To think that parents should keep their age 4+ dcs AWAY from the toddler section at soft play/park

[peacelily]

Because of the rain yesterday I took dd(2) to local soft play even though I believe it's truly hell on Earth.

Just makes me that children who're obviously too old are diving in all over the little ones in the toddler section whilst parents are "having a break" reading a magazine in the cafe!!! It's dangerous and inconsiderate and scares the little ones.

Wake up and smell the coffee parents, whilst you are out with your dcs you have to supervise them closely ALL THE TIME, regardless of age.

Also annoys me at park too, 12 years old crawling all over little slide/swings.

Anyway rant over, bored this am

This is true.

Peacelily - mine has those airjet things too and I can relate to the scenario of elder kids hogging it. I hate the ballpool and frankly would avoid it if possible but ds seems drawn to it like a moth to a flame despite not really knowing what to do when he gets in it!

So just because they have interaction with them all morning (big deal - that's what you do with your kids) does that mean they leave them to their own devices all afternoon? Not in my book.

bucharest.... fair to a point... but, it is hard if your sat in a small ball pool with 13 month dd to watch 6 yr old ds continually in the bigger area.

Gateau... my ds would be totally mortified with embarresment if i started climbing in with him!!!

Some children benfit from being allowed the independance to play freely with supervision from the table. It teaches them lots of life lessons..

Gateau - adults are not allowed on the equipment in soft play places that I go to - only in term time with toddlers iirc.

Soft play is for children over 4 or 5 to go and run riot imo - it's not a place set up for parent-child interaction so it is a place for parents to go and have a coffee and a breather.

Still no excuse to abdicate responsibility though. I was there on Monday enjoying a coffee and catch up with a mate but still kept my eye on what my 3 were up to and on one occasion told them to get out of the under 5s area.

Am I supposed to get in and play at the soft play????

I take my knitting and have a nice cup of tea while they work off that boy energy that they can't possibly have inherited from my side of the family!

I SUPERVISE WHILST KNITTING BECAUSE I AM AN ADVANCED KNITTER WHO CAN DO IT WITHOUT LOOKING.

(Just thought I'd mention that before I get flamed )

It's actually quite hard to supervise an older child in soft play. I have a 9 year old who needs constant supervision (for his own safety). If we go to soft play I ensure there are 2 people to follow him (it's bloody hard work, so I usually employ two thin 20 year olds to do it). I've done it by myself before and lost him within minutes. It's actually very very difficult.

So yes, my 6 year old I trust to get on with it a bit. And trust that if he's being naughty in some way someone who sees will tell him off.

just typed an answer to your comment about me being "duh" for taking her to soft play FAQ but the laptop crashed temporarily and I can't be bothered to retype it.

In short yes I assumed the TODDLER area of soft play would be ok despite it being busier in the main area.

Other places I'd take her most of the time I thought would be busy with older kids (pottery place to paint a plate etc., ditto museums and art galleries chill factore etc.)

Everywhere else e.g. farm outside and too cold and miserable.

god my kids would go insane if I spent the entire "interacting" with them - they do actually quite enjoy getting on and doing their own thing

Of course barnsley, but that's not the issue.
I am talking about parents who can't be arsed to get kids to move away from toddlers' areas and those whose kids are begging for them to play with them, even just for a while.

Soft play areas are the spawn of the devil.

Both my children come away with stomach bugs due to the poor hygiene, especially in the ball pit.

I Would rather walk in the rain, puddle busting instead of subjecting myself to soft play hell.

JJ, I just tell my 6yr old he has to play in the part designed for kids over 5.
If there wasn't an 'older kids area', I wouldn't go there as I'd deem it inappropriate for my 6yr old and 2yr old.

And I agree about younger kids in on activities designed for older kids. We saw this a lot last year at C.P. Parents stood at the bottom supporting their little ones who were too little to be there and in the process they were blocking the fun of the 10yr olds.

I have one dc FAQ she is just 2, she likes me to play and interact with her some of the time.

