AIBU to think IKEA is a top parenting hack?

[Wallasey123]

DS2 is 3 and we went to IKEA yesterday not because we needed anything but just to get out of the house (and tbh I couldn’t face soft play).

He ran around loads, looked at all the rooms, climbed on the sofas and beds and I didn’t need to be on red alert every second like I am at the park.

I don’t know why I’d never considered it as a day out before! I think when it’s too busy it’s prob not great but we went at opening time and it was great. Also obvs helps that there’s something in it for me - I get to mooch, get ideas and pretend I’m being productive.

Ofc ended up buying a few bits and pieces and hotdogs in the end but I feel like I’ve provided an enriching outing, even though I mostly just walked in circles looking at storage 😅

Any other unexpected places that are actually fun for kids AND adults (and don’t cost the earth) that I might not have considered?

It's absolutely not a problem in IKEA, unless they are getting under the feet of people pushing trolleys/on the main walkway.

And I don't have kids, and I used to work at IKEA.

We had a brilliant trip to Go Outdoors when my children were young and we were thinking about going camping - in & out of the tents, trying all the chairs, looking at child sized sleeping bags. Completely unexpected but they loved it!

Nope? Didn’t say she did, but I was responding to the suggestion that the whole point of IKEA’s set up is to try out the merchandise for both kids and adults.

You can get them in most supermarkets.

No I have looked.
All my nearest supermarkets have got really bad with their non-food merchandise.

That's poor, isn't it? How annoying.

Yes she did, he ran around loads and she also eluded to the fact she wasn't really watching him that closely

He ran around loads, looked at all the rooms, climbed on the sofas and beds and I didn’t need to be on red alert every second like I am at the park.

Yes I’m sure all those soft furnishings really pose immediate risk to a child.

If anyone’s entitled it’s you. Do you think children shouldn’t be allowed in public spaces? Adults are permitted to try out the furniture so why can’t kids?

I've tried IKEA with my 2y/o. Was a nightmare as she kept running off, pulling things out and then wanted to take so many things with her. We came home with a ball, a shark teddy and a cash register among other things she accumulated along the way.
The pick up area was the worst as she saw it as some sort of jungle gym. Never again!

Decathlon is also an awesome place to take kids. Big tents up to explore, bikes and scooters to try out plus balls/goals too.

Our big Decathlon is next to ikea.

Can kill a whole day there with the meatball lunch.

Yes I apologised upthread about missing it but the OP has also followed up with saying it's more a figure of speech not actually charging around.

I was going to buy some storage units. Didnt realise it was a free for all let the kids run riot session!

Adults sit on the furniture to try it out, I am not entitled I am well mannered and whilst not perfect I know how to parent.

Also I am not talking about soft furnishings hurting him, I am talking about him falling off something, running into something like furniture or trolley. Common sense is clearly lacking on this thread.

A supermarket with its own crèche ??

Yes! Back in the 90s. It was the Safeway in Camden which then became a Morrisons and now no idea as not lived there in years. Probably flats or something

It used to be fairly common-ish for some big stores to have a play area (usually coloured balls.)

Brother and I used to love a trip to carpet world.

Crèches used to be be very common when I was a child.(I’m 41) It wasn’t unusual for larger supermarkets and department stores, among other places, to have one. This one only closed in 2002.

https://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/news/13985152.parents-outrage-as-store-closes-creche/

Is climbed all over the sofas and beds also a figure of speech and not meant to be taken literally?

I loved it as a kid.

Please supervise closely as DS once started being questioned and cornered a bit by two grown men in the rug area. Only meters from me so I could hear them.
Very inappropriate as he looked alone.

I also saw a horrible robbery with violence in an ikea once with woman screaming.

Think it’s still a supermarket.

I’m 45 - I remember them too!

We used to go all the time especially for the treasure hunts. They're always fun and take a while to do during school hols. The ice-cream machines at the exit were all out of order so there was no usual reward as advertised on the worksheet. IKEA don't seem to give the free ice-cream anymore! I guess there must have been a few tantrums and not just from the kids.

You're allowed to climb (ie test out) on the sofas and beds in IKEA.... that's the whole point of their stores.

He climbed because he is small in size. He put his knee on the horizontal bit of the bed and / or chair then swiveled and put his bum on it with his legs hanging off the side. He then said “mama mia” because he loves Mario and hopped off to look at something else

That’s very true!