Is Soft Play Safe for Kids?

Soft play areas are those that only have soft surfaces and materials within them. They can be made up of slides, balls, toys and other soft playing equipment. Although primarily intended for babies and toddlers, it can also be a great form of entertainment for older children. As they say, there is no age limit to have fun!

Is It Safe?

Some parents can get nervy at the idea of soft play. Even though, as the name suggests, it is an area with only soft surfaces, as parents we sometimes want to be extra careful and not expose our kids to dangerous situations. However, soft play can be a very safe activity for even the youngest of children. There is very little to worry about. When taking the proper precautions, you can be sure that your kids will have a great time.

Here’s why soft play is a safe activity when conducted properly:

Soft play is an indoor activity. The majority of these areas are located inside where your kids will be safe and secure from the bad weather that tends to surround us here in the UK. The equipment will remain dry and you can take comfort in the fact that the temperature inside will be nice and warm!

Supervise Your Children

You may be concerned that your child will be alone, and that you won’t be able to keep an eye on them while they’re playing. This is far from the truth, as soft play centres actually encourage and even enforce rules for parents to stay within the centre. With very little children, sometimes they (understandably) need their parents, so it’s very important to the soft play centre that you are close by. Take comfort in the fact that you can always keep a close eye on your little one, there is nothing to worry about there!

Age-Appropriate Sessions

If you are worried that your child will be surrounded by kids that are much older than them, then this is far from the truth. If you want your child to be around kids that are only of their age, then choose a soft play centre that caters to this requirement (which is most of them!). It is usually the case anyway that soft play centres have sessions broken up for babies, toddlers and older kids. This means that there are no issues here. You can have your kids surrounded by kids of a similar age, and be relaxed that they are learning to play and socialise with kids that are of a similar level to them. Some soft play centres offer sessions for children with sensory issues, developmental disabilities and autism. It’s a very inclusive activity that can be great fun for everyone!

Professional Staff

In terms of supervision, there are teachers and helpers at every soft play centre to ensure all the kids are having fun. This is great for the kids and also means you can have a cup of tea while the kids are being looked after professionally. The staff will be trained in first aid, should your child manage to have an accident, but this is unlikely as the equipment is designed for toddlers.

To sum it up, it’s clear that soft play is a great activity for kids of all ages. It’s the perfect way for them to have fun and socialise with other kids their age. As parents and guardians - we should take precautions by keeping an eye on our kids - but we should also take comfort in the fact that this is a very safe activity and give our kids the go-ahead to take part.

Photo by Aufa Fikry on Unsplash