening one of the jobs was to wash all the balls cos of pee,poo,sick and snot!

Great job but also really puts you off the place with a baby or toddler!

My daughter once took her pooey nappy off in the nursery ball pool. I was ever so embarassed but her key worker assured me it was easy enough to clean.

YANBU

I went in one with my ds a few months ago (no-one else there and was encouraged by the staff!) and I lost all the things in my pocket in there including my phone. The girl who worked there went through it for me (I tried but was hopeless and apparently there is a skill to it!) She found all sorts of things in there: bracelets, babywipes, all manner of stuff in the bottom. Yuk, yuk yuk.

And I remember hearing a story about one in a well known fast food restaurant in the USA where someone found a syringe

To be honest, the filth is the least of your concerns. My mother has x-rayed countless toddlers who have been injured in balls pools, including my nephew who broke his leg.

am I the only person who thinks - "EW! I am NOT going in that ball pool!"

No YANBU but then again the ball pool isn't for you it's for the children and they don't give 2 hoots.

bit now that I went in one... Was actually quite good fun

I don't freak out about them, I treat them as the natural primordial swamps they are, there to build up healthy immunity and insure your kids are not too clean.

In case sliding down slides which kids have wee'd on earlier wasn't enough, or the very well licked windows in the upstairs bits

did you're DD clean the balls every night jaffa?

i thought they only cleaned them monthly lol.

I was at soft play today with ds and another kid wet himself in the ball pool - now I have always hated the things and refused to go in but was quite reassured by the reaction of the staff - in there straight away scooping out the balls into buckets and taking them out to be disinfected. Kept other kids away etc.

Oh I totally agree about the immunity! I dont stop DD going in them (unless there is something seriously nasty within view or its really busy as she is so little she is liable to get squished!) but just give her a good clean down afterwards! I do cringe and tiptoe if I have to get in there to rescue her (she cant walk and often gets a bit stuck trying to crawl in the deep bits)

To quote Karen from Will & Grace - Pools of pink eye!

DS disappeared under the balls once. Apparently the way to get them out - or anything, is to scoop your arm down and across

Or grab a foot and heave.

YAB a little U, there is muck and germs everywhere when it comes to areas where young children play. Fact of life. They crawl everywhere and put all sorts into their mouths. It's why we have developed immune systems. They protect us. You cannot wrap your children up in cotton wool and it's hard to fight the urge not to sometimes but just turn a blind eye and think of the bath later and the consistency of an ox that she will have by the time she starts school!

Or scooping them into buckets, going round the back for a fag and then coming back and tipping the untouched balls back into the ball pool

YABU. Kids are supposed to get mucky. It's good for them and baths are fun. (DD likes it when I hide at the bottom of the ball pool covered in balls and then leap out in the style of a crocodile at an African watering hole catching an underly-cautious gazelle. I've never found anything untoward down there, unlike the days when I was a kid and spent a happy afternoon pulling out about £15 in coins - kerching!)

Hi cricketthicket, yep every night alternating with her mate who had to wet wipe all the slides and tunnels.

She enjoyed hosting the kids parties there,lots of ketchup to then wash off the tables.

Shes a primary school teacher now, so good healthy training for her !!

This thread is hilarious! or maybe I've had too much wine

Its great isn't it grapes? I'm equally laughing at the interesting 'ball pool finds' as well as my own undoubtable wussy-ness!

I'd love to knoe - what is the weirdest/grossest thing you have found in a ball pool?