The 33 Best Soft Play Centres
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If you wake up at the weekend to drizzling rain and super energetic kids, soft play centres can be a saving grace. Let your children bounce off the walls without fear of bruises to them (or the house!)
at these amazing soft play areas, offering the perfect indoor-day-out for your little ones. With our handy guide to the best kids' play centres in London, you'll be sure to find some soft play fun near you!
South London
Under 1 Roof's Soft Play & Palace Gardens
Under 1 Roof were not wrong describing themselves as 'a kid's urban oasis'. Situated between Woolwich and Plumstead, Under 1 Roof aim to encourage imaginative play and help children learn through physical play and socialisation.
As well as their soft play section, they have also recently upgraded their Palace Gardens play area which has been specifically designed for under 5s in an amazing palace-themed space. They'll be climbing, jumping, sliding and making new friends as they go!
London's National Maritime Museum
The Maritime Museum's AHOY! Children's Gallery brings to life a whole sea of maritime themes in their immersive play gallery. Afterwards take a stroll in the gorgeous Greenwich Park and find their awesome sand pit and 'secret garden'!
Big Little Fun
Based in Greenwich, Big Little Fun offer a diverse play centre for children aged 6 months-5 years. With their unique indoor soft play cafe, parents can enjoy a coffee whilst kids play and learn in this wonderful educational space designed just for them!
Including an indoor playground, role play area, arts and puzzles area, selfie booth, sing-a-long classes, story time and much more, you'll be sure to find something to best suit your child!
Rascals
Part of Better leisure centre's Play network, Rascals gives children the freedom to play safely and get imaginative with other children their own age in a specialty built play area full of fun. Their huge ball pit, thrilling slides and daring rope bridge provide the best day out for your kids that also gets them learning through physical play.
As part of the amazing Waterfront leisure centre, why not head for a swim after in some of South London's best slides and wave pools!
Discovery Planet
Discovery Planet is home to two levels of ball pits, climbing, tunnels, slides and their super exciting swing balls. Mondays are particularly quiet if you want all the space for your kids to run free!
The Bee's Knees
Let the little ones' imagination run wild in Battersea Arts Centre's curiously creative indoor play area like no other!
Wacky Warehouse
Head to one of London's wackiest indoor play centres full of fun-filled climbing frames, slides and quirky crafts. They also have locations all over the country!
North London
The Postal Museum
The wonderful Postal Museum has its own soft play area and mail train to ride that you can access for just a fiver. All aboard!
Hullabaloo Soft Play - The Sheriff Centre
With three levels of indoor play for tailored for children from 2 – 10 years old, Hullabaloo is one of the most age-inclusive soft plays.
Choose either their junior side or adjoining baby and toddler play area and let the children go wild wriggling through play frames, racing on the rainbow slide or spying on their parents through the secret hideout!
Clowntown
With a renowned cafe and great birthday party ideas, Clowntown is one of the largest soft play areas in North London that has been entertaining families since 1994. Offering separate areas for both children and toddlers, Clowntown aim to provide a fun, safe and inclusive environment for everyone to enjoy!
Kidz Adventure Playzone
This play centre is one for your modern day cool kids, specifically engineered to 'excite and entertain 21st century children'.
N20 Kids
This swanky indoor play centre in North London lets kids from kids from 3 months to 11 years old to climb, swing and jump to their heart's content to some seriously cool playlists. Take note though - N20 don't accept cards so hit up an ATM before you visit!
Little Dinosaurs
Escape to North London's Alexandra Palace for their all-year-round family playground and explore a partly-wooded play area like no other.
West London
The Garden at The Science Museum
We're all familiar with The Science Museum's wonderful interactive exhibitions, but head to 'The Garden' play area in the basement to discover a whole new world of sensory delight tailored specifically to 3-6 years old.
Play Base
Play Base at the National Army Museum is an immersive experience for children aged 8 or under to explore being a soldier for the day! If your kids love army role play, this indoor play centre with its assault course, cookhouse, army trucks, kit-stores and play camp-building stations will let them shine wherever their interests lie.
