THE UK’s warm weather might seem like a thing of the past, but the rain doesn’t don’t mean you have to miss out on theme parks and amusement attractions.
And as the weather takes a turn for the worse across the UK the rest of this week and into the weekend, what better way to spend it than heading to one of these spots?
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Babylon Park in Camden is an indoor theme park and even has a rollercoasterCredit: Babylon Park
The UK is home to several, with most catering to the different age groups – even adults – so here are some of the best to check out.
Babylon Park in Camden, London
Theme parks are a lot of fun, but when it is rainy and all the rides are outside it can quickly become less fun.
However in Camden, London, you can head to Babylon Park which is a space-themed indoor amusement park with its own indoor rollercoaster.
Across different levels, there are a number of rides including a drop tower and there is also a soft play area from smaller kids.
There are several retro arcade games too including dance challenge machines and you can have a go at hooking a duck – though it is actually a hybrid unicorn-duck.
For adults, there’s a restaurant and bar to grab a drink in while the kids play.
The attraction is free to enter, but you will need to buy a £1 Babylon Card to pay for the attractions.
You then load credit onto the card via an app or at the attraction’s kiosk.
For reference, £15 will get you around 144 game coins and the attractions cost different amounts of game coins – for example, the rollercoaster costs 48 game coins.
Gravity Max in Liverpool, Cardiff and London
At Gravity Max, kids can get competitive with e-kartingCredit: Gravity MAX
For kids who love adrenaline and competitive fun, take them to Gravity Max either in Liverpool, Cardiff or a couple spots in London.
The parks feature e-karting across huge tracks that leave visitors feeling as if they have stepped into a real lifeMario Kart game.
The venues also have augmented reality bowling and immersive gaming zones.
Fancy a tipple? Don’t worry they have a bar as well.
Adult karting (visitors aged 14 or older) costs from £16 per person and junior karting (kids aged eight or older) costs from £15.25.
The Playhive, Stockeld Park in North Yorkshire
The Playhive in North Yorkshire is one of the biggest indoor playgrounds in the UKCredit: Refer to Source
The Playhive in North Yorkshire is thought to be one of the biggest indoor playgrounds in the UK with a “journey through four interconnected worlds of space, air, the jungle, and sea”, according to the attraction’s website.
Inside visitors will find spaceships, planes and submarines, which are all different play structures.
There are even jungle-themed climbing walls for kids to let out their inner Tarzan.
Toddlers get their own areas too with smaller climbing features and swings.
Parents who feel like chilling can hang out in the Playhive Pizzeria, where a variety of snacks, pizzas and drinks are served.
Sessions at the attraction allow visitors an hour-and-a-half of play time costing from £13.50.
Woodlands Family Theme Park, Devon
Woodlands theme park in Devon has a huge indoor soft playCredit: Alamy
Woodlands theme park in Devon is home to the county’s largest soft play area with drop slides, ball pits, climbing frames and obstacle course sections.
Dedicated to children over 90cm tall, it’s the ideal place to let your kids run around and burn some energy for hours on end.
There are two other areas for smaller kids – one for toddlers under 95cm and another for children up to 125cm tall.
And if that wasn’t enough, the Circus Dome Zone has more soft play and in another area – Big Top Soft Play – you’ll find stacking cubes and games for younger children.
Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding grew up nearby and visited many times – she said: “Woodlands is a great day out, especially when the weather takes a turn.
“After stepping foot inside the play area, my family knew they wouldn’t see me for hours on end and they only time they would is when I was worn out or wanting a drink after running around.”
Tickets to Woodlands cost from £23.31 per person.
Play Factore, Manchester
Play Factore in Manchester claims to be the biggest indoor family entertainment arena in the UKCredit: Play Factore
Claiming to be the biggest indoor family entertainment arena in the UK, Play Factore boasts the tallest standing indoor slide in the UK as well as a huge laser tag arena.
Little ones aren’t left out though, as there are two floors for kids under five-ears-old which include a soft play area and obstacle courses.
There’s even a football pitch and basketball court inside as well.
For six to 11-month-olds, it costs £3.95 each and then for one to four-year-old’s, it’s £12.95 each.
