What age for soft play?

[AHungryCaterpillar]

Ds has turned 10 and no longer enjoys going to soft play, we went today and he sat at the table to whole time and didn’t want to go on anything.

I’ve mainly come for my younger 2 but obviously he has to come as well, but he’s now at an age where he doesn’t want to play anymore, it’s annoying paying full price knowing he isn’t going to be playing 😣 what age did your children stop enjoying soft play?

My 10 year old wouldn’t either. It’s tricky at that age to find something to do together. Are you sure you have to pay for him if he’s clearly just going to sit with you?

My eldest still enjoys it now age 11 but it has to a good one with a huge frame and different things to do. Smaller soft plays would be boring for him.

Yes about 10 sounds right. Its tricky when your DC get to a stage where they like different things

It’s a big soft play. Most of them you need to book in advance now so I wouldn’t be able to turn up without a proper ticket for him and risk not being allowed in 😣

Maybe a trampoline park would be better depending on the age of your younger children

At that age I would have had to meet a friend with same age friend for mine to want to go. Can you take one of his mates?

Cant do trampoline park unfortunately my youngest is too young unless I go on with her and I’m not doing that 😳

@iloveredwine

At that age I would have had to meet a friend with same age friend for mine to want to go. Can you take one of his mates?

He doesn’t meet up with friends out of school.

DS went for school holiday care until age 10. Though it was for school aged children so plenty of children close to his age (they did day trips a few days a week so the centre was freed up for toddlers and preschoolers then). I only took him myself until school age. If I'd had younger children he'd have stayed home from age 9.

I'd say about 8 or 9 at oldest for soft play. 10 is too old really. Can't you leave him at home/at a friend's house while you take the younger ones (with you taking the friend another time)?

My 10 year old dd still likes soft play! We went to our local farm park on Wednesday and she was on their indoor soft play with her 3 younger sisters for hours!!!

No I’m a single parent, don’t have friends to leave him with and wouldn’t leave him home alone, he doesn’t mind coming he just doesn’t want to play.

@Matilda1981

My 10 year old dd still likes soft play! We went to our local farm park on Wednesday and she was on their indoor soft play with her 3 younger sisters for hours!!!

Most go up to 12 I think so some must still like it!

My local one has a football/basketball enclosure. Could you stretch to bringing a friend for him so they can go kick a ball around?

My 9yo still likes soft play! We wouldn't go specifically to a soft play centre any more, but we went to a farm park today and she chose to go into the softplay and had a great time.

The ones near us have a limit of 11 years, we only pay for the ones who are allowed to play. I'd book older kids as adults if they are not playing but still going along.

Mine are 9&10 and while I don't pay to go to softplay with them, they enjoy parties there or the one at the zoo.

How old are the younger ones?

How old are your youngest. Mine are 10 and 7 and we haven’t been to softplay since start of lockdown. Oldest felt she’s too old for it. We go to trampoline park, ninja warrior, climbing walls or ice skating instead. In the summer there is go ape too. I need to go on them for the 7yo.

Could you look at going somewhere with something for all the kids? Maybe a farm with soft play/ outdoor play areas, swimming, museums with good children’s exhibitions, or bowling somewhere that has an arcade too?

10 is borderline for soft play but that doesn’t really matter if your DS doesn’t like it.

We go to all different places, just my youngest loves soft play, she is 4. We went to the museum last month for the 10 year old but my 4 year old was bored out of her mind so it’s difficult to find things for both ages.

At those ages, if you won't leave the 10 year old at home, I guess you just have to let them take it in turns to choose where they want to go and the others have to accept that they might have to put up with something that isn't their choice.

Can he take a friend? Even if they just sit & chat? If not, get him a nice cake & tell him to take a book. Most sessions are only a couple hours max.

It probably depends on the child. My 10 year nephew still enjoys the bigger softplays but he’s still quite childlike if that makes sense.

Also, deffo try a trampoline park. I absolutely cannot bounce 😂 but my 4 year old doesn’t need me too.. I’m there but she runs off bouncing quite happily. At 4, they don’t need you to follow them. The most I do is literally stand on the trampoline or the edges and I do enjoy jumping into the foam pits 😄

The trampoline parks near me say parents need to go on if child is under 5 there is no way I’m bouncing on a trampoline! 😅 he’s happy enough to sit and wait and doesn’t complain so it’s not really an issue just thought it was on the younger side as like I said most go up to 12.