Gambado Chelsea
Describing themselves as 'the UK's ultimate play and party centre', Gambado Chelsea offer much more than just soft play with dodgems, carousels, arcade games and a great cafe as well as play frames and toddler play areas.
With tonnes of combo offers, SEN soft play sessions and sister locations in Watford and Beckenham, Gambado is one of the most inclusive play areas in London.
Bramley's Big Adventure
Visit one of London's most central indoor play centres that has been entertaining families since 1996. Bramley's Big Adventure is a wonderfully inclusive playground with soft play areas for under 5s and three levels of frames and fun for older ones.
The Pod
Based at the YMCA Hawker, The Pod is the perfect soft play centre for family fun in Kingston.
East London
Squish Space at the Barbican
This central London indoor playground is a multisensory dream for under 5s and a total hidden gem in the wonderful Barbican centre!
Mudlarks at the Museum of London Docklands
One of our favourites, the Museum of London Docklands, features one of the most education soft play areas that incorporates the museum's stories in a hands-on environment tailored just to kids. Mudlarks offers a wonderfully stimulating environment that supports your little ones' learning and development in the best way - through play!
Check out the rest of the museum's great events whilst your there.
ZAPspace
For an indoor soft play centre with a twist, head to ZAPspace Trampoline Park in Stratford. With an eclectic mix of freestyle jump trampolining, unique soft play areas, indoor foam pits and drop slides, you certainly won't be bored at one of London's edgiest soft play areas.
Kidspace
The award-winning Kidspace offers some of the most impressive indoor soft play areas in the capital with huge play frames, daring slides and thrilling climbing wall challenges. Whether you're North or South of the river, head to your nearest location in either Romford or Croydon and take your kids for a day of ultimate indoor excitement!
Cookie's Island
Cookie's Island Soft Play Centre in Beckton offers two indoor play areas tailored to different ages as well as a mini football pitch and basketball court to get the children active.
Discover Children's Story Centre
As well as their wonderfully imaginative story trail, this Startford centre is also home to an interactive and immersive play area that is not to be missed!
Kidzmania
Kidzmania is Hackney's ultimate play centre that has been providing family fun to generations. Their unique indoor bouncy castle makes this a play area not to be missed, but it does get particularly busy on weekends!
Some more soft play centres we just couldn't leave out...
KidZania
Okay, it's not exactly soft play, but we just love KidZania's indoor children's city! Based in Shepherd's Bush.
The Play Spot
Finsbury Park. Open 10am-7pm daily.
Sindbads Soft Play Centre
Wimbledon. Open 9am-6pm Mon-Sat, 9:30am-3pm Sundays.
ABC Studio
Forest Hill. Open 9:30am-4pmForest Hill weekdays only (closes 1pm Wednesdays).
Jungle Monkeyz
Pinner. Open 9am-6pm weekdays, 11am-6pm weekends.
Peckham Levels play area
Peckham. Open daily 10am-11pm. It's more 'hard play' than soft but is seriously cool.
Tate Modern play area
Bankside. Find the Tate's small play room on the ground floor as you head towards the loos. Open 10am-6pm daily.
Cloud Twelve (members)
Members-only playzone in Notting Hill. Open 9am-7pm daily (closes 6pm Sundays).
For more indoor playgrounds, playgroups and seasonal fun in London head to kidadl.com...
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Bachelor of Arts specializing in English Language and Literature
Laura SavageBachelor of Arts specializing in English Language and Literature
Growing up in the bustling city of London, Laura has always had a passion for exploring everything it has to offer. From trips to the theater and Science Museum to leisurely strolls in the park, she loves immersing herself in the culture and diversity of the city. Laura's love of travel, writing, and art exhibitions has taken her around the world in search of inspiration. She also enjoys discovering the latest food and drink hotspots in London. With a degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Birmingham and a Masters's degree in Publishing from the London College of Communication, University of the Arts, London. In her spare time, she also likes to flex her creative muscles by designing eye-catching graphics for Kidadl's social media platforms.
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