Kids aged between five and 16 years old cost £13.95 each and parents cost £5.25 each.
Riverside Hub, Northampton
Riverside Hub in Northampton has a number of different zones for different age groupsCredit: facbook
In Northampton, you could head to the Riverside Hub which has a number of zones including Role Play Villages where kids can explore an imaginary world with its own cafe, shop, witch’s house and tooth fairy dentist.
Older kids on the other hand can venture on a number of climbing activities, including a 10-metre beanstalk.
Toddlers can also test out a number of ball pits and activity walls.
And if that wasn’t enough, there’s also a giant play frame with slides, games and even a football pitch.
There is even a fake mini village for kids to role play iCredit: facbook
Travel writer Catherine Lofthouse said: “There’s so much to do here that it’s a struggle to fit it into the two and a half hours that each session is allocated.
“We could have happily spent the whole day and still have gone back for more.
“With three boys aged between five and 12, it can sometimes be difficult to find somewhere that has enough to keep all ages happy as the older two are getting a bit big for soft play, but that certainly wasn’t a problem here.”
Tickets cost £8.50 per adult, £14.50 per child aged one to three-ears-old and £17.50 for kids between four and 17-years-old
Flip Out, various locations
Flip Out has a number of venues across the UKCredit: Flipout
Flip Out has several locations across the UK including Bradford, Doncaster, Chichester and Coventry.
Each Flip Out boasts an indoor adventure and trampoline park, where visitors can bounce into foam pits and off of stunt walls.
In some of the more recent venues, such as Flip Out Canary Wharf, you can also have a go at laser quest or bumper cars.
And for football fans, some venues have interactive football.
Travel writer Catherine Lofthouse headed to Flip Out Coventry with her three children.
Inside each, there are usually slides, trampolines and a number of obstaclesCredit: Supplied
She said: “The dark space and graffiti vibe of the upper floor really appealed to my 11-year-old and 13-year-old, feeling a bit more grown-up than the bright lights and primary colours of soft plays aimed at younger children.
“But there was still lots to love for primary aged children here too – my six-year-old enjoyed the inflatables, roller rink and football zone.
“For little ones, there’s a dedicated toddler soft play next to the cafe area, so they can play in safety while tired parents have a rest nearby, hot drink in hand.”
Prices vary depending on destination and session length.
Junade Khan has joined Coronation Street as new character Idris Nazir and here’s everything you need to know about the actor including his eight years driving buses to his famous family
Coronation Street newcomer Idris Nazir is set to catch the eye of Leanne Battersby(Image: ITV)
Coronation Street newcomer Idris Nazir is poised to cause disruption.
Alya Nazir’s (Sair Khan) cousin has landed in Weatherfield and is set to catch the eye of Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) as he establishes himself over the coming weeks.
Nevertheless, this isn’t Junade’s inaugural appearance on the cobbles. He portrayed the romantic interest of Rosie Webster (Helen Flanagan) 18 years ago. His character was named Saj and was shown approaching the Street’s resident in a nightclub during the peak of her John Stape abduction storyline.
As Idris gets comfortable, here’s an insight into the life of actor Junade including his notable family and his surprising job before securing his Corrie role.
Idris who wastes no time establishing his presence as he turns up unexpectedly in his expensive car, catching cousin Alya off guard, impressing Brody Michaelis (Ryan Mulvey), antagonising Daniel Osbourne (Rob Mallard), and pursuing one of Weatherfield’s unattached women.
Hinting at what audiences can anticipate from Idris, Junade revealed: “He’s multi-layered and incredibly ambitious. As a child, he suffered a lot of hardship and neglect, so he’s had to overcome those obstacles entirely on his own.
“He’s a lone wolf – the black sheep of the family who has made a name for himself. He’s addicted to success and the finer things in life, but there’s a real vulnerability there, too. It’s the first time I’ve played a character where I can show that side, which is a great gift for an actor.”
Junade is perhaps best recognised for his role as Ash Roy in Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks from 2008 until 2009, featuring in over 80 episodes. He has also had roles in Game of Thrones, Better, The Last House and Emmerdale.
In a candid chat with ITV, the actor disclosed: “I’ve been driving buses for eight years while doing little acting jobs here and there, so to be able to give that up, it was unbelievable. I even had a Coronation Street magnet on my fridge for years.
