A stunning UK county renowned for its scenic walking routes and charming villages has been identified as having the cleanest soft play centre in the country. Soft play centres, featuring cushioned equipment, ball pits, mats, slides, and climbing frames, are not only excellent for entertaining young children but also support their development by enhancing social skills, coordination, and physical movement while stimulating imagination and creativity in a safe environment.
Unsurprisingly, soft play is a popular choice for parents and their little ones. However, parents are not only concerned about the suitability of the play area but also its hygiene. Outdoor play specialists at Outdoor Toys have analysed Tripadvisor reviews to uncover the cleanest soft play centres across 20 popular UK counties, and one stood out above the rest: Somerset.
Somerset's Clean Soft Play Centres
According to the analysis, fewer than 4 in 100 reviews mentioned hygiene issues at Somerset's soft plays. Unsanitary reviews accounted for just 3.9% of all feedback on TripAdvisor. Parents praised the 'clean and airy' environment at Space Adventurers Indoor Play in Taunton. Other highly rated centres in Somerset include Play Haven SoftPlay, Ocean Adventurers Soft Play, and Safari Tots.
Picturesque Villages and Scenic Walks
But it's not just the children's play centres that make Somerset worth a visit. The county is brimming with picture-perfect villages and landscapes, set against rolling hills, patchwork fields, dramatic gorges, coastal shores, and ancient woodlands. Famous for hosting the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, the area offers ample walking opportunities, including to the summit of Glastonbury Tor.
Dunster is considered one of the prettiest villages in Somerset, with preserved medieval architecture, over 200 listed buildings, and the 17th-century Yarn Market, nestled within Exmoor National Park. Selworthy boasts thatched cottages, All Saints Church, and scenic routes to Selworthy Beacon, offering panoramic coastal views. Allerford features whitewashed thatched cottages and a 15th-century packhorse bridge, while Mells is often dubbed one of the UK's prettiest villages thanks to its 'chocolate-box' charm with honey-coloured houses and walks along the Wadbury Valley and Mells River.
Top 10 Cleanest Soft Play Regions
- Somerset – 908 reviews, 35 unsanitary (3.9%)
- South Yorkshire – 1,040 reviews, 57 unsanitary (5.5%)
- Lancashire – 1,106 reviews, 65 unsanitary (5.9%)
- Greater Manchester – 1,344 reviews, 87 unsanitary (6.5%)
- Nottinghamshire – 401 reviews, 33 unsanitary (8.2%)
- Essex – 1,019 reviews, 87 unsanitary (8.5%)
- Hampshire – 1,020 reviews, 96 unsanitary (9.4%)
- Lincolnshire – 564 reviews, 55 unsanitary (9.8%)
- North Yorkshire – 457 reviews, 50 unsanitary (10.9%)
- West Midlands – 447 reviews, 49 unsanitary (11.0%)
Benefits of Soft Play
Kim May, Creative Arts Therapist at ISP Fostering, highlighted the benefits of soft play for young children. She stated: 'Spending time in play centres helps children embrace play and imagination stages of development, beneficial for socialisation and physical and cognitive skills. For infants, development is about harnessing imagination and mobility, often learned through sensory experiences. Soft play can positively contribute to this, especially for children under four who rely on sensory memory.'
Combine a trip to the cleanest soft play centre with exploring Somerset's stunning vistas, and during warmer months, enjoy a day at the seaside along its coast.
