Stuck for ideas on what to do with the kids on a rainy day? Going to a soft play centre can be a great outing – the kids can run off lots of energy and parents can get the chance to grab a cuppa too! Here’s our roundup of some of the best soft play centres in Oxfordshire – click on the links to read an individual review. If you scroll on down, I’ve also popped in some great alternatives including trampoline parks and indoor climbing centres.
Check out the best soft plays in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire too.
Oxfordshire Soft Play Centres
Sprouts Play Barn at Millets (Frilford)
Sprouts Soft Play Barn based at Millets Farm is one of the most popular indoor soft play centres in Oxfordshire and winner of Best Indoor Play in the Red Kite Days Awards 2022. It’s got all the favourite activities plus lots of extras and a great bonus for grown ups is the decent coffee and delicious food. They get busy, so best to book your session online in advance.
Rugrats and Halfpints (Banbury)
Rugrats & Halfpints in Banbury has the largest of the dedicated baby & toddler areas I’ve been too with lots of sensory activities as well as a fantastic soft play frame for bigger kids and trampolines too.
Snakes and Ladders (Abingdon)
Snakes and Ladders is a mega soft play centre in Abingdon. There is a huge three-level climbing structure to explore as well as a separate area for Under 5s with slides and soft shapes.
Yarton Magic Garden (Yarnton, close to Kidlington)
Yarnton Magic Garden open in the summer of 2019 and quickly became a local favourite. It’s light bright and a little different with it’s nature theme. Best suited to younger children, they were a finalist in the 2022 Red Kite Days Awards.
Whizz Kidz (Thame)
Whizz Kidz in Thame is a medium sized soft play centre with a multi-story play frame and a bouncy castle.
Charlbury Garden Centre (Ramsden)
Hilltop Garden Store / Charlbury Garden Centre soft play barn in Ramsden is a lovely spot for younger kids. It’s relatively small but covers two levels and there’s always lots of parking.
Bicester Avenue Garden Centre Soft Play (Bicester)
Bicester Avenue soft play at the the Blue Diamond Garden Centre officially known as Eat & Play. It’s a small to mid sized soft play ideal for younger kids Check out the review
Carterton Leisure Centre Soft Play
Carterton Leisure Centre Soft Play & Trampoline Park opened in Dec 2019 with all the favourites including a 4-lane slide, apple orchard ball pit, rope bridge, glow room and skyglide track. There’s also a special area, for younger ones which is a decent size rather than the little square that’s usually set aside.
Pipsqueak’s Play Barn (Bicester) CLOSED
The new kid on the block, Pipsqueak opened in Sep ’23 and is great for younger kids up to around 5 years old. There’s a good sized baby area and then a 3 tier soft play to stretch the climbers. It’s not massive but that means you can relax in the cafe and still see your child.
Currently closed for building maitenance – no update since March.
Sparkle Softplay Cafe (Didcot)
Sparkle Soft Play Cafe has been especially designed for younger kids and a welcome addition to The Orchard Centre in Didcot. With a small soft play frame and imaginative role play area.
Hocus Pocus Play (near Fairford)
Close to the Oxfordshire boarder, near Fairford is the lovely Hocus Pocus Play and the Magic Beans Cafe. It’s quite unique, with a mixture of soft play, sensory experiences and imaginative play.
Fosseway Play Barn
Tucked just over the border in Moreton in Marsh, Fosseway Play Barn is bright, spacious and colourful.
Indoor Soft Play at Other Attractions
If you’re looking for soft play within another attraction to make a whole day out, here are some great options:
Hogshaw Farm & Wildlife Park in has a mid sized soft play with baby, under 5 and over 5 sections in one of the barns.
Roves Farm has dark tunnels over several levels for something a bit different! Bring a torch or buy a glow stick from reception to make your way around. There is also a soft play area for the little ones, ball pits, indoor sandpit and ride on tractors.
Indoor Play Centre Fun
Clip ‘n Climb family climbing centre in Bicester is a great alternative to soft play. The indoor climbing centre has been designed with a passion to offer an experience that the whole family can enjoy from toddlers to silver foxes.
The Light (Banbury)
With a cinema, indoor climbing wall, mini golf, bowling, snooker, karaoke, arcade games and restaurants, The Light entertainment attraction in Banbury is great for families.
Carterton Leisure Centre trampoline park
Carterton Trampoline Park is next to the soft play, it’s not open all the time so do check their website for when sessions are running. There are a number of wall to wall individual trampolines, a great way to burn off some energy.
Jump Inc Trampoline Park (Bicester)
Jump Inc Trampoline Park (formerly known as Rebound Revolution) in Bicester is packed with trampolines also includes a large inflatables area.
Gravitee Golf (Oxford)
Gravitee Golf has two different crazy golf courses, both with an out of this world theme but also also very different to each other. A great indoor activity on a rainy day especially if you have children of tweens or teens.
Ridgeway Adventures (South Oxfordshire)
Ridgeway Adventures offer an exciting mix of axe throwing, archery, archery tag, air soft shooting and a super cool laser maze. Depending on the activity the minimum age is either 8 or 10 years and upwards, it’s also great fun for adults too and feels a little like you’ve entered a top secret spy training centre.
