Our family visit to 360 Play

Read how Natalie Ellison and family enjoyed their first visit to 360 Play since lockdown.

Like most parents, COVID has brought a lot of fear into my life. To the point that I didn’t even go to a shop for 13 weeks, just walks with the family where I knew I could socially distance myself. As time has gone on I’ve found confidence in doing lots more things So, as we try and find a ‘new normal’ it was important for the girls (and my own sanity!) that we found places to go and enjoy together still. 

When I heard 360 was opening but without its usual soft play; like others I questioned how it would be possible? How would it work? What facilities would be open? How would I book? How would I keep my children and I safe whilst still having stress free fun? Today I booked in and wanted to talk you through the process. 

Booking:

Booking was a simple process online. It enabled me to book us in for an allocated time- I selected 3-5pm. I have attached the prices in my pics. I then received my tickets via email. 

Arrival:

I arrived and saw that there were signs informing me of where to stand and their procedures. Someone came and took our temps and sprayed our hands with anti bac. We then went to reception, showed our tickets and each child received their own bag of toys to play with whilst there. Protected screen between the employee and us. 

 

Facilities:

We went on the dodgems, which was sprayed in between users and socially distanced rules applied at all times. We then went upstairs to the street where my girls and nephew loved playing. They enjoyed the variety of toys in their bags and they have several barcodes to scan in stations which gave us quizzes to do and games to play. This really was a perk for us as it gave us lots to talk about and play. My girls particularly loved the vets one about baby animals.

 

Outside we played in the sand, boats and the climbing frame. It was lovely and the kids all really enjoyed it! We ran out of time to go on the carousel as time slipped away nicely, however that looked great too and wiped in between sessions. We really did spend more time on things we wouldn’t usually, which was a really nice experience. 

 

Food and drinks are still available- I enjoyed a lovely mocha. 

Basically, the experience IS different. If you’re expecting a soft play centre like before then you will be disappointed. However if you are expecting a fun place to take your kids for a few hours that is cheap then it’s perfect. The price reflects the fact it’s not all open. 

For me, a nice hot drink with happy children made me smile and I felt super safe and confident at all times. It’s nice to find some ‘normality’ and this afternoon certainly didn’t disappoint. So much so… I’ve booked in for later in the week! 

So I would definitely recommend for anyone considering it. I hope to anyone feeling nervous I’ve helped reassure you, as I totally understand the anxiety surrounding finding our new normal but every time we do something like this I feel a step closer to normal (and a little more sane 😉) 

👏🏻😃

COVID-19 Update – We are re-opening on July 22nd

We are excited to be able to welcome you back at Basildon, Milton Keynes and Rushden Lakes from July 22nd, however, we have made some changes to ensure your day out is as safe at it is fun! You can read more about these changes here.

At this moment in time we are unable to open our soft play frame but everything else, including our outdoor space, is open.

Please remember it is now essential for all guests to pre-book a time slot for your visit, including play pass holders.

We politely request that you refrain from visiting 360 Play should you start displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19. 

The main symptoms of coronavirus are:

  • a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
  • a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
  • a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different toPlease contact our bookings department on 01908 670160 or email bookings@360play.co.uk should you need to amend your booking.

COVID-19 Safety and Cleaning Measures

We are looking forward to welcoming you back very soon and would like you know about the precautions we are putting in place. All the following will apply:

 

Here is a video demonstrating the highly effective cleaning products we use – watch here

We politely request that you refrain from visiting 360 Play should you start displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19. 

The main symptoms of coronavirus are:

  • a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
  • a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
  • a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

Please contact our bookings department on 01908 670160 or email bookings@360play.co.uk should you need to amend your booking.

To support the health and safety of guests and staff during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic 360 Play will be using non-contact thermometers to screen the temperature of each guest and employee before they enter. Guests who do not wish to undergo the temperature screening or who have a raised temperature of [37.8°C or above], along with their household group, will not be permitted entry but will be offered a full refund of the admission price of their ticket. No record of the temperature will be retained and the data will not be used for any other purpose.

Latest News

Dear Customers

On 23 June 2020, the Prime Minister announced further easements of the coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions as part of Step Three of the government’s plan to return life to as near normal as we can.

Unfortunately indoor play areas were not included in this plan and we must by law remain closed.

We continue to monitor this phased reopening and we hope the next phase to include us is not too far away.

