Tell me about soft play

[jollybaby]

Recommendations wanted for soft play venues. We have a car and so am happy to drive a short distance. Would be good to hear about the price, play facilities, parking and of course the refreshments! Miss JB is 14 months and this is a new world to us.

[Fuschia]

Little rascals at Bellingham is the best for under 5s

Easy parking

Cheap entrance ESP

If you take proof of address along and get annual

Membership which gives money off

Peckham sessions are very short

Gambado too

Much for little ones and v expensive

Beckenham spa has been too manic when I have gone and I don't like the parking

[Pickle]

Agree that Little Rascals is great, and lots for the littler ones to do.

We go to Beckenham a lot (daughter does gymnastics there) and love it - you have to pay to park (70p an hour, max 4 hours). Have never found it too manic - weekday mornings tend to be the best if you get there early. I think it's one of the cleaner soft plays around and they do decent food if you want to make a morning of it and have lunch.

Only been to Gambardos once and that was enough, very very scary (for adults and children alike!).

Stopped going to Peckham when they introduced the "no adults on the equipment" rule, as found my kids couldn't quite manage the top section by themselves, but got bored on the ground level equipment very quickly.

[crystal7]

I think Peckham's quite nice. There's a bit for younger chn then the upstairs for older. My daughter at nearly 3 just goes off on her own while I watch now. Cheap too (?2?) for 1 or 1.5 hours. I find that's more than enough time. Cafe not great though. You can always walk home via petit tou or Vic Inn. Have been to Gambado a few times and E loves it but I have to follow her around as she's a bit too small to manage some of the equipment. There's a carousel and bumper cars too. Cafe awful and overpriced I found. It probably comes into it's own when you've got older children, costs ?8 I think. Am keen to try Bellingham but a bit tricky following toddler around with baby in tow? Or can toddler go off? Sorry for post hijack!

[BellendenBear]

Toddler World at Crystal Palace is perfect for crawling / newly walking ones. I think it's only open from 10-12 and costs about ?4.

[jennyh]

I went to soft play at Brixton leisure centre recently and thought it was brilliant! I think it is on all the time so you can go whenever and for how long. Its ?3. Not sure about parking though its easy to get there on the 37. Mine is 9 months and cannot crawl yet but I took her into the main part and she loved it, I just found it hard lugging her through all the tunnels and up and down the slides! They have ball pools, lots of slides including spiral slide, hall of mirror type thing, loads of other tunnels, nets, bits to climb over and under. Dont know about her but I had a brilliant time!

[sanity girl]

I've always liked the soft play at Beckenham Spa - it's much cleaner and brighter than Peckham or Gambados (full of dust and fluff - yuck!). There is a smaller bit for younger children/babies and a more adventurous bit for the older kids. There is a cafe on site so you can incorporate a coffee/snack into the trip - I recommend you give it a go.

[Fuschia]

Crystal, Peckham sessions now only 45 mins and costs ?2 now iirc

[Pickle]

Crystal7 - Bellingham is perfect for someone with baby and toddler as it's completely contained, they can go off and do their own thing without you worrying too much. They do food, cheap and cheerful type and not terribly healthy (nuggets and chips type meals). Definitely worth a visit.

I think what you "need" from a soft play changes as your kids get a little older - these days my two happily play on the equipment by themselves with no need for intervention from me (other than snacks/drinks), so I tend to prefer places with decent seating, coffee and space for me to knit :) From all the places I've been I think Beckenham best meets the needs of Mum!

[Fuschia]

Bellingham is ok for toddlers if you go term

Time day time

They can go

Off while you stay with the baby

There is a nice section good for rollers/crawlers

[Fuschia]

I agree with pickle about needs changing as children age

[buggie]

Another vote for toddlerworld, free parking and a cafe there which isn't the best but ok if you know getting home without your child falling asleep will be pushing it (there's always a pasta & sauce option for kids) It's been shut for a few weeks (think there was an olympic training camp or something!) but reopens 12th Dec & isn't open Fri's.

[crystal7]

Ah thanks for that Fuschia and Pickle. Will give it a try soon! Another vote for toddler world- perfect for crawlers/cruisers. Not great for older toddlers as not contained.

[jollybaby]

Yes thanks everyone.

[jollybaby]

In the end we went to Beckenham spa (I think the mention of the cafe swung it!). It cost 4.80 but this was for an unlimited session. As Pickle said you also have to pay for parking. Really easy to get to from ED only took about 10 -15 mins.

There are 2 cafes - one upstairs by the swimming pool and then one within the soft play. We had lunch upstairs and they served burgers, paninis, jacket potatoes etc. Food was fine.

I've only been to a soft play once before so I don't have much to compare with. I think miss JB enjoyed herself- spent most of the time trying to climb up the slide. Was wondering though - do any of the other soft plays have separate section for the younger toddlers ie under 2s? There's quite a big difference between a 4 year old boy and a 14 month old girl and there were a few times when it got a bit hairy in there! Maybe I just need to learn to relax.

[Fuschia]

Yes, little rascals has quite a good baby area that doesn't feel like a poor relation to the big bit

Peckham has a baby area too but but bare

Gambado has a fenced off area