Updated October 2023
As Little Man has got bigger, we now really LOVE a softplay! I used to stand there and wonder what all the fuss was about when he was even just a bit younger- it’s finally kicked in what they’re good for! And have I been getting a work out in them too! We’ve found some gems of best London soft play ideas over the last few months for you to consider. And hopefully additionally helpful in winter months! All of the below have cafes of course, and all will have baby change facilities. So here goes, 10 of our best softplays in London.
Please refer to the website for prices, as these may change all the time!
1) Little Dinosaurs (Muswell Hill, North London) Visited 2022.
Open 7 days a week, this is a really lovely play area which has got a great soft play area and huge garden enclosure. There are lots of toys outdoors, including a bouncy castle in the summer, and lots of seating for mums and dads. Surrounded by Alexandra Palace too, so you’ve got so much nearby you could also combine with. The price is really reasonable, they had a great and more sophisticated food menu when we went, it was really clean, and Little Man and I had a great time. Price: £5.50 per child only, for a whopping 2 hour session of play. Session times start 4 x a day.
Web: https://www.alexandrapalace.com/things-to-do/little-dinosaurs/
2) Hullabaloo at The Sheriff Centre (Finchley Road, North West London). Visited 2022.
So Little Man and I attended this when he was a baby, therefore in the under 2 section only at that time, which is lovely, but much smaller of course. The softplay area for the older kids looked huge, and of course, we loved the fact it’s setting is in a Church, with a post office and cafe . Softplay London never looked so innovative! Open 6 days a week, with generally 1 hour play sessions starting on the hour every hour! £4.50 for up to 23 months, or £6.50 for up to 10 years. They advise you can also book for 2 hour slots, and pay double, if you’d like more time for tea and cake! (and play, I’m assuming).
Web: Soft play booking – The Sherriff Centre
3)Play Park at Better Waltham Forest (Walthamstow, North East London) Visited end of 2022.
The soft play was huge, for up to 12 year olds, but I took Little Man all over it and wow, was it a work out for me too! The trampoline section is fun, and so is the soft foam area! These guy are open 7 days a week, for 1 hour sessions, and it’s £9.00 for adult and child combined. I thought this was well worth it considering what you get to play in. If we are considering awards for best softplays in London, this is probably the best that Little man and I have been to. Because it simply offered so much. You will need your own trampoline socks for this one, which you can buy there.
4) Soft play at Better Clissold Leisure Centre (Stoke Newington, East London). Visited February 2023.
This one takes place in a sports hall, with a class running behind a curtain alongside it! We went last year and loved it, and wanted to return to check out their recent upgrade. It has 2 new bouncy castle style parts to try, as well as the ball pit and numerous soft toy furnishings. We stayed for almost 2 hours, had a marvellous time, and paid just £6.10 for the 2 of us, per hour.
Web: https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/london/hackney/clissold-leisure-centre
5) KidsMania, (Hackney, East London) Visited 2022.
Once under threat of closure, Kidsmania is still alive and kicking, reportedly in a different part of the same building, until redevelopments get underway. We found it rustic in style, definitely not a modern soft play, but clean and with everything a child needs. Rustic but relaxed, but everything you need softplay London style! These guys are open 7 days a week, and there aren’t any set session start times (unlike all of the above) which is a definite advantage if you have a poo explosion, are running late, stuck on bus etc!! Prices range between £3-6.00 depending upon age, and adults are free of charge. Sessions are for 1.5 hours.
Web: http://www.kidzmania.co.uk
6) Kids Adventure Zone (Wood Green, North London) Visited end of 2022.
A little bit like with KidsMania, this is a “golden oldie”, rustic, but still super. We arrived early on our typical Wednesday outings, were greeted by lovely staff, found the place very clean, and with lots of fun elements to the giant softplay. Open 7 days a week, it has a huge seating area too which is helpful. The admission prices range from £2.50-6.95 depending upon age, £1.50 per adult and we were allowed 1.5 hours of play with our booking. Loved it! They were also playing 90’s classics from Madonna when I went- I was very very happy about that!
Web: http://www.kidz-adventure-zone.com/
7) Clowntown, (Finchley, North London) Visited 2023
Clowntown is huge! It’s been on our to-go list for ages, and we weren’t disappointed. We went on our usual Wednesday slot, and for a 1 hr 45 min session paid just £9.50 for the two of us, which I thought was really good. There is a huge area for younger kids under 3, a smaller section for babies, and then a large softplay area with lots of slides and climbing elements for over 4’s. I have been told it can be mayhem here at weekends! This is the mecca of best London soft plays- if you’ve yet to visit, add it to your list!
Web: https://www.clowntown.co.uk/
8) Ding Dong Fun Bus (White Hart Lane, North East London). Visited January 2023.
Ding Dong Fun bus, is a small, family run softplay, and we had the BEST time here!! It features an area on the quirky green double decker bus, which comprises solely of seating areas for eating and party space (but the drivers seat is a cool edition for little ones to practice their driving skills on!) and a small but lovely soft play area, and a little area for babies. People rave about the pizzas here too and the cafe looked pretty busy! We thought it was pretty neat to be honest, a top contender of our best softplay in London ideas. It was cheap too, £6 for 2 hours, and you should check if there’s any private parties going on, but otherwise you can pay on arrival (just check their timed play slots in advance).
Web: http://dingdongfunbus.com/
9) Wacky Warehouse (Colliers Wood, SW London). Visited February 2023.
We had a really nice time here for the 1.5 hour play session- though it was the busiest of any of the soft plays that we’ve mentioned here- not sure if that’s standard for it, but it was a little overwhelming when we went! It’s a great size for older kids, has a couple of fab slides that LM enjoyed, and has a smaller baby/under 5s area too.
Web: https://www.wackywarehouse.co.uk/kiss-me-hardy
10. Jolly Jumpers, Hornsey YMCA (visited May 2023)
This one was a really nice surprise! It’s mostly gymnastic equipment, plenty of soft furnishings and things to jump on, but I was expecting more of a typical softplay (totally my mistake) and thought LM wouldn’t enjoy it. I was wrong! He had a GREAT time here. There was just 1 other child present, so he had full realm to run and jump to his hearts content. It was fab, and I would really recommend it.
Web: Timetable – YMCA London City and North (ymcalondoncan.org)
Where would you add to the best softplays in London list? Keep checking back for more as we go!