We only learnt recently that there’s a free soft play at Xscape Milton Keynes. Xscape is that big building in the centre of Milton Keynes which houses snozone and the wind tunnel. The soft play is quite hidden so if you go there for the cinema or out for dinner then you may not have seen it. It’s located opposite the ski slope and is tucked away in the corner. Walk as far around as you can passed all the table and chairs and it’s at the end. Watch my video below so you can see what it’s like, and then scroll down for more info.
The positives? It’s free! Yep, no minimum spend, you can just turn up and the kids can play. Although when we’ve been I tend to have a cheeky cappuccino in the café anyway; they can play as long as they like; and although hidden away it’s in quite a good place to watch people skiing which is quite good fun. The negatives? It’s small, so if a few families are already there then it can get quite busy; it’s only suitable for under 5s, if children are any older then they’ll find it boring; and if like me you have a baby who’s making the transition to being a toddler then although the equipment is fine for him, it’s quite difficult as a adult to follow him around.
Worth visiting? Well it’s great to have somewhere indoors that has a free facility, and if you have children aged 2-5 years old then it’s definitely an option if the weather’s terrible. I suspect if you went first thing in the morning on a weekday then it’s not going to be as busy as it is at the weekend. We wouldn’t necessarily go out of our way to go there specifically to play if we were on our own, but if you’re looking to meet friends for a catch up, or are planning to go out for lunch then it’s worth knowing it’s there. If Xscape is looking to attract more young families it would be great if they could have some kind of permanent bigger facility for small children in the future. If you’re looking for other weather-proof places to take the kids check out either the indoors section or the museums section of my website.
I'm Laura, mum of two boys - aged six and four. I started this website at the end of Sept 2015 whilst on maternity leave. I now work four days a week and do this blog late at night once the little boys are sleeping. It's won several awards over the last four years and I continue to run it for free and mostly focus on free, cheap, and good value days out. Do drop me an email laura@miltonkeyneskids.com if you want to contact me. Don't forget to follow all of our latest adventures on facebook, instagram and twitter and have a look at all of the videos of the places we visit on the Milton Keynes Kids YouTube Channel - subscribe to it for notifications every time I add a new place. And remember... you may been reading this post months after we visited, do check with the destination you're visiting for up to date opening times and prices. If you find this blog useful then please do comment on my posts and leave me a Facebook review - it makes doing this all the more worthwhile.
Hello, I am a mum to a 2 1/2 yr old and a 4 month old. Just discovered your blog and love it! Just to let you know there is now also free soft play in INTU. again not huge but great for breaking up a shopping trip.
Hi Claire – thanks so much for commenting, really appreciate it. So please you find it useful, my boys are 16 months and 3 so hopefully lots of the places we go to will interest you too 🙂 Laura