To think that it is impossible to leave the soft play without a mega toddler meltdown?

[lizzlebizzle33]

Just that really, my 2yo Ds loves it there but leaving is absolute hell. Anybody have any secret weapons for evading the tantrum or is it the price we pay for a few mins peace while they throw themselves into a million plastic balls?

Mine only tantrums if he still isn't worn out enough to leave! I find less than 2 hours gets us a tantrum on leaving. Longer and he is happy to leave with some encouragement and a small bribe!
I've often carried him out shoeless and screaming 🙈.

Oh my god shoeless and screaming is exactly how we left on Friday 😩

Mine was still kicking a screaming down the street yesterday

We were there for almost 3 hours, he had a long play, then some tea and played a little after that, he was so worn out and dripping with sweat but still he unleashed the demon inside when I tried to get his shoes and coat on!

Buy them a Freddo on the way out ignoring judgy looks from others usually keeps me on the right side of sanity.

Unrepentant bribery here. We buy a "special treat" (usually Pom Bears) in the soft play café, which she only gets when in the buggy or carseat.
Touch wood, she's never kicked off apart from the day the café was shut...

@Junebug123 lol I tried to give him chocolate and he slapped it out of my hand! 😂😩(funnynotfunny)

Bribery (pom bears, NO YOU CANT HAVE FUCKING PRINGLES) plus timing (2hrs too short, 3 hrs too long) equals compliant exit.

Ds gets an ice cream of his choice on the way out. Works a treat.

Five minute count down and bribery usually gets us out with minimal screaming. Not always though. I've carried a shoeless toddler out like a rugby ball a few times.

We have sweets on the way home. It's the only way.

I used to put some sweets in their car seat before they left the car, then reminded them of them at the end of soft play.

'One last go' seems to be working for us (after at least 90 mins in the place). But I have to make sure that it genuinely is the last go whether it's soft play or the swings at the park etc.
Not caving in on that seems to have done the trick.

I used to give mine a 5 minute warning before we left. It got them used to the idea that we were leaving shortly, rather than expecting them to leave immediately. It helped a bit!

Ok so I'm feeling less of a bad mum for using bribery, it seems it's the only thing that gets us through! I really hate giving him a treat when he is in screamy shit head mode, I try to wait til he has calmed down and then give it him, like its a reward for calming down?
I've probably got that completely wrong though haven't I!

Definitely the one last go/5 more minutes thing. I use it for all sorts. I give a warning 5/10 minutes before the end of the programme that the TV will be going off. One last go at parks, zoo, etc. And discussing plans like 'you'll be having your bath after 5 more minutes of Lego' means they know what to expect so less likely to cry. It makes such a difference.

I do try the last go/5mins thing but I'm not sure he quite understands me yet, I will keep at it though.

DS leaves without any issues but a lot of my friends resort to bribery - usually sweets from the soft play canteen.

(I’m saying DS leaves without any issues - he’s always been extremely chilled and well behaved while we’re out, but we went on holiday last week and he was a complete sod whenever we wanted to do anything other than play on the beach, so maybe he’s just been waiting for his moment!)

10p bag of Haribo every time

Oh god yes bribery, I show him the chocolate on the way in, tell him we'll have it when we leave. Then countdown to leaving and chocolate, then time for chocolate but you have to put your shoes on and get strapped in the pushchair first. Then he's imprisoned in his pushchair so not too much further damage is possible :)

@catsofa that's a good idea. Thank you. Wheel him past the chocolate on the way in and be like oooh look at all this, you can have a treat when it's time to go. I like it!

I've clearly been going about this all wrong 😂😩

Every kid is different though. I never had any issue leaving with my first one. No need to bribe or treat or anything. Just 'we're leaving in 5mins' and then 'we're leaving now'. Easy peasy!! I thought I had it nailed :) then came DD2 and unfortunately bribes/treats do not work at all and we often have to leave with her kicking and screaming. Thankfully DD1 helps us quite a lot with her sister.

Why not take them out in the fresh air instead? Go to the park, the woods, the beach, play in puddles and mud, kick leaves, collect stones, have a picnic outdoors etc.
Less chance of a tantrum in my experience and much more healthy for child and carer.

Yes Victoria we do all that stuff too