Our staff are currently still furloughed but desperate to get back to work and welcome you back to 360 Play.

To keep updated please join our mailing list or find us on Facebook.

We appreciate your ongoing support through this time.

360 Play COVID-19 Update – Sorry 360 is closed for the time being

We are sorry to announce that following the government advice to us all on reducing social interaction and to avoid smaller public spaces, we have taken the difficult decision to close all our 360 Play centres until further notice.

The health and safety of all our staff and guests is our top priority. The decision we have taken today has been made with all of you and your families in mind and to try to help reduce the transmission of the virus. Please be assured our team has been working hard over the last few weeks to do everything within our power to ensure 360 Play was as safe as it could be but in light of the changing advice over the last few days we have had to take the decision to close. All our centres and our head office are now closed and staff members at home with their families helping to do their bit to stop the spread of the corona virus.

Birthday Parties – our sincerest apologies to anyone who has a birthday booked with us, we are so sorry that we have to disappoint any child. We have tried to contact everyone who has a party booked with us until the 10th April and if we have been unable to contact you or if you have a party booked from the 10th April until we reopen, don’t worry we will be in touch as soon as we reopen offering to reschedule your party or refund monies already paid.

Annual Passes – these will be extended by however many days we stay closed.

Direct Debit Passes – we will not be taking payments from members for their passes while we are closed. 

Upcoming events and classes – we will be updating schedules and will keep you posted via our website, emails and social media.

 As a family business we are devastated to announce this decision but everyone’s health and safety must come first. We’d like to thank you for your loyalty and understanding during this uncertain time. We look forward to welcoming you again, hopefully very soon.

 With our very best wishes,

 Duncan Phillips & the 360 Play Team

What we are doing at 360 Play to keep you safe

We appreciate your loyalty and the trust you place in us as a family attraction. Recognising the ongoing and increased uncertainty that coronavirus (COVID-19) is causing around the world, our highest priority is the health and well-being of our guests and employees. With that in mind, we wanted to update you on the actions we have taken in response to the outbreak.

The advice from the health authorities surrounding businesses such as ours has not changed, so our business is operating as normal and standard terms and conditions on bookings continue to apply. In line with general public health guidance, we have implemented enhanced cleaning regimes throughout 360 Play and increased the availability of hand sanitisation products, and we ask all customers to observe good hygiene practices during their visit. For your peace of mind we have taken extra steps in temporarily removing the balls from our ball pits to raise our already high award winning hygiene standards. As balls are more time consuming to clean, dry and sanitise we would not be able to clean them in line with the rest of the equipment. We have left a small amount of balls in Ball Mania which will be removed and cleaned regularly throughout the day. 

The new guidance is that any individual with symptoms of coronavirus, even if they have not been in contact with a confirmed case, is to self isolate for 7 days. This means that any children with a high temperature or persistent cough will be asked to not visit 360 Play for 7 days after the onset of symptoms. If you are having to isolate as an adult, this will also mean you will not be able to come into the centre. A link to the new guidance is;

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-people-with-confirmed-or-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection 

We would ask that you please support us by being responsible and not bringing your child to 360 Play if they are unwell. We do have members of staff, children and parents in the higher risk groups and it is essential for everyone to be responsible for protecting our community.

We ask all our guests to observe high standards of personal hygiene whilst visiting 360 Play. There are simple things you can do to help prevent the spread of the virus, including: 

  • Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze 
  • Putting used tissues in the bin immediately 
  • Washing your hands with soap and hot water regularly, and using hand sanitiser gel 
  • Trying to avoid close contact with people who are unwell 
  • Avoiding touching your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean.
  • Strict food hygiene rules are already in place, but extra vigilance will be taken in our restaurant.

Costume Swap ready for World Book Day at 360 Play Monday 10th February

Ahead of World Book Day on Thursday 5th March we will be hosting a costume swap session at 360 Play on Monday 10th February. Costume swapping is the most fun way to recycle! Children get new-to-them costumes and parents get to save money and do your bit for the planet at the same time.

World Book Day comes just once a year and most costumes will only be worn once … maybe twice if there’s a younger sibling willing to wear it another year. Chances are that your costumes are still in good enough shape to be passed along to another child and so at 360 Play World Book Day just got more parent AND planet friendly.

