To think soft play parties are a bit shit?

[Yotrotro]

Hands up, I've only been to one (today). My DD is 2 and we've only moved to the area/been going to the nursery for a few months, so although I was a bit anxious going as I literally know none of the kids or parents, I thought it would be a great opportunity to get to know some!

The soft play itself was mobbed (as expected on a rainy weekend), but it was also laid out so the play areas were all round all sides and seating in the middle. The party had 2 couches to one side, where grandparents sat and everyone else dumped jackets/shoes etc. All kids from same group at nursery so all 2-3.

Kids weren't really able to play with their group as they were so spread out and so many others there. I made small talk with a few parents, but most of them weren't with the party. I had no idea who was or wasn't!

Then there was an announcement to go to a party room. We all crammed in. Not enough seats for parents and kids. I tried to leave DD to it as much as possible and stand at the back with the other parents, but although she can talk she wouldn't be able to tell the girl her name or what meal she ordered etc. so ended up crouching next to her for a bit.

Then back out to play. Then called back for a special visit from a character and everyone to sing happy birthday. No cake so then back out to play. Then at the end time we went to put shoes on/get a party bag and say goodbye.

Maybe they were all just too young, but surely this isn't much of a party or much different to just going to softplay normally?!

I just think an old school style hall of some sort, with a bouncy castle and buffet would have been much better all round (and much cheaper!). Am I missing something??

The good thing about a party in soft play centre is that the parents don't have to do anything. They basically pay for it to be organised and done for them (My DD had her 6th Birthday in such a venue).
I agree an old hall with games and homemade buffet is much better though.

2 is a bit young for a soft play party in my experience. Great when they're 4 and you just get to sit with a coffee.

Hmm, I think 2-3 is a bit too young for a weekend soft play party. A weekday morning maybe?! When they get to about 5 they’re awesome as you don’t have to do a thing! Usually however the parents have a seating area all together and they tend to be at times when it’s a bit quieter in my experience. I liked being able to get a coffee and just sit back for two hours.

It depends where you go to. Our massive soft play place is hell on Earth. The place which is really small and sole-use is amazing!

That sounds typical of a soft play party - you get a couple of tables reserved, the kids run about and play, then you go to the party room for food. At that age parents do need to hover and make sure their child gets food, so that shouldn’t have been an issue.

The seating layout sounds typical for a soft play, with seats in the middle so you can sit and have a tea/ coffee but can keep track of your child. Was that the first time you’ve been to a soft play place?

The big advantage of having a party at a soft play place is that it’s easier for the parents - someone else does the food and tidies up for you! A village hall-type party might be cheaper, but takes more effort.

For little ones, the best soft play parties are in smaller places where you can hire the whole thing. Our local leisure centre have one you can hire for £60, you can see the whole thing from the parent chairs, and nothing is that big, so 2-3 year olds can manage it without help.

I quite like them because as a parent you can just sit round drinking tea for 2 hours. As the birthday child's parent it's also very easy. Turn up, then leave. Allergies all catered for, no sweeping a hall etc.

I have found them a god send personally.

I agree that they’re a bit rubbish- I have one who is 2 and another at school and I don’t think it’s good for either. The kids can barely play together. My daughter is going to one where they have hired the whole place at dinner time, which will be much better.
I always try to do hall and hire entertainers. I did this for my daughters 6th birthday recently and had a bouncy castle and it was great- although still £££.
But I’ll be avoiding soft play parties tbh!

It's the age that's the problem here, not the party itself. 2 is quite young for the set up you describe.

When they are 4+ soft play parties are so easy, the children love them and no enforced fun from a children's entertainer or over loud music from a children's disco. I know some people love hiring a hall etc but I've always preferred attending soft play ones.

We used to have a small soft play near us aimed at preschoolers. You could book the whole thing for a party and it was great, just the kids they knew there not loads of randoms running around. I don't think that's very common though.