“I’d bought it after a failed audition for the role of Imran years ago. I was working in a call centre then and was so desperate for a way out. I remember looking at the magnet after my audition. It feels like a total full-circle moment as if it was all meant to be.”
Junade isn’t the sole well-known member of his household. His wife Gem Khan is a presenter, singer and owner of PopGems Academy. The couple’s daughter, Alara-Star Khan, is an actress with credits spanning both UK and US film and television.
She has starred alongside Hollywood icon Angelina Jolie in a film called Anxious People, featured in Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars, and portrayed Poppy across all four episodes of The Serial Killer’s Wife for Paramount+ and Channel 5.
Their son Pacino Khan has likewise secured roles in a Marvel production and Waffle the Wonder Dog. Gem manages the children’s Instagram accounts and regularly keeps fans updated with the latest casting news.
Coronation Street airs weeknights on ITV1 at 8.30pm and available to stream from 7am on ITVX
First-year baseball coach Dino Flores of Fremont High teaches health, and for the entire semester, he had a freshman from Venezuela, Roiber Colmenares, sitting in class.
One day, Colmenares asked Flores a strange question.
“Hey Mr. Flores,” he said in Spanish. “Do you know how I can join the baseball team?”
“Yes I do,” Flores said.
Colemenares told him playing baseball was all he did in Venezuela.
Then Flores had Colemenares show him how to field a ground ball with an imaginary ball in class.
“That’s when I knew we had something special,” Flores said. “Just his movement you could tell he’s a baseball player.”
With Colmenares leading the way, Fremont has advanced to face Hamilton in Friday’s 2:30 p.m. Division III final at Stengel Field. The Division II final will have South East playing Roosevelt at 5:30 p.m. at East Los Angeles College.
“He’s our best hitter and best pitcher,” Flores said of the 5-foot-8, 140-pound freshman.
Fremont used to be a baseball power, having won five upper-division City titles, the last in 1963. There also was a 3A title in 1992.
“The history is well documented,” Flores said.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
The beloved Disney+ show recently returned to screens with a super-sized season two and a total of 12 episodes for audiences to get their teeth stuck into.
The new series of Rivals picked up straight off the back of the last outing as Tony Baddingham (played by David Tennant) planned to exact revenge on his Venturer TV rivals Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) and Declan O’ Hara (Aidan Turner).
Season two also brought into the fold some new faces in the form of Maxim Ays from The Larkins and Sanditon as Sebbie Carlisle and Wolfblood actor Bobby Lockwood portraying Dommie Carlisle.
Meanwhile, Marvel’s Agent Carter and Heartstopper star Hayley Atwell took on the part of the MP’s ex-wife and mother to his two children, Helen Gordon.
But what about her husband Malise Gordon, who was also Campbell-Black’s former show-jumping coach and mentor?
Here’s the lowdown on the star playing Malise in Rivals season two.
Who plays Malise in Rivals?
Malise is played by Hollywood star Rupert Everett, who is perhaps best known for 90s romcom My Best Friend’s Wedding alongside Julia Roberts and period drama An Ideal Husband.
With a career dating back to the 80s, Everett has had roles across film and TV and various genres.
Some of his previous projects include BBC ’s The Musketeers in which he starred opposite Rivals star Luke Pasqualino, The Happy Prince, Parade’s End, My Policeman, Everybody Loves Diamond, and The Serpent Queen.
Some of his more recent roles have included appearing in Nicola Coughlan ’s Channel 4 series Big Mood, Netflix ’s Emily in Paris and Madfabulous.
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According to IMDb, Everett will be appeared in The Liar, The Resurrection of the Christ parts 2 and two and Out Late.
Speaking to the Radio Times about the dynamic between Campbell-Black and the Gordons, star Hassell teased that the couple had “really strong, fairly negative feelings” about the amorous politician and former Olympian.
Despite this, the pair were also “protective” towards Campbell-Black even though he had “really really hurt” them endlessly and they were “at the end of their tether”.
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez revealed he broke his finger during the warm-up before his side’s Europa League final win against Freiburg.
The Argentine suffered the injury moments before kick-off in Istanbul and had to be checked over by a physio.
