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Jan 03, 2024

I took my toddler to a hidden Exeter play village and it was much better than soft play

Gone are the days of ball pits that smell like wet socks - pretend play villages like Little Exeter in Guildhall Shopping Centre are the future Sign up for our Exeter newsletter and you'll never miss

Gone are the days of ball pits that smell like wet socks - pretend play villages like Little Exeter in Guildhall Shopping Centre are the future

Sign up for our Exeter newsletter and you'll never miss a big story again

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Any parent with a child under the age of ten will probably be familiar with the draws of a soft play. The chance to sit down in peace while your son or daughter throws themselves down a slide repeatedly so that you can drink a coffee while its still hot, becomes just as much as a treat for you as your little one.

There are just a few niggles - sometimes the ball pit smells like wet socks, the coffee isn't all that great and your little daredevil gives you palpitations from launching down the slide head first, or simply refuses to enter until you get on your hands and knees and crawl on in alongside them.

Well what if I were about to tell you that there was a hidden place, tucked away on the top floor of a Devon shopping centre, that serves delicious barista coffee and doesn't stink of your dirty laundry.

Little Exeter, based within the Guildhall Shopping Centre, is a dreamy children's role play village for under 7s that offers so much more than just soft play. The indoor play zone, which opened earlier this year, sees children immerse themselves in role play and discovery within 12 different settings.

The fun includes exploring inside a shop, hairdresser, train station, co-working space, museum, recycling truck, story room and Quay. There's even a hut covered floor-to-ceiling with all the switches, fidget spinners and door handles your little one could ever dream of.

Having been delighted to find it open on a Bank Holiday Monday, I pre-booked our tickets to give my son a chance to blow off some steam after a long car journey from Cornwall, ahead of dragging him around the city for a spot of shopping. It cost us £3 per child and £2 per adult to enter a session lasting from 10am to 12.30pm.

Little Exeter was easy to find and felt safe and clean. The friendly staff are warm and welcoming - explaining everything you need to know. The little touches in this place are what sets it apart though - the offer of a free pin badge to signify to other parents if you are interested in mingling, breast pads for feeding mums (and baby wipes in the toilet for forgetful ones!).

Gentle background music isn't overwhelming and just adds to the warmth of the venue (thankfully no 'Baby Shark' within earshot either). A cafe space with tables and chairs opposite the reception acts as an area for a quick snack from home and drink too.

Playing with a toddler in a setting like this one requires a little more input that your typical soft play or even a park. But to see their faces as they make new discoveries or build their confidence by challenging them to do something new makes it so worth it. Role play is such an important part of childhood development and it's always really interesting to see how little ones react to the personalities of other kids (especially for us as our son is an only child).

My highlights were seeing our little one sat at a desk writing emails to his 'Nana' and the coffee - when I said it was good I meant it. My son wasn't so keen on the museum and dinosaurs, which was pretty surprising as not much generally seems to phase him. But even that experience was a valuable one, making me appreciate how much he's grown in his two years and bizarrely left me feeling proud that he was mature enough to recognise his fear and make choices based upon it.

While I predict there will still be plenty of visits to soft plays in my future as a mum, Little Exeter filled me with a morning of beautiful memories - playing and laughing. I really hope others hold this place up as an example of what a little bit of imagination can do.

While you're here, tell us your favourite thing to do with children in Devon in our poll above or click here to open it.