Am I being thick in thinking it's fair to assume children that age benefit from and enjoy interaction with their parents and as child psychology colleagues of mine tell me are quite needy at that age

Yawwwwn Talk about people getting the wrong end of the stick - who said ENTIRE FAQ?
Look, do what you want. I just don't like sitting there gabbing to my friends the whole time; I do enjoy messing about with my DS. Of course if he was older, then he wouldn't want me to, as some of you have said.

Surely if you have older kids you tell them they are not allowed in the toddler part. When DS(6) is 10 I'll be telling him there are 5 and 6yr olds in the play area too and that he must take care.

I agree tiredemma and can be v OCD about the ball pool, just too cold yesterday and I've got a cold so couldn't face outdoors even if wrapped up!

Usually do splashy puddles walk as well but have visited 4 shops now to buy dd new wellies and NEVER have any in her size.

If the children are being horrible YANBU. But I was quite annoyed when my 8yr old DS was shouted at by a member of staff when he was helping his little brother up a ladder in the toddler section. He was quite obviously helping him too not playing.

The toddler part is designed so that parents of emerging/new walkers can sit in therewith them and interact. The 5+ area isn't. I just don't see why any parent would be aware that their 8yr old was in a toddler soft play area and not go over and yank them out.

I can certainly remember being a mumof one and being terrified of older children and how they wresure to squash my PFB!

you need one of these puddle suits also- Brilliant

puddlesuit

I agree with OP. Baby/toddler area should be clear of older children. Every soft play I have been too has a huge area for children aged 4/5 and over, and a tiny baby areas - the older ones simply dont need to be in the toddler area at all.

As for supervising - I think once children are a bit older they don't need supervising continuously. They can go out of sight and play independently. But i do think parents should keep their eye out and check in on their children at regular intervals - to make sure all is ok. And if they are doing things they ought not to be - then they should tell them to stop (and mean it!)

peacelily.... no, you are not thick!!
Dd needs me to play with her tons, and ds did until the age of 3 i think, then it started to wane a bit. Now at 6 he's very independant and likes to do things by himself etc. he gets embarressed if i try to join in!!

I think the key is, to go with your childs needs.. They are all different and certainly in those early years it's never take your eyes off them mode!! i was merely saying that the older ones sometimes need to be left to run free.

I do agree however, that all children should be in the appropriate age areas, and i have no hesitation in telling the other children myself if i have to.

tired emma LOVE IT! dd will LOVE the pink one, after her swimming wetsuit I'm sure it will become her new favourite outfit!

I let dd in the toddler section, she is 4.8, but there is a sign saying 'under 5's only' in the toddler section. My daughter has AS and finds it hard in the older section as she struggles to climb high objects. I would'nt let her in there if she was playing rough, jumping around etc but dd is very carefull. It does anoy me when you see 6+ year olds jumping around in the toddler area, if they are well behaved then i don't see the problem.

I think there are several issues here. Of course 8 year olds shouldn't be in the toddler bit, just tell them to clear off if they're leaping around like mad things.

But should we be supervising 8 year olds every minute in soft play. Well I don't watch my 6 year old I tell him where I am, and I don't expect him to go in the toddler bit (if he did I would tell him off) - tbh the main bit is more exciting. He usually takes the 3 year old with him now as well (3 year olds choice he generally refuses to go in the toddler section). I don't expect to have to supervise him in the main section. I expect him to behave appropriately.

My 9 year old does need supervision on the main frames. I always ask permission (adults aren't meant to go on them) and 2 people follow him- it really is a 2 person job as well. Why on earth would anyone do that if they didn't have to? Of course parents of older children aren't trailing after them.

No, we shouldn't need to supervise 8yr olds at all time. I don't supervise my 6yr old constantly. But I would immediately remove him from the toddler area not because he is badly behaved, just because he behaves like a 6yr old, which isn't appropriate for a soft play area designed for toddlers.

As I said in the beginning, I personally avoid them when I can. Both mine are high as kite afterwards anyway.