Leaps and Bounds Soft Play Review
Leaps and Bounds Soft Play
Leek, Staffordshire
Reviewed by Sarah-Kate Cantlie
A friend and I took our two children and two babies to the Leaps and Bounds soft play centre in Leek. We both have a toddler under 3 and a baby 6 months and younger. The soft play centre is located close to the Police station and there is a car park in which there is plenty of space to park for free whilst using the facility. It is tricky to find if you’ve never been before with the satnav announcing arrival before you’re at the building. Once we were in its quite cosy and the push chairs without sleeping babies need to stay outside the main play area, which wasn’t problematic as it is next to the reception. Also located in the reception is the code for the WiFi, which is useful as I couldn’t get a 3G signal in the building.
The staff were very friendly when we arrived, with your entrance fee for the children you are given a token for a biscuit refreshment and there is unlimited juice and water available for the them whilst they are there. There is a drinks list and menu for those who require it, confectionary not purchased on the premises is politely signed as not permitted, so we had two children’s meals, a sandwich and a filled pitta, which were amongst the array of choices available. The food, which is fairly inexpensive, was hot and tasty when it arrived, which was greatly appreciated by my hungry boy. There are a selection of hot and cold beverages and those that we had appeared quite promptly. I am rather glad my tea wasn’t boiling hot, as the baby chose to tip this over me in an arm wavy moment, so covered in tea, the ladies helped by supplying cloths to mop myself up and were really lovely and replaced the drink free of charge.
We spent quite a long time here, more than an hour and a half, which can be enforced in busy periods and there was plenty to do in this time, even after 3 hours it was difficult to get my son to leave. The soft play itself is not typical, there are different bits and bobs dotted round the place, including a dressing up box and a motorised tricycle that my son fell in love with. There are slides and ball pit as expected, but I would say it was more diverse and also had more for the under 3’s and babies than you would normally find. The benefit of being cosy was of course that I knew where my small people were at all times and that they were enjoying themselves.
There were facilities and baby changing provided, which were functional and clean, I did yearn for a blow dryer after my tea assault, but I soon dried out without one. The regular children and parents there were really lovely and there was one little boy that helped my son get over his fear of slides, it was so lovely to see and I’m ever so grateful.
The centre offers party bookings, which are not over priced, given the work, entertainment and cleaning up involved with a part for toddlers and young children, so this is definitely something worth investigating if you’re looking for a venue.
We had a lovely day at leaps and bounds in Leek and would definitely return or have a party there in the future.
Rating: 4/5
Prices (1.5 hours): Children 1 year + £3.25, Under 1’s £0.95 (free if accompanied by paying sibling).
For more information visit www.leapsandboundsleek.co.uk.
Leaps and Bounds, Cross Street Mill, Cross St, Leek, ST13 6BL | 01538 382 333
