As a self-confessed soft-play warehouse avoider, I was so pleased to discover that there IS an alternative!
Play gyms offer a fantastic opportunity for little ones to use up their energy, and (if you’re like me) for parents and carers to swerve the endurance of traditional soft play.
Lynx Gym in Aylesbury is our local gymnastics centre. They have been a feature of the community since 1986, running gymnastics classes for young children. Some of their gymnasts have even made it to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics!
They came on to our radar with their under 5 sessions for babies, crawlers and walkers. These are bookable on their website and run at several times throughout the week, including an 8:30 Sunday morning session – perfect for early risers.
The Gym has parking right outside, and a lobby area with lockers to leave shoes, coats and pushchairs. There are also toilets and showers.
On entering the gym the first thing you’ll notice is the sprung floor. Of course, this is necessary for the gymnasts, but also makes an ideal surface to keep toddlers and crawlers safe as they explore. Secondly, the whole Gym is open to see. If you’re juggling more than one child, this is great, as since having my second I’ve really appreciated a space where you can let one run off and play safely while you’re stuck feeding or watching a smaller one.
There’s a brilliant variety of equipment that the owners set up in different ways each session, creating balance beam and soft mattress obstacle courses. There are hoops, stepping stones, soft play shapes, slides and a bouncy castle set up on the main floor space as you enter. They’ve also added a baby area with toys and an open playpen in front of the mirrors, which is ideal to keep smaller siblings busy. My 18 month old enjoyed a break from running up and down to play with the toy cars!
Towards the back of the gym there is the gymnastic equipment to use, such as foam pits and trampolines. All the visitors love spending ages running up and down the long floor trampoline – I think they’d be happy with just a room full of this to be honest! There is also a baby swing suspended from the ceiling – my smallest loves a turn at this.
The sessions last for 2 hours, and towards the hour and a half mark staff do a short singing session with props, such as music instruments and a parachute, for those who are interested.
We joined in with singing and then decided to head up to the cafe. From here there is a viewing gallery where you can see the gym – ideal to watch from if you’re taking children to a class rather than play session. They have a good selection of hot and cold food, and for those who’ve enjoyed the play session there’s an offer of a lunchbox for £2 – sandwich, drink, cheese/yoghurt, fruit and crisps included. They also offer seasonal variations, such as hot chocolate and mince pies.
For someone who’s really not keen on soft play, I love taking the kids here. Particularly at the moment, it feels like a nice spacious environment where it’s easy to distance bit still let them be free and enjoy themselves running around. We’ll be there more and more as the colder weather sets in!
If you’re after a traditional soft play, check out the best soft plays in Buckinghamshire.
