Went to a kids’ party at a leisure centre the other day. It was a big inflatable obstacle course set up in a sports hall; the kind they hire out every weekend for parties.
My 3 year old was playing on it, came off near the end and went head first into a brick wall. No padding on the wall and now he’s got two chipped teeth. There was a crash mat on the floor, but not where he hit the wall.
I was a bit in shock at the time and didn’t actually see the moment it happened. He told me afterwards and at first I thought it was just a bite of his tongue as he was bleeding but I quickly realised he’d chipped two of his teeth as well. We left not long after and I didn’t think to take pictures of the setup.
I had noticed when we first arrived that the inflatable seemed quite close to the wall and I even warned him not to jump off it just in case so it was on my mind.
Since then I’ve looked it up and it seems inflatables are meant to have 1.8m clearance all around. I honestly don’t think that was the case. It’s been bothering me more and more the more I think about it.
I raised it with the leisure centre. They said they have CCTV but I wouldn’t be allowed to view it due to “policy.” I’ve now submitted a formal Subject Access Request because I just don’t feel right about how it was all set up.
I’m not someone who kicks off easily and I know toddlers fall over and get bumps. But this could’ve been much worse and I can’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t a safe setup, especially considering this is their own equipment and they host parties like this all the time.
AIBU to be this bothered and to think it needs properly following up? Or is it just one of those things that happens with soft play and inflatables?