I can’t abide an ugly soft play centre, but if it’s tastefully appointed with a muted colour palette, clean lines and the odd kitschy add-on I’ll gladly climb aboard.
Play Area
I’ve started to wonder how many other play cafes we’re missing out on because we haven’t happened to stumble across them on our way to something else.
Little Penguin opened back in January, in what was inarguably the worst moment to open a play cafe in the history of play cafes.
It’s a castle but, I’ll be honest, we were only really here for the playground, which is also a castle.
Hobbledown describes itself as an “adventure farm park”, but I feel like that almost downplays its brilliance.
Actually the kids loved it, because why wouldn’t they? No one had tried to sell it to them as a brasserie and member-centric family wellness spa.
Raising tiny Londoners wouldn’t be half as hilarious without all the family-friendly hangouts, independent kids’ shops and tailored-to-tots activities that we’ve all missed like crazy over these last few miserable months.
Big, bleak, beautiful and very zen, as long as you ignore the whinings of your bored three and a half year old who isn’t putting up with anymore of this “walking in nature” bullshit.
Reached the end of our first family-friendly London list? Here’s another bunch of ideas for those days when boredom levels are high and inspiration is low.
Head to the Netherlands’ second-largest city for pancake cruises, giant dolls’ houses, inhabitable art installations and maritime fun.
bablands.com 