Rugrats & Halfpints soft play centre in Banbury is a great indoor rainy day destination with it’s large play frame for the big kids and super sized area for babies and toddlers.
Rugrats were finalists in the Red Kite Days 2022 awards and it had been such a long time since I had visited so on a cold, wet Sunday we decided to go and explore.
Sensory & Soft Play for Babies & Toddlers
I’m going to start with the toddler and baby area for under 3s as there’s nothing of this size in Oxfordshire elsewhere. If you have a little one, you tend to stick to the dedicated areas so they’re not trampled on and these are often just a small section of a soft play centre. Not at Rugrats & Halfpints!
Spanning almost the length of the soft play centre is a fantastic area. Low level fixed soft play shapes creates passage ways to crawl or toddle along, with mini tunnels to explore too.
There’s a little ball pit which we know our kids love to sit in and throw the balls out of as well as a large busy board for little fingers to discover.
Running along the length of the wall are a series of sensory activities with everything from a wavy mirror and glowing tubes to light walls. The variety is great with plenty to keep younger kids busy for their whole visit.
There’s also a little set of swings which is great on a rainy day if the park isn’t an option.
Rugrats Soft Play
If you’ve got older kids or a mix of ages then they’re all catered for too. For the younger ones who are getting a bit more adventurous but not quite ready for the full sized soft play, there’s a great mid sized area.
Sensory lights, a soft see saw, tunnel and little slide all make this a great area to explore without having the really big kids hurtling through.
Bigger kids have a great multi level soft play frame. Many of the ones I’ve visited over the years tend to be quite dark when you get to the back of them but the lighting is done well here with lots of variety along the way. Venture down netted walkways, swing from a suspended ball on a rope and clamber through the tunnels.
My boys were big fans of the slides. My youngest is 6 and headed straight for the open wavy slide to build up his confidence.
Before long he was venturing down the twisty orange slides. One is slower and the dual slide was super fast and great for racing his brother down.
Extra Fun at Rugrats & Halfpints
There are lots of little extras dotted around Rugrats & Halfpints too. We discovered the trampolines which was a great bonus to bounce off some energy.
While I was enjoying being able to sit down with a coffee, my youngest had some imaginative play in a little playhouse and was fascinated with the light and sand sensory installation.
Eating at Rugrats
Well, I don’t usually include much about food options at a soft play as they’re usually pretty basic and not much to write home about. I was totally blown away by the options and quality at Rugrats so they get a special mention. They’ve got a large menu which caters equally for children and adults. I was tempted by the halloumi flatbread for lunch and it was as good as any cafe I’ve been too.
We ended up staying much longer than I’d anticipated at Rugrats as the boys were having so much fun so I also treated myself to one of their great selection of cakes.
Rugrats & Halfpints is a great all round soft play, perfect for a variety of ages and with lots of extra elements which really makes it standout.
Find reviews of all the best soft plays in Oxfordshire
If you have kids under 5 and looking for great activities, check out the Banbury baby & toddler groups and classes guide.
