Soft play centre

[JCrakers]

Im off to a soft play this morning and its going to cost £7.95 to get in. The costs will be covered by the parents but the problem is the play centre has a big notice up saying only food and drinks purchased here may be consumed. But if I buy snacks it will costs me a fortune.

Usually the children have milk, fruit and a biscuit here at my house but I notice that the play centre doesn't sell fruit. It sells cakes, crisps,sweets etc. So I'm going to be taking my own as If I bought a cake and drink for all as well as a coffee for myself its going to cost nearly £10. I'll have to sneak it out my bag like a real rule breaker....lol

What does everyone else do in this situation?

[TooEarlyForGin?]

Sneak it in..... Every time, also do the same for the cinema, can't afford £4 for a tiny popcorn. Have to prime the kids before going in though....

[sprinkles]

Take it in! A local minder went to soft play and was told the kids were not allowed to have their packed lunch inside and they had to go outside to eat...in a car park with no benches or anything??? I'm sure she told them where to go (politely of course) and that none of the children would be eating outside! It's ridiculous!

[Bumble Beez]

I always take my own...don't hide the fact either.
My excuse is that the children aren't all mine and I'm only allowed to give what the parents provide...works everytime :thumbsup:
I always treat myself to a coffee or a hot chocolate with cream and a flake tho! Mmmm....

[FussyElmo]

I would buy the stuff that was sold there. Unless it was baby food.

Bear in mind this is my personal view but I always think if I expect the children I look after to accept and keep to the rules. I should do the same. So if a place says only food and drink from the centre then I buy it from there :)

[Bumble Beez]

I would buy the stuff that was sold there. Unless it was baby food.

Bear in mind this is my personal view but I always think if I expect the children I look after to accept and keep to the rules. I should do the same. So if a place says only food and drink from the centre then I buy it from there :)

Oh Fussy...you are good :littleangel:
I do see your point tho!

[SJ35]

I tend to but some stuff there. But if it was fruit or something they don't sell then I take my own.
X

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I know the feeling. I always take their juice bottles filled with water - how can they object to that? I buy a jug of squash for the older ones and coffee for me. The fruit and biscuits are in my bag

It will be so busy they won't notice :)

[FussyElmo]

Oh Fussy...you are good :littleangel:
I do see your point tho!

I think my dd pointed it out to me several years ago. After taking drinks into a play area she said mummy that notice says we cant and yet you tell us we have to follow the rules. Made me think about things differently :)

[munch149]

Just take it in. Have never tried to hide it and noone has ever said anything. There too busy most of the time anyway and I always buy something for myself so they are still getting my business. Sometimes i buy for the kids depends how many i have. doesnt cost too much and as mine are all tiny two would share one meal and not get through it all. Also same with the cinema. They wanted 2.20 for a bottle of oasis from me the other day. Ridiculous. Everyone I know has sneaked something in to these places at one time or another. If your worried, take snacks that they sell or if you take fruit argue that if they want you to buy it there then need healthier options. They would never question milk or water especially if young

[FloraDora]

I would not have a snack at all- if they are busy they don't need to eat mid way. If It was necessary to eat then I would definately buy there. We have to be good role models and follow all rules.

[ziggy]

I have always taken little tubs of chopped fruit for my mindees. Squash is supplied free on toddler sessions but if it wasnt i would just take my own

[bunyip]

My first thought it that I'm very surprised to hear of a soft play centre that doesn't try to sell fruit.:confused: They're missing a trick there. Is there not another one nearby that does cater to the obsessive yummy-mummy types?

TBH I'm no great fan of soft-plays and only go when either my CM group arranges a party/trip or if really :yawning: bored/going out of my tiny mind :jump for joy: cos all the regular toddler groups are closed and it's lagging it down outside.

But when I do go, I kinda feel responsible for playing fair by the centre and by the children. I don't go smuggling in food. I follow the centre's rules and policies because I expect my mindees and clients to follow my rules and policies.

Actually, most the ones I've used have been quite flexible and understanding (when asked for their permission) about my mindees having our own milk/water/fruit juice (some parents just don't want them to have sugary/saccharine-y squash) or our own food for one child with potentially severe allergies (for which instance the question, "do you know what to do if my child stops breathing?" tends to have a remarkable effect.)

My real gripe about soft-play centres and leaves me with sphincter-clenching fear is all the scalding-hot tea/coffee/chocolate drinks perched on small tables whilst the littlies charge around. Our community/church toddler groups have far more regard for child safety and have a seperate area for parents to put hot drinks safely, despite being run by 'amateurs'. I'm terrified that I'll see a lo scalded and scarred for life by all the hot drinks casually left around the soft-play seating areas by mums, dads, CMs, nannies, etc. :panic:

I tend to take a view on these things, and it's a case of "swings and roundabouts" I know I do exceptionally well out of the toddler groups when they're open: £1 gets us all in for unlimited play, drinks, snacks and a Crimbo party too. So I don't mind offsetting this when the occasional soft-play visit turns out expensive. I suppose if I were really tight, I'd "pre-load" them before we went in, but I'd far rather maintain a little dignity, not to mention integrity. :o

[line6]

I have to say I'm a goodie too. If I know what the centre expects in advance then how can I moan when I go in? So I make a decision as to whether I can afford it before I go and include snacks and drinks as part of the overall cost. Yes it is very very annoying that these places are overpriced but its my choice to go there.

I have taken baby cups before and filled up at home but is always buy a coffee or something for myself.

I think the main problem (aside from allergies of course) is the nonsense these places charge for their food and drinks. That's what makes my blood boil.

[charlottenash]

Our softplay has that rule, so one day I didn't take lunch, went to buy the kids packed lunches and all they had was ham sandwiches. I had a child who cannot eat pork and they refused to make another sandwich, therefore we always take our own, and if asked I say I have a child with a nut allergy and one who can't eat anything made in the same room as pork, so can they offer me anything with that? They run away at an instant lol!!

[singingcactus]

We always buy. I go over lunch time, or over tea time. For me the pay off is that the preparation and mess and pots are not my responsibility.

[JCrakers]

Thanks everyone. In the end it cost me £11.50 to get in as I didn't realise but it was £4.75 for 1st child, then £1 for further 2 children but then full price for a 4th child. I don't go a lot and if I do, I usually only have 3 mindees so didn't realise the 4th one would be a lot.

I don't go a lot because I don't like asking parents to pay when they've already paid me so we probably go every 3-4 months.

In the end I took bananas and a bisc each and I bought a jug of juice which cost £2 so it worked out quite well. Last time I went I didn't realise that they sold jugs and ended up buying 3 fruitshoots which were £1.20 each.

Kids all had a good time and I got out the house so it was a good morning :D