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Original poster

Research into opening a soft play centre

100 replies

Jaysfinished · 02/05/2008 20:34

OK i have had my three kids and have visited various soft play centre's and i think i could do it myself....so i am hoping to open indoor adventure play centre/ softplay in Nottingham.

I am right at the start of my venture and would like some help with research.
I would like to hear from anyone who has comments or ideas about what they would like to see in a softplay center.

Things like;
What times would you like it to open and close?

What would you like to see in the cafe?

How much would you expect to pay and for how long?

How would you like to see the ages segregated?

thanks ladies , i know you will come up with the goods!

OP posts:
lilyloo · 02/05/2008 22:29

Agree about the smell that put's me off straight away.
Cleanliness is v. important.

Rubyrubyruby · 02/05/2008 22:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

isaidno · 02/05/2008 22:43

I hate it when there are loads of vending machines with crappy novelties in, and those ride on machines which means the dc moan at you for 50p for. I feel I've already paid for the play without spending more money on stuff like that.

taffy101 · 02/05/2008 22:53

Agree with everyone on the cleanliness of soft play etc. Also with providing more non-climbing activities as some kids are too scared to climb so high and the parents feel that they are wasting their money going there!

When i go these sorts of places i can't look when people are carrying hot drinks about as there are kids running riot around them. I can't think of a way of avoiding this, as people need to sit near the play areas in order to supervise their kids whilst having drinks. I have seen mums sitting around the edges of soft play with hot drinks. Certainly signage to keep hot drinks on tables would be advisable.

maggiethecat · 02/05/2008 23:16

Invest in decent staff - went to Vale Farm in Wembley recently and will never return. Shortly after arriving we sat down to have lunch before playing, unaware that you could only eat food bought there. Was shouted at by female member of staff and told to put away my food at once. I told her that I would as soon as I finished feeding my toddler into whose mouth I was spooning food while we spoke. She demanded that I listen to her or that I would be put out. She would not give me her name as requested and eventually I spoke with her manager who lamely apologised but asserted that there were people who visited who needed to be spoken to 'roughly'.

I left without my children using their play area after I voiced my outrage - there was no attempt to placate me or to offer a refund.

It was a farm by name and nature.

PuppyDogTails · 03/05/2008 12:18

Free wi-fi would be good - my local one has the benefit of being next door to a business which has unsecured wi-fi!

Original poster
Jaysfinished · 03/05/2008 13:28

agree with maggie on the good staff, its a must in places like these!

As for the cleanliness, thats high on my list also!

thanks ladies its great to be getting so much feedback, keep it coming

OP posts:
cazzybabs · 03/05/2008 13:34

There are 2 where I live...the 1st is staffed by 16 year olds and the older children run riot and the 2nd is lovely because the people who own it are always on site looking after it but the quipment is not great for the 6+ age range.

Also what about birthday parties?

runningonplenty · 03/05/2008 13:37

If you are going to offer parties - a seperate room might be a good idea. I always feel sorry for kids that arent at the party - standing by watching the festivities wishing they were there!

Original poster
Jaysfinished · 03/05/2008 14:13

i like your thinking cazzy, i was thinking about having a room for parties, and when its not being used for them , maybe having craft activities in there. a different one each day, say for an hour every morning

OP posts:
collision · 03/05/2008 14:20

and with regard to the food......

.....I dont go there for the food. I go there for something for the children to do on a wet day. I want to feed them but not spend a fortune and that is why I like spaghetti hoops and toast or beans on toast for £1.20! I do not want to buy them a full meal and spend more than £3 per child.

Jugs of juice should be inexpensive too. No more than a £1 for a large jug of squash.

Clean tables and toilets and someone regularly clearing the tables and using small handheld vacuums for the floor is what I like!

VictorianSqualor · 03/05/2008 14:20

Make use of the times when it won't be busy, arrange for local toddler groups/mum and tots type people to come for cheap rates, maybe even have a mums and tots group of your own.

Encourage mothers of babies, make it obvious you support BFing, have decent change rooms, tc fr the babies, because with a new baby you can't do as much with older kdis so f you can happily sit for a while and look after baby whilst they play theyre more likely to come along.

Only use times for busy periods, when studying I used to go along to my local softplay and take DD, would only cost me £3.50 and we could stay all day so I was able to afford to do my coursework and not have to worry too much about entertaining her.

Rosylily · 03/05/2008 15:00

Good ventilation. The last time I went to a soft play centre, you could hardly breath it was so stuffy and it stank of smelly feet.

The cafe area was dirty, scruffy and uncomfortable with no nice stuff to scoff...I haven't been back although the children did have fun of course.

All the best with this! Good idea!

billybass · 03/05/2008 16:27

Yeah good idea.I use one regularly it has a weapon facility where you can shoot balls at people. Great fun.Still smells of smelly socks though

justaboutisfeelingrelieved · 03/05/2008 18:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

fitfox · 03/05/2008 19:47

Hi Jay

I would like:

0-3yrs
3-5 yrs
5-yrs

DEffo a cafe and sit down area, next to the soft play, so Mums can drink tea and flick through magazines, whilst watching their LOs

Re plsy: Bouncy castle, small slides, push around sit-in cars, ball pond? Mayb some soft climbing tunnels too.

Re price, not more than £2.80 per child and discount for siblings, sat £1 or £1.50 per extra sibling

You could also offer it up for children's parties

Original poster
Jaysfinished · 03/05/2008 19:48

justabout, thats a great idea!! thanks for that one

OP posts:
fitfox · 03/05/2008 19:48

Agree that children's food needs to be cheap and cheerful at these places

Original poster
Jaysfinished · 03/05/2008 19:49

foxy. thanks for popping in!

OP posts:
fitfox · 03/05/2008 20:09

[waves] Great idea Jay!!

WendyWeber · 03/05/2008 20:37

rugrats and half pints (great name!) in Banbury looks really really nice - not your usual cheap and plasticky place.

kiwibella · 03/05/2008 21:24

the rugrats and halfpints website is lovely and so easy to navigate around the information.

I really like their classes schedule. The classes look like fun and I would (if I lived anywhere near!!) probably schedule a visit around one of these.

Good luck Jay

Original poster
Jaysfinished · 03/05/2008 21:26

wendy, thats so strange you gave me that address, a friend of mine was telling me about that the other day!

i wholeheartedly agree with their information about the younger children not having much to do, i love all the sensory activities that are there and will definitely want some of them in my softplay - I still have to name it yet!

OP posts:
juneybean · 03/05/2008 21:41

This is a little bit off topic but does anyone know of soft play quite near to Washington, Tyne and Wear?? (that isn't too expensive!)

shoshe · 04/05/2008 07:13

Offer the local CM'a reduced rate our local (brilliant one) does 3 kids for a fiver, we go every week, as do a large number of CM's.

The also rent out the party room in the week, to people doing things like health and safety courses.

And yes keep it friendly and BE ON SITE yourself, all the good ones are runa nd supervised by the owners.

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