The Benefits of Indoor Soft Play

Indoor soft play is great for kids to let off steam. It’s a fun way to get exercise & helps them develop their social skills.

It also stimulates their senses (vestibular & proprioception) as they explore the different textures of equipment. This makes it a great option for children with sensory processing disorders.

Sense of Security

Children need to experience dangerous play as part of their learning but indoor playgrounds offer a much safer alternative. Soft play equipment is cushioned and reduces the risk of injury from falling, bumping or getting indoor soft play scratched. It also provides a safe space for socialization and encourages creative interactions.

Many kids’ centres include soft play and these types of activities are incredibly popular with both children and parents. This is because it allows children to engage in physical activity without feeling like they are being ‘taught’ or forced into it. It is a great way to break down barriers and get more children to engage in healthy, physical activity which is beneficial for both their mental and physical health.

In a soft play sensory room, there is the opportunity for kids to create their own stories. It is a great environment to help nurture their creativity with prompts such as a fort, playhouse or brightly visible tunnels. Children will be able to interact positively with each other in this environment which helps them feel more confident.

This confidence can be transferred into their everyday lives as they will start to believe that they can do things that they wouldn’t normally be able to. This can boost their self-esteem as they are able to explore on their own and make their own choices, rather than just doing what others tell them to do.

Creativity

Children who play creatively develop logical thinking, problem-solving skills and an imaginative mind. They also have far-reaching insight into the world around them and become accustomed to adapting to their environment as they play. Creativity isn’t just about playing with toys, but it is also about drawing pictures, making up stories and games and engaging in other activities that encourage children to be creative. For example, crafts and story time require imagination and board games can involve a lot of critical thinking.

Soft play is a wonderful way to foster creativity as it provides children with an environment where they can explore and interact with new things. They can use their imaginations while they play in a safe space, and the equipment often has different textures, smells and colours that provide a sensory experience for them to enjoy.

Soft play equipment also encourages movement as youngsters can step, climb, crawl and leap without fear of injury. This helps develop their gross motor skills and it can also enhance their motor planning as they figure out how to move their bodies in a specific way. They can also use their fine motor skills by playing with soft toys such as the window colour sorting activity or a simple ball game. This also encourages language development as they learn to describe what they are doing and how it feels.

Social Skills

Kids can work together in a soft play centre, which naturally promotes communication and teamwork. These skills are important for children to develop so they can learn how to interact with other people and understand how to deal with different emotions that may arise during play. In addition, playing with other children helps children build their social network and establish friendships.

Moreover, kids can learn to navigate obstacles with the use of soft play equipment. This will improve their gross motor development, as they will have to balance and co-ordinate their movements in order to navigate the mazes, stepping stones and rollers. Similarly, soft play allows children to practise their fine motor skills by crawling around on the cushions and rope ladders or jumping up and down on the trampolines.

In addition, children can explore the soft play environment with minimal parental supervision (though this depends on the child’s age and any additional needs). This sense of independence is crucial indoor soft play for a kid’s confidence, which will help them develop into more mature individuals in later life.

So, why not visit one of the many soft play centres across the UK with your kids? It’s a great way to keep them active and stimulated all year round, no matter the weather! And parents can sit back and relax in the on-site cafe while the kids have fun.

Motor Skills

Play is fundamental to emotional development, providing a space for children to let off steam and explore their imagination. This allows them to develop their creative side and also encourages them to play with others, building friendship groups and developing social skills. Indoor soft play allows this to happen all year round and is a perfect way for children to burn energy without being hindered by the weather.

The physical activity that is involved with playing within a soft play centre promotes motor skills in both children and adults. The equipment within the centre can be climbed, jumped on, swung from and run around on, promoting both upper body strength and core muscles. It’s also a good place to work on gross motor skills, such as stepping, climbing and crawling, which is often difficult to practise at home due to safety concerns.

Moreover, the sensory experiences that children encounter during their time in a soft play centre can help them develop fine motor skills, such as putting blocks together. This can help with their hand-eye coordination as well as helping them to recognise cause and effect, which is a developmental skill that typically begins at 18 months, reaching a more competent ability by 36 months.

In addition, the open spaces and lighting of a soft play centre can promote cognitive development. This includes reasoning and problem-solving, which can be encouraged through the use of obstacle structures that encourage children to think about how they might get from one point to another, or how they might solve a particular challenge.