What Are The Benefits of Soft Play

In recent years, the soft play market has continued to grow proving how much of a popular choice it is for children. With the bright colours and choice of activities, it’s easy to see visually why kids love these play spaces. However, the benefits go deeper than simply offering an engaging area to burn off some steam in.

In this article, we will share what the key benefits are of selecting soft play for children and how choosing the right equipment can benefit their physical, emotional and mental wellbeing.

What Is Soft Play?

Soft play is an activity designed for children which involves interacting with a selection of padded items. It involves both freestanding products and installed frames to provide a variety of physical and cognitive tools that children of all ages can play with. The spaces are filled with soft items which allow children to develop new skills without risk. The goal of soft play is to encourage physical activity, social interaction, and imaginative play in a secure, supervised environment.

The areas are intended to provide a safe environment for children to play in, with parents being able to sit and watch from afar. You can learn more by reading our blog about what soft play is.

How Is Soft Play Beneficial?

Soft play is one of the main indoor activities for children for many reasons. There are a wide selection of accompanying benefits which mean that the playtime is more than just about having fun. The benefits of soft play are as follows:

• Development of social and communication skills- Soft play settings also encourage children to interact with their peers. Anything from sharing equipment to joining in with a game is enough to improve both verbal and unspoken social skills. Social development is important for many reasons, including establishing relationships, feeling confident, understanding boundaries and getting children ready for upcoming education
• Cognitive development and stimulation – Applicable to all children but especially younger ones, interacting with the wide selection of soft play toys is a great way to expose little ones to new but safe environments. This forces them to adapt using critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Additionally, the selection of shapes, colours, textures, and different sizes of items improves cognitive development by strengthening eyesight and improving understanding. Finally, children are encouraged to get creative, which means their imagination can also develop during soft play. Another aspect of cognitive development is sensory stimulation. Soft play spaces are a wash with bright colours, various textures, and playful sounds. This considered selection ensures that the child’s senses are being engaged. Although helpful for all children, this can be particularly beneficial for those with sensory processing needs.

• A safe way to develop and improve physical strength – Building muscle mass is an important aspect of development for young children. However, pushing themselves too far can result in injury so choosing the right activities is vital.

Soft play is perfect for little ones as spaces are intended to be safe thanks to child-friendly materials, durable finishes and recommended installation configurations. Depending on what equipment has been selected, children will need to navigate around soft play areas using a variety of methods including walking, climbing, jumping, crawling and sliding.

Another element of physical development is learning motor skills. The activities required in soft play supports these perfectly by encouraging interaction. From balance to hand-eye coordination, the physical skills promoted during this pass time offer a proven way for little ones to stay healthy.

• Safe spaces for children to let loose and learn new skills – As the name would suggest, every aspect of soft play is designed with safety and enjoyment in mind. This offers children protected areas where they can let off steam as well as learn new skills with minimal risk. There is also a wide selection of equipment options that ensure any space can be turned into a safe and inviting place to play. Furthermore, as soft play locations are created with children in mind, safety can also be looked at in terms of mental comfort. Soft play offers the perfect conditions for testing out a range of skills, which can then be used in other settings when a child feels confident.
• Suitable for a variety of ages and preferences – Another benefit is that thanks to the wide selection of equipment available, soft play spaces can be designed with growing children in mind. Not only does this help families as it’s likely that growing siblings can enjoy one space, but it also contributes to social development as children are able to interact with peers of varying ages.

This is also a benefit for business owners as it offers a way to turn indoor areas into accessible spaces for little ones.

• The perfect enrichment activity – The mix of all of the mentioned benefits in this article equates to a brilliant way for children to spend their time. Whether parents are looking for a source of entertainment on a rainy day or as a way to fill the time, soft play is a great all-rounder. The balanced enrichment also helps children get a solid night’s sleep, which is a benefit for everyone!

What to Look for When Choosing a Good Soft Play Space

Whether you’re reading this article as an interested parent or a business owner, knowing what a quality soft play space should consist of is relevant for anyone.

Choice of Equipment

A soft play area should have a wide selection of equipment to cater to preferences, ages, and skill levels. This can include anything from Box Sets to Play Structures. If the choice of equipment has been considered, a wider audience can be targeted, which means more customers are coming through the door. This is also important for parents as it ensures their little ones will have a large group of children with which to interact.

Suitability for Different Ages

The specified age of soft play equipment also needs to be considered as each piece of equipment will have undergone safety testing. We stock everything from Nursery Equipment, ideal for younger children, to Dual Level Equipment, which older kids love.

Safety Considerations

A trusted soft play space should also demonstrate its focus on safety. Whether this is signs outlining the recommended age of use or extra padded equipment for those with special needs, there is always an option available to make spaces safe.

Where Can Soft Play Spaces Be Found?

Another benefit of soft play is that it is easy to install and suitable for bespoke requests, meaning it is easy to fit in a wide choice of areas.

This includes Nurseries, Mobile Play Centres, Shopping Centres, Airports and even at home! It’s often the element of convenience that appeals to parents with soft play spaces, so they are increasingly becoming expected within a selection of indoor spaces. In short, any area that has an indoor space is the perfect location for a soft play set up!

What Products Are Available From Softplay Solutions?

The benefits listed in this article are accessible to anyone when the right choice of soft play equipment is chosen. This includes products intended for younger children, Agility Accessories, Ball Pits and even Budget Sets. Soft play also covers larger equipment such as Multi-Level Structures.

As well as providing a selection of ready-to-order pieces, we also offer bespoke design and manufacture services. This is ideal for someone looking to kit out a soft play area which has some unique requirements. Also a great option for soft play refurbishment needs, it means that budgets can still be maintained when sourcing top-quality equipment.

At SoftPlay Solutions, we also understand that it can be costly to set up a soft play centre, so we offer a selection of price points plus finance payment options. To learn more about this or any of our equipment options, contact our team.