At some point in our parenting journey, it’s almost inevitable that we will experience large ‘soft play’ centres. Whether it’s somewhere that friends suggest to meet up or your child gets invited to a party at one. 

I’m not referring to ‘baby only’ play centres in this piece.  I know there are places with soft play furniture on a really small scale that are very baby friendly and provide an entirely different experience altogether.

Before I became a parent, I hadn’t really noticed soft play centres, they weren’t on my radar.  So, when my child came along, it was almost as if they had suddenly all sprung up from nowhere, like an epidemic!  

Having had numerous conversations with friends about soft play, as well as having my own vast experience of many different soft play venues, I wrote this poem.  It’s in the draft of my next book – the sequel to ‘Baby Daze’ and focused on parenting toddlers. I’m pretty sure that the poem will resonate with most of you.

Soft Play

Shouts and yells

Screams and squeals

Fraught mums

And meal deals.

White noise

Ball pools

Bright colours 

Children’s rules.

This is the land

Of soft play

Where toddlers like

To spend their day.

Where mothers come

To sit and chat

Though really not

Much chance of that.

With every squeal

You turn around

Alert to every

Crying sound.

Is it mine?

You hope it’s not.

Thank goodness

It’s someone else’s tot!

It’s a melting pot

Of nasty germs

Where every parent

Quietly squirms.

Don’t want to know

What you’ve stepped in

It’s on your socks

And soaking in!

When you try

To extract your child

The tantrum’s enough

To drive you wild!

Finally, as 

Your voice gets stern

You vow again

You won’t return.

But the resolution

Soon wears thin

And the pull of soft play

Draws you in!

(Sarah Davis)

Soft play does have its benefits. It’s great for children to run off excess energy on a really rainy day.  I know that when I’ve picked my son up on a Friday after school & it has been rainy playtime all day it’s extremely tempting to take him there to play with his friends before going home.  

On the other hand, it’s a melting pot for germs and the noise can seem intolerable, especially if you’ve had very little sleep.  

I guess my view is if it is dry enough to play at the park then there is no contest – the park wins every time.  

I get the feeling though, that when my son is old enough to be out alone with friends & I’m worrying about his whereabouts, I will probably look back at his soft play days with rose tinted glasses!