But he managed to play the entire match on Wednesday as Villa won 3-0 to secure their first European trophy for 44 years.
The 33-year-old did not have much to do, as goals from Youri Tielemans, Emi Buendia and Morgan Rogers ended Villa’s 30-year wait for a major trophy, but still managed to make two saves.
He said: “Today I broke my finger during the warm-up and for me, every bad thing brings something good. I’ve done this my whole life and I’ll keep doing it.
“Should I be worried? Well, I’ve never had a broken finger before. Every time I caught the ball, it went the other way. But these are things you have to go through, and I’m proud to defend Aston Villa.”
The injury also did not stop Martinez from joining in the post-match celebrations as he jumped into the Villa fans before hoisting manager Unai Emery aloft.
Argentina will hope Martinez’s injury is not too serious with their World Cup squad set to be announced before next month’s tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
The former Arsenal keeper has now won every final he has played in during his career, including the FA Cup final, the World Cup final, two Copa Americas and now the Europa League.
Just weeks after Justin Bieber’s well-received Coachella headline gig, the singer played a small private event for tech, entertainment and defense industry moguls. Executives at controversial firms, such as surveillance tech giant Palantir, were also on the bill.
Bieber was a headliner at WNDR, entertainment executive Jeffrey Katzenberg’s invitation-only confab at the Rosewood Miramar in Montecito last week. The programming for the event was first reported by Puck.
The ultra A-list talks and guests included director James Cameron and former Disney CEO Bob Iger, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Oprah Winfrey and Julia Roberts, comedians Chris Rock and Trevor Noah and artist Jeff Koons on a panel discussion with LACMA chief Michael Govan.
Bieber, meanwhile, performed a Wednesday poolside set for attendees at the Rosewood. The “Swag” singer reportedly became the highest-paid headliner in Coachella history last month, and its most lucrative merch seller.
Representatives for Bieber did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
While there was lighter programming (like a karaoke party with pop producers StarGate and a talk about snacks with chef Nancy Silverton), the bill included talks and cameos from major weapons and surveillance technology firms noted for their support for — or deep engagement with — the Trump administration.
One panel featured Anduril Industries’ Palmer Luckey, who recently welcomed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to its Southern California headquarters. “We are rebuilding the Arsenal of Freedom,” Hegseth said after the Anduril visit.
Palantir Chief Executive Alex Karp led another talk. Palantir’s AI-driven defense and surveillance software has faced scrutiny around how tech like its Maven Smart System may have been used to target civilians in the Iran war.
Karp also published a recent book, “The Technological Republic,” where he wrote that “We must resist the shallow temptation of a vacant and hollow pluralism. We, in America and more broadly the West, have for the past half century resisted defining national cultures in the name of inclusivity. But inclusion into what?”
If you were to go by “Saturday Night Live” hosting performance alone, you might think that the best way to ensure a memorable, well rounded and surprisingly funny show is to book a female pop star — preferably one with some child-acting experience.
With apologies to Harry Styles, it’s been pop stars including Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, Dua Lipa and now Olivia Rodrigo who’ve shown themselves to be naturals at adapting their on-stage talents to the Studio 8H stage for “SNL.”
And while she might not have crushed it to the degree of Grande (something about the Bowen Yang era of the show and Grande seemed in perfect lockstep with each other), Rodrigo was a very good host. Whatever she lacked in sketch comedy chops, she more than made up for as musical guest, world-premiering a new song called “begged,” and singing in several sketches, including a memorable one about a girl in a zoo on a planet of bug people (we’ll get to that).
After a charming monologue in which she also sang, Rodrigo played a scheming woman in a “Dynasty”-like nighttime soap opera from the 1980s, “Edge of Destiny,” where people kept falling down the stairs. The mix of physical comedy, distant cue cards and having to keep from breaking character as cast members flopped down a set of fake stairs seemed almost too much for the guest host. But she recovered nicely in another solid (and hilariously gross) “Shop TV” sketch about a baker (Rodrigo) who makes lava cakes that look a lot like anuses.
