I do not often bring the kids to indoor playgrounds so when the folks from Playful Elves invited us for a look-see, both J and Little E were really excited about it!
Funtimes all around – remember to bring your socks!
First impressions of the play area were very favourable – it is bright, incredibly clean and smells fresh. I cannot tell you how many times I have brought the kids to an indoor playground, only to find that it was dingy and odourous (not to mention, odious). The folk at Playful Elves assure me that the whole place is cleaned thoroughly every day, and in order to maintain a high standard of hygiene, each child has their temperature taken before entering the play area. All visitors to the playground will also have to clean their hands with alcohol and leave their shoes in cubbyholes at the desk.
The playscape is divided into five main areas which includes a ride-on car racetrack (toddlers will love this) and inflatable bouncy castle (a hit with the bigger kids), and there are plenty of little nooks with activities for the very teeny tots as well. The main attraction is of course a split-level treehouse-jungle-gym which has soft foam balls which you can collect in little baskets and use as ammunition for air cannons! J and Little E LOVED that!
Bound, bound, bound and rebound
There’s also a little cafe for parents to sit and relax or for hungry tots to grab a tasty snack or a drink. Food is prepared on-site and the cakes and crepes looked really good (but I didn’t try any of them myself). I particularly like the fact that there is a CCTV system which provides clear views of the play area so that you can keep an eye on the kids from the comfort of the cafe, without having to crawl around after them.
The staff working at Playful Elves are both watchful and accommodating. I mentioned to them my concerns about some electrical points and wires that could be easily accessed by unsupervised children (I’m super-fussy about health and safety) – and by my second visit, all these electrical points had been child-proofed and they were already devising a scheme to safely lock up the wires for the bouncy castle! They also helped me to mind Little E for a short while when I had to pop off to powder my nose, even though it is not their usual policy to provide child-minding for under 3s.
Big Brother Is Watching You (Whilst Sipping a Latte)
The thing that sets the Playful Elves apart from other indoor playgrounds is that there are special activities going on almost everyday.
During both our visits to the playground, J and Little E got to meet their favourite characters who came to play games with them inside the play area and in the separate party room (which can be booked for private birthday parties).
J and Little E meet Strawberry Shortcake and Batman!
They also had a chance to take part in activities like face-painting and cupcake decorating! There are loads of different events happening over the December holidays too, including a Robotics Workshop, craft sessions where kids can make shrink art accessories, and special Superhero/Princess makeover sessions.
Cupcake Decorating and Face-painting
It costs $20 for 2 hours for non-members – members pay $18 for unlimited playtime – which is quite a reasonable price if you have a preschooler or bigger kid who will be able to enjoy the whole playscape without supervision (Click here for more information on play rates). However, I would consider the price a little on the high side if your child is still a pre-walker or wobbly toddler.
So if it’s a rainy day, and you’re running out of ideas of what to do with your active kids, why not head over to West Coast Plaza for a few hours at Playful Elves? You could even drop them off there and do a little bit of shopping, then round off the whole trip with a meal at Fish Mart Sakuraya.
Playful Elves: West Coast Plaza, #02-02/04, 154 West Coast Road, S(127371)
Opening Hours: 10am-9pm daily
Contact: 61000-353 or administrator@playful-elves.com
Owls Well 