Soft Play Reopening?

[MrsP2015]

I've searched back and can't find a thread about this so apologies if there is and please someone direct me to it!

How do you feel about soft play re opening and how can they keep things Covid safe?

I won't take mine to a park which is outside as I worry about the risk! DC loved soft play though so I'm interested to know how they'd manage it as even restricted numbers means germy kids/ adults mixing!

None of the soft plays local to me have opened yet so I'm unsure of what procedures are in place. However we have visited a local indoor trampoline place, time slots are restricted to an hour, closes for half hour between each session to be cleaned, hand sanitiser to be used on entry to the building and again on entry into the play area. Restricted number of people in the booking slots. I can only assume that soft play centres will adopt a similar approach.

There isn't a soft play near me but I'm desperate for toddler groups to re-open as they were my absolute lifeline pre-lockdown! I will go to as many as I can the second they are back on!

We have been going to parks ever since they opened, I don't feel outdoor play is a major risk of we keep a reasonable distance and wash hands/sanitise as we go.

Soft play makes me very nervous. Our Feb half term was ruined after DD and I picked up a vom bug at soft play and passed it on to all the rest of the family. Most of them are germ pits at the best of times, hot and sweaty children, inadequate ventilation, local ones are windowless. Asking for trouble and I'm not going anywhere near for the foreseeable.

One of those imagination towns is set to reopen near Me. They announced today over 11s have to wear a mask but can take them off to eat and drink. Seems ridiculous that you have to wear a mask when kids are not wearing them. Also if you are eating 3 meters away in the seating area it's ok not to wear it. Stupid rules. Off putting. Can't see the point opening these places. Like children want to see their parents with masks on in a play area!

I’m in an area where they can’t open but there’s a couple I’d go too if they opened. Both are new within the last couple years, in huge warehouse like buildings with lots of windows & doors. They never feel unclean or overly hot etc .. one has a large outdoor play area as well that has been open since July & it’s excellently run. Ticketed, 2 hour sessions. 30 minutes of cleaning between sessions. Social distancing is pretty lax in all honesty but I don’t believe there’s a huge risk when outdoors. We go every week 😊

We also go to local parks. My kiddo loves the swings & slides, I just don’t let myself worry. I wash her hands frequently with antibacc ..

Hmmm the ones by me are usually boiling hot as there's not much ventilation and all the tables are close together, the play areas just don't allow any distancing which I get as you don't want to let your younger child/ baby go it alone..

Then there's the crazy kids 😂 that are very quick and get everywhere/ overtake all the other kids- no issue with the kids they're there to have fun I just can't see how it'll work.

I think I'm hoping someone will tell me wonderful ways it can work so I can go back!
Hand sanitiser and a 'deep clean' doesn't convince me.

I've been to two. Both had bookable time slots. Fewer kids than usual. Extra cleaning in between slots. Hand sanitiser on entry. Masks for adults.

It was fine but then I'm not that nervous about catching coronavirus to be honest. DC loved it so I'm glad we went. We've all been going stir crazy so I'm just happy to have more activities available.

If you won't take your kids to an outdoor playground then I probably wouldn't recommend you take them to soft play as the risk is obviously going to be higher and I doubt you'll enjoy it much.

Mine are too old but we never used them much anyway bar birthday parties and wouldn’t use them currently if we had younger ones. Plenty of things to do outdoors or at home. I do feel for the staff but am sure plenty will take the risk.

I’d love a local one to open but nothing as yet.
I’m not worried for my DC as she is so low risk- our family too. I don’t think covid will disappear and so am happy to get back to some normality. She attends nursery, the park, farm, cinema etc- I don’t see it as much different. Bookable slots, increased cleaning- remove the ball pools maybe

If you wouldn’t take them to an outdoor playground I’m amazed you’d consider taking them to indoor soft play. They’ve always been horrendous germ-pits, and depending on the age of your DC they might not enjoy it as much if adults can’t go inside the frame with them (I.e. 2 year olds who expect mum to follow them).

I would take mine back to a soft play if any near me reopen any time soon, but I can’t understand why you’d even consider it if you think the playground is too risky?!

The risk is going to be far greater than at an outdoor playground where, frankly, it’s minimal.

