To think that if a soft play is going to charge for adults, they should at least provide free WiFi?

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

Local cheap soft play has been taken over by some big regional chain. They've added a few elements but not enough to justify the fact that they now charge double (and double what others charge).

Of course, dc begged to go as its "got x and y now mum" so finally I've bit the bullet and taken her and her friend.

They charge £2 on top for me to be here and don't even provide any WiFi. The girls are old enough that they don't care if I'm here or not; so I'm paying for the privilege of disinterested parental responsibility, and have to use my own precious data instead

Clearly its a first world problem. But it's cheeky fuckery right?

Our soft play is really reasonable

It has free WiFi, a good cafe, a separate area of under 5’s and a keypad entrance to the under 2 section.

It does charge parents £2 after usually being free but tbh, it’s neither here nor there when it provides such a good selection

I am not following two 10 year old around a play frame just incase they have a personality transplant and decide to say something mean to another child. Helicopter parents might do that but sane adults do not.

I know where they are - in the play frame.

They are both old enough to leave the house alone, walk to the local swimming pool, have a swim, and walk home again. They simply do not require eyes on supervision in an enclosed place full of foam.

Then don’t complain if they do something horrid and someone else’s mum or dad tells them off.

Thank good we are past the age of soft play but the one near us charged £8 for an adult. I don't think there was WiFi and the coffee was shit and expensive. But the kids bloody loved it

Did you ask them for the wifi code or is there a notice saying that wifi cost so much for so olong?

Usually if the code isn't up somewhere I ask for the code or ask them to put it in on my phone for me.

And I definitely wouldn't be following 10 year olds around! That stops when they can take themselves into the main play frame from the toddler section without getting stuck. Surely no one follows older kids around!!

Then don’t complain if they do something horrid and someone else’s mum or dad tells them off

Where have I suggested I would?

The only network they have is "softplaystaff"

Well said.

£8 for an adult!!!!

Thats outrageous

No. Soft play are designed to allow tired parents to sit and enjoy a brew whilst your kids play!

Our local soft play isn't even viewable from the cafe. To watch my kids I'd literally be on the equipment with them.

Charging for adults would have annoyed me because he usually had both parents there as he needed an adult glued to his side on the play frame and it was nice to have a break for 10 mins and a coffee.

My thoughts exactly.

There's one near me that charged 6.50 for adults, we don't go there anymore.
A couple of others charge £1-2 but give you a free drink so I don't mind that too much.

Lol at watching 10 year olds. Otoh I’d not be leaving a 3 yo @Hugasauras to their own devices unless the centre was small so I could see my dd a lot of the time and full of preschoolers.

I can’t remember if the more expensive soft play here offers wifi and the adult entrance is about £6 at peak times.

I don't understand why they charge for adults either. It's not like the kids can go in unsupervised.
Our local soft play also doesn't have wi-fi and has gone up to £9 a go for me and my 3yo. I think it's a lot personally.

Really annoys me how they charge for adults 🙄

We purposefully don't go at weekends or holidays so there are only ever kids under 5 there!

Nobody watches older kids at soft play - what are you meant to do? Trail around behind them?

Read a book. Supervise your kids. Ask someone who used to do stuff with their kids before wifi became your human right what they did in such situations.
Or give your kids away if you dont want to be where they are

Soft play charging for adults is completely U imo! Yanbu at all to not follow around a couple of 10 year olds whose personalities you're presumably quite familiar with 😂

I go with my 5 year old though, its a nightmare as a slightly overweight unfit adult. But it wouldn't be practical for parents of older kids to all be in there too, how would that even work?

What is it with MN lately? So many angry posts this weekend but this one takes the biscuit.

Did you type that with steam coming out of your ears? 😂😂😂

@Soubriquet Please tell me this keypadded under 2s haven that you speak of is part of a chain!?