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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to hate soft play

108 replies

EmmaandJacob · 20/05/2012 20:55

I hate soft play, don't know why just can't stand the germ filled horrid places!!!
I am not a germaphope in any way, and I don't mind lots of kids running around, I would just rather go to the park, play in the garden or play games inside if rainy. I have a 2.5 ds and a 3 month old ds, my mum friends make comments implying I ama being selfish and need to get over it, not in so may words just comments like but those places are for the children and 2.5 can run around enjoying himself while you concentrate on ds2 have been a few times now and just can't learn to love the place!
X

OP posts:
vigglewiggle · 20/05/2012 21:21

I loathe them! Some are better than others, but in general they are dark, dingy, dirty holes where parents neglect take their children to spread germs and wind each other up.

LynetteScavo · 20/05/2012 21:21

YANBU.

radiolater · 20/05/2012 21:21

The few round my way are OK.

Good opportunity to meet a friend and have a coffee and chat while the kids run feral.

oh it's me you are complaining about

knowotumean · 20/05/2012 21:21

actually how often and how do they clean them?
yuck all the snot encrusted balls and covered foam. should be cleaned hourly.

Noqontrol · 20/05/2012 21:26

I love my local soft play. It's really clean, they sell cheap food that's actually nice, and the coffee is excellent. I get to sit and natter and the kids get to play in a safe environment. There's no snot incrusted playballs at our one either. So YABU. Smile

Morebiscuitsplease · 20/05/2012 21:28

So pleased I am not the only one who is not a soft play lover. Noisy, expensive and unruly children. Prefer parks. That said there is a quiet one near us which I occasionally visit.

Original poster
EmmaandJacob · 20/05/2012 21:28

Oh my god I am so pleased I am not alone, and to be honest next time someone comments I am tempted to say they are about the parents!!
The one near me they pass you a note saying, we don't want to embarass you but please put your food back in your bag,and don't bring your own food again what is that all about, and their food is disgusting and over priced. I think I will stick to my guns and never go again, unless of course I have to go to a party there, where I will be tempted to take a hip flask ha ha.

OP posts:
startail · 20/05/2012 21:32

Much better when they are older and you can read or go with a friend and chat.
Sift play can be very stressful if you loose your PFB somewhere out of sight and all the other DCs seem so big.

DD1 got a black eye once and I felt so guilty. She wasn't the least bothered. She climbed anything inside or out, especially furniture she wasn't meant to, so she loved soft play.

I'd have to go and drag her out when it was time to go and she always hid in the tightest most claustrophobic corner.

Soft play was fine when I had two of them to look out for each other and they were large enough not to get trampled.

glenthebattleostrich · 20/05/2012 21:44

After much searching we have found a fantastic one near us. It is quite small, only for under 5's and sells the best cakes. There's loads for the children to do, it's really clean and the people who run it are lovely.

And if you are there on your own, they have lots of scandle rags for you to read whilst the little darlings run about.

lardylump · 20/05/2012 21:47

i dont mind the soft play areas, but ever since DD came out of the ball pit with someone elses dummy..........

EssieW · 20/05/2012 21:57

Easy. Don't go. I don't. I could count the number of times that both mine have been on the fingers of one hand (aged 5 and 2 respectively). And all those times were pretty much under sufferance. I won't go again unless I have to...

trio38 · 20/05/2012 22:03

They may be grim but where else can you read an entire Sunday paper whilst 'looking after' two under 5s.

Cloudbase · 20/05/2012 22:20

Oh God, I love them! But, I'm a lone parent with no-one to take the kids off my hands and going to soft play on a rainy day is literally the only time ever where I get an hour or so to myself.

They are old enough to run around and look after eachother and come and get me if there are problems, but mostly are completely self sufficient. They are also both manic climbers and jumpers so they have the time of their life.

I get to drink coffee and MN in peace (I do try very hard not to think about the ball pit germs or the scuzzy food...)

Emma ours too has 'note' regarding removing your own food and not 'embarrassing' you in public - you NW Kent way? If so, yy to disgusting overpriced food - sadly maintaining my sanity trumps their food)

toptramp · 20/05/2012 22:35

They are only tolerable if there is a cafe and some mum friends to chat to. The park also sucks although is quite nice on a sunny day to sit on a bench and chat whilst ignoring the kids Grin

laurenamium · 20/05/2012 22:38

There's one near me that's clean and ADULTS CAN PLAY TOO GrinGrin

So me and DD rampage during school hours while it's quiet. I feel like I'm 7 again while I'm there I love it more than DD

accountantsrule · 21/05/2012 09:16

YANBU - I absolutely hate them too. They are dirty, unsafe and I hate the little girls screaming in that awful high pitch manner! DS1 went to a birthday party at one and there were mice running around - urgh!

Also, people seem to think it is ok to go in there, get a coffee and not supervise their kids for 2 hours or so whilst they hit, kick or bite any other child in sight and even if they do notice they don't say anything anyway!

On FB the other day a 'friend' (I was too gutless to not accept request) actually put 'Spending quality time with DC at soft play' - REALLY????

We have a nice tiny play area at the back of a pub near us which is the only one we go to, its really small but fine for under 7's, if you go in during term time then it is really quiet and there is also a Costa there which is of course a huge bonus!

The park or beach is so much nicer and much better for the kids TBH and there are other, much better things to do than soft play in bad weather!

GimmieChocolate · 21/05/2012 11:01

My baby isn't even here yet and I hate them! My SIL and I were meeting for lunch last week and so that her DS (4) wouldn't be bored she suggested a cafe that has a soft play area. It was my idea of hell! It felt greasy and dirty and I ended up just having a cup of tea as I didn't want to eat anything that might of been prepared there wasn't hungry.

Her DS happily ate his fish fingers and chips then carried on running around to promptly return to his mum and throw up everywhere. My 38 weeks pregnant quesey stomach had to get of there ASAP!

TroublesomeEx · 21/05/2012 11:09

They are disgusting.

Leaky nappies, sick and snot - all of which gets ignored by the parents.

Absolutely vile and we have only ever gone to one under great duress or with a party invitation.

teaaddict2012 · 21/05/2012 11:11

The biggest problem is getting my DS out he LOVES then , cue screaming of nooooooo!

HexagonalQueenOfTheSummer · 21/05/2012 11:13

YANBU

I hate soft play, toddler groups, coffee mornings etc. I figure 3 year old DS gets the interation with other kids that he needs when he's at nursery, and we tend to do things with just the two of us or sometimes have a friend round.

I think after 14 years of going to those types of things I'm just bored with it all. And I actually find soft play very stressful. DS always makes a beeline for the highest slide or climbing frame and then gets stuck, or he opens the fire doors and runs in the car park.

vess · 21/05/2012 11:24

Too expensive and make me feel claustrophobic. Expensive rubbish food. Germs, etc. Don't like!

BoboksAndCot · 21/05/2012 11:30

The one near us is really clean and has nice food so YABU. The only thing that would make it perfect would be to not allow any kids in and let me run around it myself Grin seriously, an adults soft play, would their be a more fun way to exercise? I would especially enjoy it if I'd had a few dtinks first

BoboksAndCot · 21/05/2012 11:31

drinks

neigesdantan · 21/05/2012 11:36

YANBU. Loathe them - they're the modern Lord of the Flies. My DS is a bit shy and constantly getting knocked over by kids who are too old for the toddler bits but whose parents/carers don't keep an eye on them.

lou2321 · 21/05/2012 11:37

We have 2 adults soft play areas near us - you can take alcohol and also they do teenager sleepovers!