You know you’re a parent when you get excited about trying out a new soft play! There’s been lots of excited chatter about the new soft play recently opened at Millets Farm and with an active 14 month old who wants to climb EVERYTHING, I was really excited about taking him somewhere new.
Housed in a brand new purpose built building with it’s own parking outside, at Millets Farm, is Sprouts. I visited on a Monday at 11am during term time imagining that it would be pretty quiet but it was already buzzing with happy toddlers.
I was welcomed by a really friendly receptionist who gave me a quick run down of useful information, which was a great start. I’m not sure about you but my experience of many soft play places I’ve visited is that the staff are bored and just getting through the day. It could be all that noise and mayhem that sends them into a stupor but everyone was very welcoming at Sprouts.
Once inside, my little one was struggling from my arms to go and play. The soft play building is large and lofty to house the large four tier play frame. It had a very different feel to the the converted industrial buildings that often house these crazy fun times. There was lots of light, the ceiling is painted a bright sky blue and the lights are surrounded by puffy clouds.
The bank of free lockers (£1 coin needed but it’s returned) meant I could lock away my purse and key and be hands free.
I usually include a highlight in my reviews but we loved the whole place. Sprouts soft play at Millets Farm is full of all the favourites, ball pit, huge big slides and multi levels to clamber around. It’s also shiny new, fresh and clean and no bits of dirty fluff to quickly remove from little fingers that pick up and eat anything they find! There’s also a good range for different ages.
There’s lots of extras too that set Sprouts soft play at Millets Farm apart from other soft play centres in the area. A highlight for my little one was the two areas which had flashing lights and a ‘piano’ which played as he crawled up and down the keys. This seemed to be popular with the toddlers too.
If your kids like imaginative play then Sprouts soft play at Millets Farm is great. There are lots of sections made all of soft play shapes set up as a tractor shed, butchers shop, cafe and even a post office with soft play letters to pop in the letterbox.
If it all gets a little overwhelming, you can tuck yourself away in the story corner and read a book.
If you wondering how much this will all set you back. It’s not going to be a cheap day out if you have lots of kids. However, it is a bit cheaper than Snakes & Ladders in Abingdon and has all the novelty factor of somewhere new to visit.
Food & Refreshments at Millets Farm Soft Play
I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been a fan of the coffee or the food you get a most soft play centres. The food and drink here was a Mummy highlight. Proper coffee, a lovely range of cakes and great choices for breakfast or lunch. I enjoyed an Emmental & chorizo panini and my little one wolfed down his mac & cheese.
**Edit Update …. Sprouts has proved to be very popular since it opened. They have been trialling different session times so do visit their website in advance and I’d recommend booking in advance. Currently there are 2 time sessions for OFF PEAK days (Monday – Friday during term time) 9.15am – 1.15pm & 1.30pm – 5.30pm.
3 time sessions on PEAK days (weekends, school holidays and bank holidays) 9.15am – 11.30am / 12 – 2.30pm / 3pm – 5.30pm.
Their brand new pre-booking system is now live so you can pre-book general admission into the play barn to guarantee you and your group entrance for a specific time session.**
