Where to find the ‘secret’ soft plays in all the UK airports to make travelling with kids a breeze
WAITING for a flight can be a boring process – especially if you’re a child.
But did you know there are loads of “secret” soft play areas in UK airports that can keep your little ones entertained during that time?
One mum took to TikTok to share a video after being left stunned when she discovered such an area in Terminal Three at London’s Heathrow Airport.
She found it when she spotted a sign saying “Kids’ area”, as she jetted from there for her first family holiday.
“I don’t know what I was expecting but it wasn’t this,” she laughed in a video on her TikTok page.
“Like, I pay good money to go to places like this!
“This is such a sick way to kill time whilst you wait for your flight.”
She showed off the area, which they had “to ourselves”, in the TikTok video, before turning the camera to show the sensory room too.
The room was full of bean bags and various lights, as well as a sensory board that lit up and a projector.
There was also a baby changing room, as well as a nursing room – all themed with the Mr Men and Little Miss designs.
“So if you haven’t been here and you’re flying from Heathrow Terminal 3, look out for the kids area and kill some time before the flight!”
Heathrow’s Mr Adventure Stay & Play area is open from 6am to 9pm every day.
“The things we discover when we have kids,” one person commented on the video.
“I saw a little one at Gatwick – this one looks nicer though.”
“Literally – it’s a portal into a new life I swear,” the mum replied.
“Gatwick too? That’s good. They all seem to be hit and miss judging by the comments.”
“Omg game changer, thank you,” another added.
As a third wrote: “No way!! So I struggled for years for no reason?!
“Thank you for the hook up!”
How to make travelling with kids a breeze
IT can be stressful travelling with kids, but there are a few things you can do to make it easier. Here's five we'd recommend:
Snacks
It might sound simple, but it’s a good idea to pack a LOT of snacks. Think of how much you might need, and double it. After all, it doesn’t matter if you have too much – your kids can eat it another time – but it will be a big issue if you run out. There are also snack boxes with lots of little dividers that are great for long journeys as kids can pick at those throughout.
Entertainment
This covers a whole range of things – from a tablet to watch films or play games if you’ve got older kids, to books and colouring. It’s advisable to pack a variety of options, especially if you’re on a long journey or have various legs on your haul.
Toys
If you’ve got a baby or a toddler, there are some sensory-type toys you can buy that can really help keep little ones entertained. These include ones that you stick on the windows of a plane, or on a tray on a highchair, that they can spin and play with to their hearts’ content.
Equipment
There are a whole host of things on the market that aim to make sleeping on a plane loads easier. These include a hammock that you can attack to your tray which hangs down to put your feet on. You can also get blow up cushions to turn a seat into a bed for littles, and neck cushions that boast you will be able to use for a decent night’s sleep wherever you are.
Yourselves!
Don’t underestimate how entertaining you are to your kids. Learn some games you can play with them, and songs you can sing, as kids always love the opportunity to have one-on-one time with their parents.
“This is great I will definitely take my nephew,” someone else said.
And it’s not just Terminal 3 that has a play area – every terminal does.
While Heathrow isn’t the only UK airport with a children’s entertainment area.
Gatwick has a small kids’ zone near Boots in the North Terminal, while there’s a larger soft play near the shops upstairs in the South Terminal.
If you’re flying from Birmingham, keep kids up to the age of 13 entertained in the interactive Sky Zone play area – which you can find at Gate 55.
East Midlands and Leeds Bradford airports both have unsupervised soft play areas,
Newcastle Airport caters more for older children with their Namco Games area, complete with air hockey and grabber games.
And Manchester’s recently launched Little Flyers Club has a kids area packed with resources and activities to keep little ones entertained.
Edinburgh has two soft play areas, near gates 2 and 21, while Glasgow has an unsupervised soft play area for ages two to 6 near gate 27.