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?

Did you not go on the Docklands Light Railway? 😁

Love a day trip to IKEA with the DC and now they have the crèche facilities it is even better - pop them in there for an hour for free and enjoy a quiet coffee

Mine are teens and we still love an ikea trip

Do you have actual evidence of this? Most ikeas are on rets parks and not easily accessible for groups of teenagers? Sounds like Daily Mail rubbish tbh!

It was probably less trouble for JL staff to just have to straighten up some beds than the staff in the clothes section having to put back unwanted clothes from the changing rooms 😂
If the staff were bothered by the teenage boys they would have told them to leave.

The 3 (4 if you count Oxford Circus) branches I know in London are all easily reachable by public transport.
Greenwich branch is next door to a massive cinema (where many teens go) and about 6 bus routes stop literally outside.

Oh god the Safeway crèche! I used to put my DD1 in there. She loved it!

I was going to suggest your local library.

How about back in the day (late 90s) when there was not only a creche, slides and climbing areas in the kids areas but also a cartoon cinema! Yes looking back this was such a huge safeguarding issue. But mine loved watching bugs bunny and Tom and jerry. We would also give them pencil, notepad and a tape measure and they pretended to be measuring up for the house.

DS also used to enjoy running round b&q with a wheely basket.

This sounds delightful tbf.

If the weather holds up, we’re going to try the garden centre this weekend again (hopefully he doesn’t start pulling any of the flowers like last time). I’m going to look for one with fish 😅

Omg I lived in Ikea when my kids were young! We were even in the front of the line when it reopened after Covid 😂😂

i used to make a day of it - get there in the morning. Do half the store. Then meatballs and daim cake. Then the other half of the store. And probably an ice cream at the end 😂.
the kids loved it. And like you, I never worried about them, because I knew where they were, and, there’s so many things for them to explore and play with!

actuallt, I went between Xmas and new year and DS loved it as it’s the perfect place to practice on his new heeleys!

Mine got told off for wearing his heelys. He’s late teens so was just using them with me walking.

just a heads up!

This explains why the last time I went there were two tweens walking around the kitchen equipment area with wooden spoons and playi g the drums on pans, shelves, anything for EVER!! DH and I were trying to decide what we needed and my head couldn’t cope. We couldn’t identify the parents so now I know they just get left to play!