soft play centres - do you or don't you

[yummyripples]

I take my little uns about once a fortnight to a soft play session. In my mind it gives them opportunity to develop their physical skills, independent play & social skills. The fact that I get a free brew (although often cold by the time I drink it) is a total bonus.
A childminder said to me that she doesn't like soft play as its just the kids running around and she prefers to do things with the children.
Why do people always feel they have to criticise what you do just because they don't.
Another one said that she wouldn't because it would cost her double the amount because she has more kids whereas my argument to that is that she is earning more.
Rant over

[kellib]

I take my mindees to soft play, they love it, we usually go in the mornings as our local one does toddler sessions for only £1.50, bargain! The LO's love meeting up with their friends there and come up with some great games!

Sometimes we venture further and go to other, more expensive, centres as a treat and mainly because I get bored going to the same one all the time!

[ja-lula-belli]

I take my little ones to play centres and soft play. They love it.
I think it does them a great load of good! The cost isn't really that expensive and is a fraction of an hours cost so it doesn't bother me. I take them once a week maybe or once every two depending on weather and themed holidays. I tend to stay away in the holidays purely as it's so busy.

Ja-Lula-Bell*****minding

[Chatterbox Childcare]

We go once a week during the winter months and then if it is windy/drizzly or nice we use parkland with open spaces/lakes
I get to observe so much, especially PSED, PD and most of all laughter

Kids love it all and it gives me a change to climb and be a child again!

[blue bear]

We have a small one in the room where we have toddlers, they open it for. Short while at the end of each session,the children love it. We have a bigger one in the next village and even bigger ones 10 miles (three differnt places)
I prefer the smaller two as I can see the children the whole time, I put odd socks on the children so I can easily spot which ones are mine.
Children need to learn to play by themselves, interact with other children and how to act appropriately around other adults, soft play ticks all those boxes. I tend to let them free play until they start fighting then I join in and bring more direction to their play.

[cathtee]

I take mine most weeks, I meet other minders there and the children develope friendships with the other mindees, they have a great time builds confidence in climbing etc, I also think it's good for the children to play without toys

[yummyripples]

I'm glad that people agree that it's not about leaving the kids to their own devices.
I think I am slowly learning to stay away from some childminders and do my own thing

[smurfette]

I think it's great for them though I do have one mum who isn't happy about me taking her lo as she is convinced they pick up bugs there !

[Maza]

I don't go with mindees because we don't have one close enough to me and I don't drive. It's like anything though, if you go with the attitude of 'it's great for me' rather than 'it's great for the kids' then it doesn't matter what activity you are doing! When I go with DD sometimes we have a great time and sometimes we have an awful time. It totally depends on how attentive the other parents are and how rude/polite the other kids are. You just never know until you get there.

[samb]

I very rarely go purely because ours are quite big and I often have 3 little ones one of which is a biter and another who doesn't walk so I feel I wouldn't be able to look after them all properly there and I would get too stressed out! It's also very expensive- around £5 a child depending on age. Plus you pay for the adult too- because of this I charge the parents for these trips so don't feel I can do it very often. We used to have a large hall with soft play shapes etc which I wish hadn't changed but it has - shame as I could see the children more easily etc.

[tulip0803]

The children love it but I rarely go as my nearest one is 14 miles away and with midday and school pickups there just isn't time. We tend to go in the holidays as a treat.

If you ever visited mine I am the only adult that is not sitting at a table and has all the children in the place coming to talk to me - I have had several ask to come home with me (complete strangers)! One of my new starters is a mum from the village who happened to be in there one day and has commented on the fact that not only was I not sitting at a table she could see me constantly looking and counting heads. She is a parent that is willing to wait for me to have days free to have her child more. (There was another (now ex) minder from the village who was sitting at the table chatting with friends and never once got up!)

[Goatgirl]

I definitely do!
I aim for one session a week/fortnight but if weather is too lovely I just can't always bring myself to go there .
The children LOVE it and ask me every day if we can go to our local one. It used to be pretty hard work when they were younger, having to round everyone up for toilet trips etc and have to sit one baby on the floor in the loos whilst changing another when not all are walking, one may be wanting to sleep in a buggy that wont fit through the toilet door etc, so got my son (registered assistant ) to come with me to help, back then.

It's great now that they are all walking though, much easier regarding the practical stuff and although I go in and throw them around a bit, am on hand to remind them it might hurt to have a ball thrown in your face at point blank range, they are all very happy and confident to run around doing their own thing while I sit back and observe, shouting across at me the odd 'look at me!' or 'I need help please'.
I tend to go when I think it will be pretty quiet, so there is less trouble with other children behaving badly (and their ignorant parents) and to make it easier for me to see them all whilst sitting apart with a coffee. They play very well together and independently and run back and forth to the table for drinks/hugs as needed.

