To think soft play is utterly hideous?

[roarfeckingroarr]

I've just taken DS (10 months old, he's standing, cruising and crawling) to a small local soft play with my friend and her baby. It's a very expensive smart newish one with a small amount of basic stuff and a cafe - not a jungle gym with slides etc suitable for bigger children

Dear Lord it was hideous. Parents on their phones not supervising or even vaguely keeping an eye on their children, our toddlers nearly getting trampled despite keeping them to a small corner away from the more grown up bits. Boiling hot and sticky. And the screeching.

Never again. Never.

Im on DC3 - never go to soft play at weekends or in school holidays as its always hideous! But generally you go when DC are old enough to go round on their own and you can have a break and read your phone/drink a coffee/eat cake.

@stayathomer

I take my child to soft play to play and learn how to socialise and learn to work things out for himself in a safe environment like how to find me if things go wrong, how to sort himself out if he falls (not like he'll be injured), and really don't appreciate other kids helicopter parents trying to helicopter my child too! How do you know your child is playing and socializing okay if you can't see them? The amount of children that almost knock other kids down, throw balls around nearly or actually hitting other children, pull things away from kids etc is huge. Totally fair enough if your kid is old enough, but when younger someone standing nearby and saying 'maybe be careful, you nearly hurt that little boy/girl's doesn't harm anyone

I can see him though, i sit back and watch, I just don't follow him around the climbing frame, meddle in the 4 year olds business and get in everyone's way.

@NeverMetANiceOne

I find softplay appeals to a certain kind of parent, and is therefore best avoided at all costs.

What kind is that?

There's two types of annoying behaviour from older kids in softplay. The first is boisterous running around where your small child is collateral damage. The second is deliberate targeted meanness, like the 6yo who told me he was going to jump on my 18 month old playing peacefully in the toddler area (thankfully the little thug landed on his head and ran back to mummy screaming). The first is to be expected but the second you can legitimately complain about to the parents.

YANBU - they are the 7th circle of hell. But YABU to take a 10 month-old, whatever the place says about it being suitable. Mine loved soft play, but it's a bit pointless until they are big enough to navigate on their own without needing to be held or hovered closely over tbh.

You should only take the ankle grippers in school hours. Weekends and school holidays alas are owned by the older and rougher kids.

The good softplays have different play areas for different age groups. Ours has under and over 2 years. Even with that there will be times where a 4 year old knocks over a 2 year old by accident but the whole point of soft play is that it is soft. Pick up your kid and get on with things.

Me I love following my little one around the soft play and using the equipment. If you are worried for your little on then go in there with them.

I love soft plays! Kids entertain themselves and I get to chat to some mum friends. What a win!

I've been taking mine since DD1 was a baby. Such sensory fun for babies!

I agree with posters who say they vary hugely in quality and age suitability. And also, this is snobby, but they vary a lot in terms of the clientele they attract.

I’ve been to ones that really are the seventh circle of hell, particularly with a young toddler, so I do know what you mean. I find ones at farm parks tend to be horrendous. But there’s one in a village hall near here that’s for under 3s only, they limit numbers heavily, and it’s actually a pleasant experience. There’s also another one near here that’s a ‘soft play cafe’ and they only admit as many families as there are tables (and I think there are 7 tables). That one’s nice too.

Noooo, never go in the school holidays! Also I'd say 18mo is the minimum age, despite what the place advertises.

The sweet spot is when they are 3-4 though - old enough to be a bit independent, young enough to go during school hours when it's quiet.

Yeah, they’re horrific. There is one locally that always has blood on the floor.

I hate soft play, I cringe at soft play. However my children love it, so I go and feel happy that they are happy.

Soft play has its place. You're not there yet and I, thankfully am past it 😆. Your dc needs to be a rambunctious toddler at least and by 7 you can bow out. Thankfully due to covid my time came a bit sooner. One benefit of the whole thing.

I was able to take my 5yo and 2yo together for the first time ever this week. I needed to do a bit of supervision with the little one but she held her own surprisingly well. The older one was very protective and was telling kids off for being too boisterous in the baby area. She marched straight up to 3 boys and told them they were frightening her sister with their screaming. It did make me laugh though when she came up to me and said ‘mummy I am exhausted running around after her. Where is there somewhere calm and quiet where I can have a rest?’ I was like err no-where, it’s soft-play. She then turned around dramatically and said ‘ i shall join the mummies having coffee then. I am worn out.’

Ours is great. The equipment is designed to hold adults so we can go on it with DS who is 2.5. It’s great fun!

Your baby is too young for soft play. In about 18 months time soft play will be a god send, if you have decided it's good enough for you.

Also don't be so bloody judgemental- you have no idea why people were on their phones.

And FWIW, while you're complaining that your babies nearly 'got trampled' - your babies were probably in the way of children using the soft play for its intended purpose - to run around and play.

you have no idea why people were on their phones

Probably because they didn't have a little baby to hover over . Older kids don't want their parents crowding them in the ballpit.

@Goldbar what you mean people weren't hovering around their perfectly independent children to ensure they didn't go near the two traumatised women and their little Messiahs? Colour me shocked.

Went to a soft play today with my DC.
The number of kids trying to climb up the slide…
…I shouted down asking them to stop (yes I was in the thick of it), there was a line of children nicely waiting. His response? He threw a ball at my face.

I looked for his adult when I got out. Holy shit. There was not a chance in hell I would have spoken to them about it. Not without a stab vest on.

I think this is what @NeverMetANiceOne means @Ameanstreakamilewide

@Goldbar

you have no idea why people were on their phones

Probably because they didn't have a little baby to hover over . Older kids don't want their parents crowding them in the ballpit.

Yep. It's every man (child) for himself in soft play. Until your dc is at that stage you need to be their bouncer.

I took my (just) 1 year old for the first time this week. She's not walking but she had a great time crawling around and so did I maybe the place was better. Separate areas for different ages, the toddlers were all being very well supervised. It was noisy but it didn't bother me. Maybe I'm that certain type of parent a pp mentioned?

There's a very good episode of Peppa Pig about the parental anxiety caused by soft play. I think the episode is called 'Soft Play'.

One of our is super clean, air condition in summer and heated floor in winter. Kids are well behaved and the coffee and cakes are great.

The one op described sounds like one I visited in Cambridge once.It was disgusting.

Older kids were bullying younger ones and asking random adults for money!

My advice is find a smaller one in a rural area.

We have a massive one that is hell but my 3yesr old loves it, the compromise is the 8am slot on a Sunday morning, very few people so bearable.