Soft play area

[Bluefrog26]

Just wanted to know how everyone felt about adults going in to soft play area with their children?

[elliejjtiny]

My 3 year old DS4 has SN so can't go in by himself. DS2's friend usually has an adult with him too (they are 8). I don't see a problem with it. It depends a lot on the size of the softplay how much supervision I give the dc. In a little one I let my 2 year old potter about as long as I can see him. In the massive one near us I supervise my 6 year old.

[RyanStartedTheFire]

I can see where you're coming from OP after the awful Legoland attack and all, but YABU, some kids need more supervision and I like to be sure no one is bullying my LO's like I have seen previously. Soft play is vicious. I also keep an eye out for other people's children if they are in distress which makes it less likely that anyone could do anything untoward and get away with it as there are so many adults in there/around.

[SantasLittleMonkeyButler]

The only issues I've had in soft play have been with the very much unsupervised children.

The ones who are drop kicking all smaller children down the tallest slide whilst their DPs/responsible adult sit in the farthest corner with a coffee, never once glancing over.

Adults in soft play are only there to assist their own children surely? Not because they fancy having a go well not often.

[Petalbird]

Usually go in if our almost 9 dss asks they don't see us often and soft play is one of his favorite things. Don't see any different to playing with him in the park

[user1471596238]

Depends which piece of equipment I think. I wouldn't get into the ball pit because I can keep an eye on my son from the outside and I don't want to take up loads of room but I sometimes go with him onto other equipment but that's as much to make sure that he is being careful with the other children. I have never seen any parents getting in the way of, or causing problems for other children trying to access the soft play.

[fabulous01]

I do it the time as one of my twins has a scar on her face when she was injured when another child same age pushed her and scarred her face. She was only 17 months and so was other child whose minder must have been one of those that believe independence is better than being responsible. In whole time after about 30 mins no one was with the other child
But we go in older sections and children are ruthless. Older children go on areas too small for them and some are aware of being careful but some aren't. I have also seen bullying and really bad behaviour so I will be one of those parents who get involved for a little while longer

[NeedsAsockamnesty]

I prefer it if a grown up is supervising them it's far better than their kids being in there punching everyone else

[Waffles80]

FFS.

Stop reading the tabloids. There's not a peadophile lurking at the bottom of every ball pool.

[SallyGinnamon]

I thought the point was that they went in on their own, except the tiny one's area that was separate. Then the DMs sat very close but still not actually in there.

Years ago when there was a Wacky Warehouse in Alderley Edge I was shouted at by staff over the tannoy when I went in to rescue DD. They made it clear that parents shouldn't be in there. Very embarrassing!

[savagehk]

There are two soft play areas near us, one prevents adults going in and the other allows it. Personally, my (now 4 yo) would always want to go into the bigger kids area even when he was too small for the stuff, and needed help to climb onto/over things, so if we were at the one where it was permitted we did go in with him. It's not always possible to keep an eye on where they are, or if they've hurt themselves, or whatever; so I think on balance it's reasonable to allow adults in.

[BaconMaker]

Where I used to live they banned adults (the big play area was only for 4+ though). The kids actually love it as it was kid only - they had CCTV so you could watch what was going on. Hopefully they allowed carers of disabled children in though. That said I've never noticed it being a particular problem - tends to happen most during weekdays when big kids are at school. At the weekend the area gets dominated by bigger kids and the smaller ones stay in the toddler area.

[luckylucky24]

To be honest I think that more adults should supervise more. I go around with my son as he asks and often have witnessed kids being unkind and on one occasion saw a child push another to the floor and start jumping on her. Both children were 3-4 years. I have seen much milder issues of poor behaviour too.

[PointxTaken]

Unless we go to a soft play where you have a complete view of the play area, and they are only a couple of these around here, I am always in with my kids. It's not the other adults I am worried about, but other kids who are left unsupervised. I understand when heavily pregnant mums don't follow and sit down, but I do judge other parents sitting and having a coffee instead of keeping an eye on their kids.

[SparkleTwinkleGoldGlitter]

Parents goes in soft play to supervise own child well they must be a dirty old man/women then

[stuckinthehouse]

I still occasionally have to go round with my 4yo if we go somewhere new as she's the size of an average 18mo and struggles to manage some of the things as she's not tall enough.

[CrohnicallyPregnant]

I think that if adults aren't allowed on, there needs to be staff supervising instead. You can't always supervise from outside effectively. Like PPs have said, children can get stuck or hurt (accident or purpose) and need an adult to help.

Last time I took DD (4) to soft play she came down the slide crying and screaming. She said there were some big girls at the top who pushed her, I couldn't see them from outside, couldn't go in myself (pregnant) and DD couldn't describe them else I'd have alerted staff to it. DD got a nasty friction burn to her chin and a bloody lip from that and refused to go on the slide anymore.

[Sparklingbrook]

We used to go to a great one when the DC were little. Adults and children all allowed in. The slides were almost vertical and the ballpool very deep.

Didn't venture in at normal ones though. No desire to get in the one at the Wacky Warehouse etc.

[Notanotherpawpatrol]

I'm always in there, and if I can't dh is in there. Dd2 has SEN and needs supervision. It's never occured to me not to. We try and avoid the busy times and days but it's never occured to me to worry about the adults in there

[Spikeyball]

My child always needed someone in with him. I would have challenged a blanket policy of no adults.

[BarbarianMum]

[seafoodeatit]

You are overthinking this, they're either supervising or playing with their children. I thought you were going to say about the parents who are on the apparatus with their kids but don't pull them up on bad behaviour.

[BarbarianMum]

Yes, we had one like that. Ballpool 1m deep, entered by a near vertical slide. It used to eat small children.

[Quartz2208]

What do you think is going to happen. Sometimes I go in because my children want me too play and interact. My daughter even at 7 likes me going in and plays elaborate games. Sometimes I do because older children are out of control and I want to keep an eye on my then 3 year old. Less now he is 4 and they go together.

That said I have seen children cry and I do ask what is wrong and get them back to their parent would that bother you

I would assume that the security happens as you enter i.e. Only people with children go in. Most adults are just focussed on their own children.

[Orangebird69]

Ds 16mo is always making a break for the big play frames. The toddler area isn't quite enough for him ... so if it's quiet I'll go into the big play frame with him. He's excellent at climbing but stI'll a bit 'gung ho' at descent so I have to go in with him. I'm no paedo. I don't particularly like other children tbh