It’s going to be a difficult environment to minimise risk in so for me it’s more a consideration about what levels of the virus in my local area are (currently v low) and therefore the likelihood of actually encountering anyone who has it in that situation.

We did soft play the weekend before lockdown (not the Mother’s Day weekend-the one before). We realised then it would probably be the last time for a while.

It’s weird but even though there’s less chance of catching anything now than when we went I’d still feel uncomfortable going now.

You could not pay me to go to a soft play just now. I’m fairly relaxed about covid risk, but like a pp I’ve caught a vomiting bug at a soft play and pre-covid found them anxiety inducing disease pits. Toddler groups I think could be better controlled and I’d be more comfortable with that.

I wash her hands frequently with anti bac
@Bol87 genuine question and probably off the thread entirely but how exactly do you wash her hands with anti bac?
The reason I ask is I saw a Mum the other day giving out dettol anti bac wipes to use as hand wipes, my thinking was they aren't made to be used as hand wipes and could cause harm to a child with the chemicals on them especially if a child wipes their hands then puts the hand in the mouth. Tbh I could have been totally over reacting in my thoughts about this and they could be perfectly fine to use in this way

I miss soft play I'm not a mum who hates it
I want to go and to play with my child
I'm never sure what to do re risks with regards to covid anymore. I've been on coach been playground been to theme parks restaurants no idea whether I'm doing the right thing
But it's the whole mask thing in soft play that really puts me off ☹️ I just don't know if I can bring myself to do it. I couldn't relax.

@Uhoh2020 - I use anti-bac hand gel? Just the basic stuff you buy.. my current one by chance is a foam and my 3 year old thinks it’s magic that she can rub her hands together & it disappears 😄 but prior to the ‘magic’ foam, just regular gel. I’ve been anti-baccing her hands since she was old enough to go to soft play. Maybe about 8 months old. I’ve got a bad phobia of vomiting & so I’m hot on hand washing! At 8 months, I’d rub her hands with it one at a time but eventually she learnt to do it herself.

My mum uses anti-bac wipes on my daughter & it’s fine. I’ve never really thought about it. I think they are hand wash specific as opposed to anti bac house cleaning wipes!

My DD has quite hardy skin, so she’s never had a rash or anything luckily!

[quote Bol87]@Uhoh2020 - I use anti-bac hand gel? Just the basic stuff you buy.. my current one by chance is a foam and my 3 year old thinks it’s magic that she can rub her hands together & it disappears 😄 but prior to the ‘magic’ foam, just regular gel. I’ve been anti-baccing her hands since she was old enough to go to soft play. Maybe about 8 months old. I’ve got a bad phobia of vomiting & so I’m hot on hand washing! At 8 months, I’d rub her hands with it one at a time but eventually she learnt to do it herself.

My mum uses anti-bac wipes on my daughter & it’s fine. I’ve never really thought about it. I think they are hand wash specific as opposed to anti bac house cleaning wipes!

My DD has quite hardy skin, so she’s never had a rash or anything luckily![/quote]
Yes to foam and toddlers! When I use the gel my daughter likes to stare at it for 5 seconds, until it all slides off her hands, and then she starts rubbing.... At least the foam stays there

Thanks @Bol87 I use the hand gel too this lady I saw was using a packet of dettol anti bac cleaning wipes that you use round the house i couldn't decide if she was mad or I was missing a trick

I took mine to a softplay yesterday, they absolutely loved it. It was super clean, lovely and quiet as only about 20 kids in there .

Ball pits were closed off and we had to book a 2 hour slot. They were closed for an hour in between each slot to disinfect from one group to the next.

We had to wear masks moving around the room but we're shown to a table when we arrived and didn't have to wear a mask when sitting at our table.

It honestly didn't feel risky to me but cases in my area are 2 for every 100,000 people and it was pouring with rain yesterday. Benefits outweighed risks!

Oh and adults could go inside the frame but you had to wear a mask. My two are old enough to tear around it on their own though thankfully!

DS has grown out of soft play really but I'd go if he was younger.

Mine are too big now but no I wouldn’t, they are grotty places at the best of times.

Why won’t you take your kids to a park though? Poor kids.