I have a confession. I always say to you ‘make sure you check opening times before you travel’ because it may be some time since we’ve visited somewhere and these kind of things can always change. And yet I failed to do so back in January when I went to take my youngest son – currently aged two – to Thrift Farm in Whaddon, Milton Keynes. It was closed and so not wanting to waste the journey all the way down the A421 we decided to look for somewhere else to go. I’d hear there was a soft play / cafe in Buckingham called PK Kids Zone – which was about 15 minutes from where we were, so we headed there. Watch our video below to see what it’s like and then scroll down for more information.

What is PK Kids Zone and where is it?

PK Kids Zone is a soft play and cafe in Buckingham. It has a soft play frame for older toddlers and young children (aged 2 – 8 years old) as well as separate areas for young toddlers and small babies. It serves food and drink and there’s a reasonable amount of seating. The address is Riverside works, Bridge Street, Buckingham, MK18 1EL.

PK Kids Zone in Buckingham

What happened when we visited PK Kids Zone?

We went on a Monday in term-time in the winter and as you might expect it was relatively quiet. I imagine it gets much busier at the weekend or in the holidays. My 2 year old enjoyed playing on the frame – it’s a good size for younger children and gives them a good amount of space to explore – and yet it’s not so big that I lost him. He also liked spending time in the smaller area and in the ball pit. After having a play we had some food. When we visited they did an earlybird deal which was £7.50 for him and included a meal (so the food was only £2). It’s not really the kind of place you’d take a picnic into as it’s a cafe as well so if you’re looking for a cheaper day out then eat before you go. We went on our own, but I’d say you’d have more fun if you went with friends as you’d enjoy having a coffee and catch-up – you could easily spend a couple of hours there. I think its biggest selling point – unlike some of the larger soft plays in Milton Keynes – is that it caters for children up to the age of 8 – which means you don’t have the worry of much older children running around and it has smaller areas for little ones. That said, although you could sit down for a coffee, you’ll probably find you’ll still getting up as younger ones may want to move between the areas.

PK Kids Zone in Buckingham
PK Kids Zone in Buckingham

What would we improve about PK Kids Zone and would we go back?

I think it’s a bit less ‘polished’ than some of the places we’ve visited in terms of the decor on the walls. There’s a couple of additions to the room with the big frame which seemed a bit random – like coin operated machines- I wonder if more could be made of the area – but that really made no difference to my son’s overall enjoyment of it. We had a good time although I’d like to see if we enjoyed it as much if I also took my 4 year old and returned on a weekend when it may be busier. It’s about 35 minutes from where we live. Would we return? Yes if friends wanted to go as I think it’s a good meeting place. It’s quite far just to take my children for a play on their own – I think Milton Keynes would benefit from having something of a similar size that’s also aimed at children aged 8 and under.

 

PK Kids Zone in Buckingham

How much does it cost to go to PK Kids Zone and when is it open?

We visited in January 2018 so do check these prices before you travel. Adults were free, under 12 months were £1.50, 1-4 years were £5.50 and over 5s are £6.50. We loved the fact that adults were free and at a cost of £13 for the two eldest children, it makes it a more competitive option to the bigger soft plays – you will have to take into account petrol costs if you’re travelling from MK though. They also have their own car park – it’s round to the side of the building although you don’t necessarily see it from the road. Definitely check up to date details on their website for opening times – or ring ahead if in doubt. But to give you an idea when we visited they were open 9.30am – 3.30pm Monday to Friday (later in the holidays), Saturday 9.30am – 6pm and 10am – 5pm on a Sunday.

PK Kids Zone in Buckingham

Where else can we go that’s similar to PK Kids Zone?

It’s ages since we visited, but there is also a soft play cafe in Shefford in Bedfordshire called The Hive – it’s only the one frame plus a smaller area for 0-2 year olds – but it’s also aimed at younger children and offers a slightly cheaper alternative to the bigger soft plays where you might lose the kids. If you have children up to the age of 5 and are looking for somewhere more local to Milton Keynes, then Arabian gym is fab – it’s a charity and runs baby and toddler classes – the gym is big enough for the children to have a good run around, but not too big so that you lose them.

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.

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