To avoid soft play centres

[imaynotbeperfectbutimokmummy]

because of pig flu. I AM worried about it, but not enough to avoid public places and gatherings BUT, soft play centres are bound to be a hot bed of infection because they are so bloody FILTHY! I remember taking DD to one particular place and her getting sick on more than one occasion after we went. So i will be keeping away thankyou very much

I'll be staying away because of the hoards of bigkids in there over the holidays, not because of swine flu Makes me want to trip one up everytime ds gets knocked over

But she could just as easily catch swine flu from a shopping trolley in the supermarket - are you going to keep her away from everything?

soft play centres are pointless in the summer
fresh air much better even if it's raining

well, my hunch is, if you're planning to avoid them because of the flu, then they probably don't feel like that much of an essential part of your life- so you might as well avoid them

they're not compulsory, you know

gallubesom, actually we keep her away from the supermarket anyway - for the sanity of other shoppers! . I do know what you mean though, but i just think that these places (soft play) levels of hygeine are not that great at the best of times. And as cory says, i don't need much of an excuse not to go tbh - although DD does enjoy them and is asking to go this morning, i will stand firm!

we avoid soft play, dd has had a d&v bug after every visit to a ball park.

Horrible, dirty places, heaving with kids running amock - little ones routinely trampled - and 80% of the parents sit there ignoring the behaviour of their own children.
Should be avoided at all costs - swine flu or not

I have 4 dc eldest 8 and have never set foot inside a soft play centre, ever. So no,YANBU.

However - to avoid them because of swine flu is a bit daft imo, you can catch it anywhere. I have just accepted that we will almost certainly get swine flu and get on with life (alhtough we have no health problems).

If you hate them any way - then it is a great excuse .

i stay away because of all the older kids coming into the little ones' area and they're grotty - everytime I've taken the girls they've gotten a tummy bug soon thereafter.

Those of you whose kids routinely get ill after going to soft play were they dirty looking places?

no, they weren't dirty-looking at all.

Some are hideous and some are brilliant. I go to one on a saturday morning for a 9am to 10.30am session that is virtually empty and massive. It has 4 bouncy castles in a row linked with holes, about 5 Little Tike style houses, loads of slides and a huge tunnel thing going on. Its all on one level so you can sit at the edge and always see them. Its mainly used by under 5's so no trampling. And its run by the council so dead cheap. The kids love it, it even has a picnic area. The rain was lashing down here today so it was perfect for us to go there.

Oh, and its spotless.

YANBU....any excuse not to go to them is great in my book!

YANBU.
They all stink of wee anyway.

I've promised I'll take DD next week, and I will but it's like torture.
Lots of children, most of whom can make noise of some sort, and move which is enough for me to dislike them, charged like a bull for a cuppa with value teabags, the smell of wee and stinky feet, possibly poo and puke mixed in the suspended animation air con, oh, and I get to pay for it too.

The best thing is to never tell kids that these hellholes places exist.

Tis interesting to read about visits to softplay centres resulting in sickness

My favourite local one gets cleaned several times during the day - staff crawl about wiping the play surfaces and the slide - which I think is fab