To not understand why soft play centres are so bad?

[Stigaloid]

I have taken my son to a couple of soft play centres and whilst they aren't much fun for me, he seems to enjoy them on the few occasions we have been so far. He much prefers the park, but on rainy days he likes climbing and jumping around safely indoors. i have seen quite a few comments on MN about softplay centres and wondered why they are viewed as being bad? Genuine question here not trying to start massive debates or arguments.

windows to the outside world are always a starting point

Clean toilets.

Hate soft play warehouses:

The noise.

The stench of sweat and urine.

Out of control older children in the area for under 3s/under 5s.

Parents ignoring their own children and letting them run riot.

I don't consider them dangerous hell holes of marauding children...but they do force me to be in close proximity with some homosapiens-vulgaris, there are unidentifiable stains and marks on the soft furnishings and its noisy. Hate is to strong a word, but I prefer to avoid them

I do recall that when my two were pre-schoolers and we went in the day during term time, I could tolerate them far better

I just wish my local one didn't sell beer, (draft) wine and alcopops to the type of parents who need little encouragement to start running about and jumping on the equipment without a thought for the smaller children.

And that the big commercially-made sign above the toddler bit didn't say, "Parent's must watch there own children".

Do they have to report to OFSTED?

Can't say I loved them, but DSs certainly do. We go very infrequently to our local the rather inappropriately named Parents' Paradise. We're always badgered to go more often, but weekends are pretty ghastly there for all the above mentioned reasons (although it is new-ish and not too bad on hygiene front) and we usually have other things to do.

We only seem to go to soft play places to attend birthday parties. It really doesn't occur to me to go any other time. I'd much rather ds was running around outside even if it is raining!

What a load of old rubbish, is it just people who think they're too good for it or that it's common.

I don't use soft play often but when I have all the kids have had a fantastic time.

Yes you sometimes get the odd problem with the slightly bigger kids tearing around without consideration for the little ones, but I have encountered the same at our local park.

I assume then that all of you who's opinon is that play centres are expensive, noisey, dirty, germ ridden etc do not send your children to nursery/day care/toddler group etc, because they are then, by comparison, exactly the same.

"Really if the parent enjoys going is irrelevant."

Bollocks - I don't constantly subjugate my feelings and preferences for my childrens benefit. I do a lot of things for them because they enjoy it whereas I don't, but to keep doing activities which I positively don't enjoy ,when there are alternatives, doesn't earn you a good parenting badge, it is ridiculous martyrdom

Its not rocket science is it? Some are better than others, some people like them more than others, and a few are just snobby about them.

If you don't like them, don't go, if you do, do. End of.

I hate doing ANYTHING that is ALL ABOUT THE CHILDREN

and they are REALLY FILTHY

Agree hmc, I'm not going to feel bad and selfish because some of my preferences and feelings differ from that of my child's. I don't mind soft play places on the whole, but we try to find things to do that we all enjoy.

Ooh Tabitha, could you tell me where yours is exactly? I'm nearish reading and strangely enough this thread has made me want to take dd to one of those dreadful places.

I don't like them, but not for reasons of hygiene or other people (since I myself am smelly and uncooth).

I don't like them because I have to pay ££££s to sit in a segregated adults area and not hear what other adults are trying to tell me, then pay ££££££s for rubbish drinks and muffins (these places rarely allow you to bring in food).

Also my DD doesn't know when to stop and will usually keep going for 45 minutes until she is puce in the face, has steam coming off her hair and has been sick.

Think they are fine during term time when its just the little ones, they can have fun reducing the risk of being pushed over, run into by the bigger kids, it still happens as some little ones can be pushy and bad tempered and don't want to cooperate or play nicely with the other children and thats when I'd like the other parents to intervene rather than having to do it myself.

Went to a soft play aimed at the uner 5s and they had helpers actually helping inside the area, there was no trouble what so ever and for the first time I could let my little one run around on her own - it was great.

there are strong PROs and CONs (at least with ours):

PRO: DSs LOVE it & i can work (yes work + i can tap into a wireless network at mine )

CONS: balls do occasionally smell of wee, food is minging, and i always end up with some sort of illness the day after going to one..

for this reason i will stay well clear of them this autumn/winter as i know i would catch swine flu there otherwise. i am dreading DS1 friend's birthday party there next week...

Having recently been to the Museum of Science and Industry in London, I am now convinced that soft play is the way to go.
My local soft play areas are no where near as noisy, dirty or germy and the children, even the rowdy ones are not as obnoxious. There is no gift shop at the end of soft play for me to be pestered to buy from and worst of all I couldn't have half an hour with the paper and a coffee while they let off steam.

I've been to a variety of soft play places and they do vary alot. Some are just discusting, sell really rubbish food/coffee and some are very nice and clean and sell great coffee. I have found the family run ones are the best and most clean. The more comercial ones are usual very expensive, sell rubbish food and drinks and usually have staff that don't give a monkeys.

I have been staying clear of soft play at the moment with my dd though. She is 2.10 and recently soft play seems to bring out the meaness of her and i find it more stressful than anything having to tell her to play nicely/stop pushing/hitting other children.

Well, we took the DCs to one that outwardly looked quite nice with some pals on Saturday. Yesterday, their wee DD started vomiting, and ds2 has been hurling all morning today .

And ds2 was so excited that he peed himself. Twice.

Also will parents of toddlers be aware that said toddler will one day grow into the large child you are scowling and tutting at or telling off for basically just being a large child having fun.
Your child will not have meant to fall over that two year old weaving precariously with a dolls pram.
You will also realise that just as it is annoying for big children to be in the toddlers area it is equally annoying for toddlers to be in the big children's area.
Thank you.

applause for notsoteenagemum there!

The age segregation is something else I'm not keen on, particularly in places that only have staff at the counter and expect customers to self-police.

DD is 6 and all the other kids in the family are under 4. A family outing to soft play can be quite a lonely one for her, with her constantly being told to play over there, go and do something for the bigger kids, etc.

DD is also tall for her age, so those that work by height are sometimes off limits, too.

I don't have kids but I once went to soft play with my sister and my neice. Neice loved it but after it was over I rushed home, dug my discarded microgynon pills back out of the bin and delayed TTC for another 5 years.