 Here is how it works! Drop off your clean, gently used costumes to 360 Play between 20th January and 10th February and we’ll give you a ticket to come back to the event on 10th February after 3pm and find a new costume. If you already have a costume sorted but would still like to donate then all costume donations will be gratefully received.

Download a poster to display in your school here

360 Play supporting the Poppy Appeal

This year we are proud to support the Royal British Legion and their Poppy Appeal.

Each year we remember the sacrifices of our armed forces with remembrance services and the wearing of a poppy. From 5th – 8th November you will be able to purchase a Royal British Legion poppy when you visit 360 Play and each adult who donates at least £2 (Cash donations only) to the Poppy Appeal will be given free entry to the centre.

We hope that you will join us in supporting this worthwhile cause.

Discounted entry applies to adult admissions only

Experience 360 Play at our PTA Evening

We’d love to invite PTA members from local schools along on Thursday 14th November to their local centre to meet with the 360 Play Team. We’d love to show you around the centre, grab a coffee on us and talk about how we can work together. If you’d like to come along all you need to do is pop in between 11am – 2pm and a member of the team will be on hand to help.

What can we do to help your PTA? We can supply prizes for fundraising events, all you need to do is send an email to bookings@360play.uk.com telling us when your event is and we’ll send out a prize to you!

We’re on hand to help with fundraising events too. Did you know you can hire 360 Play for exclusive use and sell tickets for people to come along? This is a fun and easy way to raise money for your school.

We also can tailor our packages to provide you with special group rates for visits, either as a school trip or as an end of term treat for the kids. We have something to suit all budgets so feel free to get in touch with our bookings team on 01908 247170 to find out what we can do for you or to find out more about our exclusive Christmas packages for schools.

Do Parents Secretly Love Soft Play?

We’re delighted to share a post on the 360 Blog from parent blogger and mum of two, Laura. Laura writes a family and lifestyle blog, Dear Bear and Beany, sharing her life with her husband and their two daughters. Laura writes about everything from the ordinary moments, to the adventures they go on as a family. She has a love for interiors, and shares the journey of turning their house, into a home. To read more from her visit her website below. 

Do Parents Secretly Love Soft Play?

As you scroll through social media, you will often come across a post from a parent commenting about how they are off to soft play ‘hell’ today and I think we’ve all said that at some point in our life. 

But, do we secretly love soft play? I mean they are always full of parents, so surely we can’t hate them that much. I know on those cold, wet days I’ve been grateful to have somewhere to take the children, that is warm and serves a nice hot coffee.

As much as we would love to have dry, warm days, every day, the reality is we don’t. Often the thought of spending another day cooped up in the house, can make those the hard days of parenting. To have somewhere to go, meet a friend, let your child burn off that excess energy is a god send. 

For many years as a parent you find yourself squeezing through the smallest of places as you follow your toddler around. Wondering what your life has become and seriously panicking that today is the day that you might actually get stuck! 

But, then you see their little faces light up, as they master the slide for the first time or dress up as a firefighter and declare it the best day ever and you think it’s all worth it. 

Then they get a bit bigger and more independent and over time soft play becomes your friend. As you no longer have to follow them around, but can sit and watch them. Giving them a wave, as you chat to your friend about the latest phase your child is going through, begging them for the answer. You even get to finish your coffee whilst it’s hot…..I know, this is a gift! 

What I really love about soft play, no matter what age my child is. They are safe! If you’ve got more than one child, and they are both off in different directions it’s a comfort to know they can’t get out and end up in the car park. Yes, they might wander into the big kids zone, and show you what a dare devil they really are. But they call it ‘soft play’ for a reason, it’s soft. 

You may even find that you love it so much, before you know its lunchtime and thankfully a lot of places now, including 360 Play, serve well balanced meals and pick your own lunches for children. There is no need to have a panic last minute, quick kids its lunchtime time to leave, which is often met with shouts of ‘I don’t want to leave’.

Yes, on a cold rainy day you may find that everyone else has the same idea as you and they are busy. But, soft play is a cheap day out and just think you will be rewarded later with either a brilliant nap from your toddler or a nice early bedtime from your child. There is no better reward!

Do you secretly love soft play? 

Links 

Website https://www.dearbearandbeany.com/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/dearbearandbeany/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/dearbearandbeany/

Twitter https://twitter.com/dearbearandbean