I hate soft play, especially huge ones.
2 is quite young for a party like this.

DC1 is turning 5 soon. For his 1st and 3rd birthdays we hired a hall, they were both great parties (adults and children enjoyed them) but really hard work, especially his 3rd birthday when I was pregnant with DC2. We also hired a hall for DC2's 1st birthday, again great but hard work. So for DC1's upcoming 5th birthday I have booked a soft play. Expensive but it will be so worth it. I won't have to organise the food, set it all up and tidy up afterwards. The kids will be able to go around the soft play themselves while parents chat and keep an eye on the sidelines. The only thing is that DH and I will have to take turns to look after DC2 (18 months old) but it won't be too bad.

I don't think it's the best party for two year-olds, though, unless you have a very small soft play venue and exclusive use. Even then it seems a bit unnecessary.

The 1st birthday parties we did were for the adults really, to celebrate our DCs and surviving the first year (we're not religious so didn't do christenings). For second birthday I think a small birthday tea at home or a family day out is fine. It's only three and up that they start to understand and appreciate parties a bit more.

Far too young... they work better for Primary aged children.

I think the age is a big factor, but also size of venue... I tend to avoid the big soft plays in general or do it on weekdays only. I hadn't been to this particular one before, but it had a go karts section, a climbing section and a shop all within the same play areas and not easily visible from a seat as it was huge. How they police kids not just nicking any toy they want from the shop I have no idea! I think it would be a good couple of years before I could let her go free in there!!

The softplays we go to are smaller and for under 7s, so not as wild and you can sit back a bit more while keeping an eye. The idea of sitting back with a coffee sounds lovely though!

Agree with the PPs. It's the age not the location that's the problem. By reception age and up they just disappear off with their little mates, run wild, and return occasionally for a quick drink or wee. The adults can spend the whole time having a chat. When it's time for food, they are confident enough in themselves and know the other guests well enough to be hosted by the venue and bday DC's parents, whilst you lurk near the party room and carry on your chat. The DCs have a ball, and it's a much less stressful experience for the host family than a party at home or in a hall. Hall parties work best for under 4s IME.

Softplay parties only works imo if the parents have paid for sole hire otherwise like you say its hard to chat with the other people there or for the kids to play properly

He'll on earth at thar age.
Dd just spent all her time trying to find her friends!

I work full time and do three hours an evening on my laptop too. I’m not spending my weekend organising a buffet and sweeping a village hall*. DD1 is a November birthday so will get soft play until she is old enough for cinema etc. DD2 is August so will need to find a low effort alternative too.

• This may be because I’m a teacher and a hall party sounds way too much like playground duty to me!

Parties like this are minimal hassle for the organiser and why they are so popular.
At that age they're not great for parents because your child will likely need help on equipment but for older kids they just dissappear and come back for drinks and food.

Sounds like hell.

Far too young at two - surely at that age you don't really need a 'party', a couple of balloons and a slice of cake would be fine.

We always did village hall parties (from age 4) but DH and I are both ex Scout leaders so very experienced at herding DC .

A 2-3 yr old on their own May love soft play but I doubt there’s much group play- I think for slightly older soft play parties are brill.

You'll learn to love them op when you lo is a bit older. I agree they aren't ideal for toddlers, but much better than getting jam sandwiches trodden into your carpet and having a living room stuff full of supervising parents!

Like all the others I think 2 is too young for this type of party, 3 would be too young as well. My DD absolutely loved soft play when she was 4/5/6 and she went to loads of parties at that age with friends. And they were great for parents.

We went to one where the time in the actual soft play was limited! Normally, you pay and go in and stay as long as you want, but for the party (which cost the host parents significantly more than standard entry), you played for an hour, then were ushered up to a 'party room' and then down some back stairs and out! My kids were used to spending hours there, so to have one hour, then (as they viewed it) wasted time eating and having to watch some creepy character dancing around and they were turfed out! I had to take them back the next week to make up for it.