I am perfectly happy to admit that I do sometimes even go when I am stressed out or out of activity ideas, as its a guaranteed fabulous time for mindees, and (usually) a hot drink and a sit down for me.

Its not so relaxed in holiday times but as I am term time only it makes little difference to me. On TD days, I usually take everyone to soft play if they have behaved well all morning and through lunch time. On those occasions it is busier, so not necessarily involving the relaxed sit down or hot drink, but still great fun for the children, so a pleasant experience nonetheless.

[LauraS]

We go about once a fortnight or so. It might just be 'running about' but there is also a lot of honing gross motor skills, physical exercise, judging and managing risk, sharing and turn taking and managing friendships, imaginative play etc etc... Oh, and enjoyment. That little thing that we end up squashing by insisting on too much structure.

[munch149]

I take mine most weeks too normally on a Friday. One child I only have on a Friday so I did ok it with mum and make sure I find times to fit in other activities. Mum was fine with it cos she said she never takes lo herself: I think it is great and they love it. Develop so many physical skills, confidence, socialise with friends and often make new ones, problem solve with difficult equipment. My daughter and lo are 22 months and 26 months the other day at soft play my daughter couldn't get over one of the bumps. Lo grabbed her hands and helped to pull her over. What amazing teamwork, friendship and social skills were observed there. They always stick together and I have never seen children so young play so well together.

[Angela234]

I have started going to one about once a month been 3 times its small and suitable for under 5s we can see them at all times a couple of my lo used to cling to me now they run of to play confidently In the summer time we to a farm park which has a soft play as well as outside play areas and closer to home,

[smurfette]

I take mine most weeks too normally on a Friday. One child I only have on a Friday so I did ok it with mum and make sure I find times to fit in other activities. Mum was fine with it cos she said she never takes lo herself: I think it is great and they love it. Develop so many physical skills, confidence, socialise with friends and often make new ones, problem solve with difficult equipment. My daughter and lo are 22 months and 26 months the other day at soft play my daughter couldn't get over one of the bumps. Lo grabbed her hands and helped to pull her over. What amazing teamwork, friendship and social skills were observed there. They always stick together and I have never seen children so young play so well together.

That's really amazing!

[Mummits]

We have several quite close. One of them is really tall, but I thought it would be good to take my three year old as I watch him play from the seating area at the front whilst feeding the baby. Little wotsit climbed all the way up to the top, lay down and went to sleep! I had to climb, squeeze and wriggle all the way up and then carry him most of the way back down as he was too tired to bring himself down!

[rickysmiths]

No I would not touch the places personally. They are dirty, smelly and I can't rely on getting to the children if they get into trouble and how on earth do you really keep an eye on more than one child? Too many parents there who are too busy talking and not watching what their monsters are doing. They are also sooo expensive. There are some things that I leave to the parents to do with their children!

[yummyripples]

No I would not touch the places personally. They are dirty, smelly and I can't rely on getting to the children if they get into trouble and how on earth do you really keep an eye on more than one child? Too many parents there who are too busy talking and not watching what their monsters are doing. They are also sooo expensive. There are some things that I leave to the parents to do with their children!

Do you think that you haven't found the right one? Ours is £2 per child and childminders get a free brew. The children also can have 2 biscuits and a drink each.
Mine is exceptionally clean and the toys are sterilised regularly (there is an under 4's area with toys and a ball pit).
It is well designed so that I am able to see where the children are at all times and going with another minder or meeting up with others there means that I always have help if needed. It's also very rarely too busy - you can choose to quieter times to visit.
I understand what you mean about leaving things for the parents to do but my parents pick me because I do things with the children that they would like to themselves but can't because they are working. I personally wouldn't take an under 3 to soft play at weekends simply because it's too busy

[kellib]

No I would not touch the places personally. They are dirty, smelly and I can't rely on getting to the children if they get into trouble and how on earth do you really keep an eye on more than one child? Too many parents there who are too busy talking and not watching what their monsters are doing. They are also sooo expensive. There are some things that I leave to the parents to do with their children!

Not all of them are like that, all of the ones I attend are regularly cleaned around the children playing and are all easily accessible for adults too should they need to get in there quickly.

I'm not one of these people who shadow children around soft play centres, it does them good to explore on their own but then I know that I can trust my mindees to behave. I do always keep an eye on them and know exactly where they are, they just don't know that lol.