The arrival of autumn means plenty of rainy days ahead, and after a year of being stuck inside with Covid-19, no one wants to feel cooped up indoors when the weather takes a turn for the worst.
After closing their doors for more than a year, soft play centres and sensory cafes reopened in May this year, and have been filled with the sound of excited squealing ever since.
Many venues report being fully-booked weeks before opening, with parents desperate to get back to some normality, and let their kids blow off some steam. They have also proved a popular spot with new mums and dads, who were forced to miss out on many 'normal' new parenting experiences due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Go here for the latest in parenting news and updates
Remember that most soft play centres and sensory cafes require pre-booking, and will have their individual social distancing guidelines in place, so make sure to check with a venue first before making a visit.
Clart About Sensory Cafe Ltd
Number one industrial estate, Unit 33F, Consett DH8 6SZ
A not-for-profit organisation, Clart About's sessions all follow the Early Years Foundation stage so that children are learning through play.
The cafe boasts a wide range of props, stories, books and toys to capture children's imagination.
There's a dark sensory room with light-up spaghetti lights, LED fish lamps, soft play zone and a interactive floor panel where little ones can pop balloons, play whack-a-mole and explore a sunflower farm.
The cafe has things to entertain children of all ages, including those with additional needs and disabilities.
See here.
@ The Castle, St Hilda’s Church
Stella Road, Blaydon on Tyne, NE21 4NN, 0191 413 2311
@ The Castle offers play facilities for children aged 0-12 years.
From its baby and toddler area to its castle themed three storey play frame they have something to suit every child’s adventure.
See here.
The Splat Centre
Unit 1 at 305 Whitley Road, Whitley Bay, NE26 2HU, 0191 4479194
The Splat Centre goes above and beyond with its three level play frame, where children can biff bags or crawl net bridges and tunnels. Keep your eye out for the secret slide which lets you travel between floors.
Sessions will feature sensory play, messy play, themed role play, songs and arts and crafts.
Parents and carers can watch little ones play on the first floor viewing area.
There is dedicated toddler area and sensory corner for under 1s which is full of play mats and toys to keep them busy.
The centre also has an arts and crafts party room, a studio and a coffee lounge.
See here.
The Owl Tree Children's Cafe
Kingston Park Rd, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 2HY
The Owl Tree Cafe is a not-for-profile community space which offers a different theme each week, with a variety of toys and activities, for a new and exciting experience at every visit.
Upcoming themes include: Old MacDonald’s farm, down to the woods, harvest and autumn colour, The Gruffalo, nocturnal animals and a Halloween special Room on the Broom! week.
Sessions are between 1.15 minutes to 1.30 minutes.
The cafe is suitable for children ages 0-5.
They also have a ‘café corner’ with a play kitchen and mini cafe area.
See here
Fuzzy Eds at the Sandcastle
Ryhope Road, Sunderland, SR2 7RE, 0191 514 5586
Fuzzy Eds offers indoor adventure play centre with plenty of slides, a multi level play frame and a soft obstacle court.
There is also a dedicated safe play zone for smaller children which has plenty of sensory stimulation to help with social and motor development.
The centre is open for children aged 6 months to 10 years.
See here.
Treasure Island
Coopies Way, Coopies Lane, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 6JN, 01670 513413
Kids are bound to love this exciting pirate themed play centre which even has its very own gigantic pirate ship.
The centre boasts a climbing frame, balloon arch, large wave slide, party room and a on-site café for parents.
See here.
Round The Twist
North Tyne Industrial Estate, Whitley Road, Benton, NE12 9SZ, 0191 215 0055
Billed as home to the largest indoor soft play centre in the North East, this has purpose-built facilities include a massive multi-level play frame with high level rope bridges and a drop slide, a huge car track; a baby and toddler frame which offers safe, fun and stimulating play for its younger visitors.
See here.
Captain Ted’s
West Avenue Old Church Hall, Gosforth, Newcastle, NE3 4ES, 0191 213 5813
Captain Ted’s is a pirate themed soft play with two separate areas of play for children and for toddlers and babies too. The centre also has its own playgroup and holds free craft activities, story time and singing sessions.
See here.
Banana Beach Indoor Adventure Play
Unit 20A North Seaton Industrial Estate, Ashington, NE63 0YB, 01670 819600
Banana Beach is an indoor tropical themed play centre ideal for children under 7, but welcomes them up to 10.
Take a dive into the jumping pillow floor, or swim with the giant inflatable shark.
For babies and toddlers there's a designated play zone which has mini climbs, soft construction blocks and a ball pit.
KiKis Kabin
34 Albion Road, North Shields, NE30 2RQ, 0191 296 4944
An large, award winning indoor soft play centre, Kiki's Kabin has a three tier play frame, shooting cannons, a car track, large ball bouncy and a bouncy castle.
It also recently added a toddler village to its site, which has different sections to it including a soft play zoo, police station and café.
A baby soft play section is equipped with soft climbing logs, slides and a starry hide-away making it ideal for little adventurers.
The venue is open to children aged 0 to 12 years.
See here.
Wacky Warehouse - Story Book
Boldon Leisure Park, Abingdon Way, Boldon, NE35 9PB, 0191 536 9408
This Story Book pub offers multiple levels of excitement for older kids including biff bash rollers, ball pits and slides.
Under 3s have their own colourful soft play section with plenty of building bricks, small slides, mini ball pit and lots of padded crawling space for them to roam free.
See here.
Louisa Lagoon Adventure Play
The Louisa Centre, Front Street, Stanley, DH9 0TE, 01207 218 877
Louisa Lagoon Adventure Play is a giant four-level play frame jam packed slippery slides, dizzy discs, rope climbs, climbing walls and splat pads for children aged 5 and over.
For little ones, there is a separate soft play area which has two levels and features bright coloured tunnels, a small slide and a baby ball pool.
See here.
