7 months too young for soft play?

[pamplemousse321]

Is 7 months too young for soft play centres?
The mummies I met at the children’s centres group take theirs every week but my DD is the youngest of them all. She can’t sit unaided, roll or crawl yet. So she’d just be lying down all the time. Yet these mummies keep taking their ones to this and Tumble Tots and I’m starting to feel left behind. Their babies can crawl, sit, pull themselves up but my daughter can’t. I just feel left out.

If she's not crawling yet I probably wouldn't bother as I don't think she'll get anything out of it however if it's a social thing and you would get something out of it by having a chat with the mums etc then I would go

Depends on the soft play - our local one has a baby sensory section with mirrors, lights etc.

My friends with babies have ages ranging from 8 months (DD is 6.5 months) to 3 years, and I used to take her from when she was about 5 months, just before she started sitting, and she was quite entertained laying there looking at all the stuff. Though, I have to say she does get more out of the toys now she’s sitting, but even then it was a change of scene for her and a chance for a chat for me.

Having said that, I now miss the days of being able to meet friends in a coffee shop while DD chilled in her buggy, so if she’s still up for that hang on to it for dear life! Soft play is now a necessity for a bit of peace....

It would only really be for you at that age - so it depends if you get joy out of drinking bad and overpriced coffee in a neon foam covered hell hole or not. Once they get crawling it's nice - provided there's a decent and enforced baby section so you're not worrying about them being squished by a huge galumphing 7 year old (I own the huge galumphing 7 year old usually), especially if it's like our local one where you only pay admission once they're walking - and you've got a late walker so can get loads out of that clause!

You've got years of soft play hell ahead of you... don't wish it upon yourself too soon.

Well if you go to have a chat with the other parents and the actual soft play area isn’t suitable for your baby then what’s the worst that could happen?

Give it a go.

You've got years of soft play hell ahead of you... don't wish it upon yourself too soon.

This, a thousand times. Why would you go to one of those places unless you absolutely have to?! Your baby will get very little out of it and surely you'd rather have a coffee in a nice coffee shop? I know I would.

If you can go during a weekday when older kids are at school I definitely would- it’s a fab time filler. Our soft play was free for under 1s and they had a baby area, like a big sensory room. And afterwards cake and coffee in the cafe whilst the baby sleeps!

I never took my first child until he was walking (10 months!) but my second was practically raised in soft play

If you want to meet up with the other mums for a chat then go for it, your baby won’t care. If you don’t, then avoid the hell hole that is soft play until you absolutely have to go!

I took my DS when he was 5 months as it was a birthday party. It was a small local one with a sensory room he enjoyed and a corner with baby toys which he played with but he loved watching the other children and the flashy disco lights. It knackered him out and he had a lovely long nap during and after!

At 6 months we took him into one on our holiday site. It was a huge frame thing with ball pit and spinning cubes. No flashing lights and only one other child so he wasn't bothered by it at all and we left after 5 mins.

So I'd say it depends what type of soft play it is. Maybe try it once so you can see? Plus if you don't go again for a while at least you'll picture and understand what your friends are talking about.

Your friends are probably taking their children because they are crawling etc so can get more out of it. They aren't crawling because they go to soft play, it's the other way round.

I went from around 7m because my child was crawling and cruising, and it was a safe environment for her to practice in. Unless you are going to meet friends I wouldn't bother until your child will get something out of it.

I am probably in the no category, seems too young for it be worth is, the cost, buying over-price coffee for what? If she can't even crawl or sit unaided its pretty pointless. Especially if there is no baby sensory bit.

I don't think I took my eldest until she was about 18 months and started walking, but there was no baby sensory area, only an area for under threes.

I hate soft plays though, I spent the best part of a decade taking my two children to soft plays so you will be spending plenty of time there come a few months for years.