to think my friend is a neurotic freak for not going to soft play?

[Bellebelle]

Suggested meet up at a soft play with a close friend and her DS and she's come back saying that she doesn't go to soft play anymore as her DS might get ill from all the germs! AIBU to think that she is being overprotective or is it fair enough? Can't say I've ever noticed that either of my DD's get sick after soft play inparticular and even if they did I'm all for a bit of germ exposure to build a good immune system. It's a pain in the backside for me as my eldest DD (4yo) loves going and its great for me to get her to burn off some energy. It's not warm enough here yet to go to the park and it just gets crazy when I have kids round to our house as it's not all that spacious. Whaddya think?

TotalChaos - no, we normally take our own food. She goes to other soft play places without a problem too, so it IS a bit of a mystery (this one is very busy though)!!!

her reason is plain mad.

but..........

soft play places must be for mad people.whhhhhyyyyy????costs lots,lose your children,dirty etc etc.

Loving my first few days on MN - you guys are all so brilliantly opinionated!! Told my friend tonight what I had posted about her and all the comments and she thinks it's hilarious. We've both been put off soft plays forever from some of your comments and might even be inspired to open our own soft play one day with excellent food, sound proofing around the equipment and decontamination showers for the kids as they come in. LOL!!!

we avaoid soft play at all costs, dd has been 4 times and has had vomit bugs every time, twice i could accept as coincidance, not 4 times. i wont be taking her again. btw i am not one of these ooh no germs mums, she can roll in mud as much as she likes, just not pukey ball pits!

Bellebelle-are you new?hellllllooooo!

Helllooooo back! I am new and horribly hooked already!

My kids have never been ill from soft play, I do think some of you must go to really skanky ones!!
I love soft play...nice cup of tea and chat while the kids run themselves ragged!!! Loads round here are really nice!

WOW I am amazed at how disgusting some of the soft play places seem to be. We have 3 near us and they are all fine. Fairly clean, I don't think they even play music (so if they do it must be something low key and fairly quiet as I really dislike music playing and kids shouting at the same time - far too much!!) and neither of them smell - although the loos in the bigger one do get a little yucky later in the day if it's very busy, but not dreadful. The food at the two we go to is always quite nice (bit pricey, but isn't it at most 'kiddie' places!!). Girls haven't been ill after and they have a great time.

We do avoid them in the school holidays though as I find the older children are a bit much for the little one (22 months) who wont stay in the 'baby' section anymore.

My only whinge about them is that they could do with being a little easier for us 'not-so-slim' adults to get around when taking a little one who isn't quite old enough to go in on her own. I'm somewhat nervous of one of the netting bridges giving way on me.... argh...).

She is not being unreasonable, horrid places, full of people doing their best to ignore their children/dads/nannies.

sassy i remember you telling me that when we met up at soft play once. puke

YABU - wrap up warm and go to the park or the woods.

YABU - there are many, MANY more preferable ways to spend time with the kids and I'm all for doing things with them that not only THEY enjoy but that I as a parent can relax doing too....soft play is NOT such a place!
And....Eewww! to a lot of the comments on here about people's experiences !

The best soft play is a nice muddy puddle IMO.
Not plastic balls covered in sick and wee and watching your 22 month old DD being pelted across a trampoline (admittedly she was grinning until a 4 year old sat on her head).
I actually had to have a stiff drink after I visited one last week.