She also played a woman competing with her ex-boyfriend (Ben Marshall) at a birthday party by pretending to have a date (he does the same with a wacky Ashley Padilla). She also played a cheating romantic partner in a musical sketch about getting busted, a rideshare passenger whose driver (Andrew Dismukes) discovers he has a talent for Jamaican dancehall rapping, and a TikToker employed by a home security company to take viral videos of burglars.
Rodrigo’s songs were tremendous, especially “begged,” but it was hard for any of the sketches to top Aziz Ansari’s appearance as FBI Director Kash Patel, which drew the biggest non-musical audience reaction of the show when he appeared in the cold open.
As musical guest, Rodrigo performed her latest single “drop dead,” introduced by Debbie Harry, and a new song, “begged,” introduced by recent host and “Heated Rivalry” star Connor Storrie.
It was the rare cold open without a rambling James Austin Johnson performance as President Trump. Instead, after a clever opening title card (“You’re watching A-Span. Of your life disappear. Watching C-SPAN.”), White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt (Padilla) talked about her upcoming maternity leave before introducing “The man, the myth, the liability,” Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (Colin Jost). Hegseth talked about the war in Iran with its “sick air raids. This war has been a movie … specifically ‘The Neverending Story.’ ” Hegseth fielded a few questions, belittling reporters as he’s done before, answering the question of when the war will end: “That’s like asking when is sex gonna be over,” he replied, “Answer: when the man is done.” Hegseth introduced Patel (Ansari), who fast-talked his way through a defense of his alleged drinking and spending. From low hanging fruit (“We dotted every T and bulged every I”) to a much sharper takedown of Patel (“I’m the first Indian person to suck at their job”), Ansari brought his Tom Haverford from “Parks and Recreation” energy, particularly when describing jumping on the couch at a night club screaming, “Who wants the nuclear codes? J/K, I ain’t got ‘em!”
Rodrigo’s monologue began by acknowledging how young the 23-year-old pop star really is: they say your favorite “SNL” cast is the one you saw when you were a teenager and hers, she said, was the current cast. After teasing her new album out next month, she showed a clip of a commercial she did for Old Navy and mentioned working with Jake Paul on the Disney Channel show “Bizaardvark.” Paul, she said, once told her, “I really want to beat up old guys on Netflix!” and they both achieved their dreams. Rodrigo then played at a piano a take of her first hit single “drivers license,” focused on getting a Real ID at the DMV and all that it requires. “Passport, W2, first-born son / Gas bill, body count, bra size, how long will this be? I’ll just use my old fake ID,” she sang.
Best sketch of the night: They even have Olivia-shaped popsicles!
Unsurprisingly, the best of the night was one of Rodrigo’s musical performances, this time a pre-taped music video about a girl who loves her perfect bedroom. It’s got a purple corded phone, a lava lamp, a beanbag chair … and it happens to be a habitat at a zoo on a planet of bug people. The wistful, lovely song is accompanied by weird visuals of the aliens, who look like praying mantises, admiring the human specimen through the room’s windows, applauding when she goes to the bathroom and taking pictures. There are enough bizarre touches, such as a VHS version of “A League of Their Own” with aliens in human skin suits, a bug protester and an unsuccessful male mate (Johnson), that quite a bit of world building happens in the short span of the very catchy tune. Can we get this song on Apple Music and Spotify, please?
Also good: Cute — cake frosting on the nose. Sexy — mashed potatoes all over the face.
Former “SNL” cast member Kristen Wiig had a talent for introducing characters whose one bizarre trait, expertly performed, could drive a whole sketch. These days, it’s Ashley Padilla (maddeningly, she’s still billed as a “Featured Player”) who is able to elevate a potentially annoying character with a collection of hilarious tics and a lot of boundary overstepping. In a sketch about a broken-up couple (Rodrigo and Marshall) who try to make each other jealous by glomming on to fake new dates, Padilla laughs too loudly, smears mashed potatoes all over Marshall’s face, gives an unhinged speech that includes, “We are to be married at midnight! Now let us pray.” It seems like every episode of late has had one sketch reserved for Padilla to show her way with these types of self-unaware characters, and this was another great showcase for her.
‘Weekend Update’ winner: Podcasters are at war and it’s hard to understand why
If you don’t know why “Call Her Daddy” podcaster Alex Cooper (Chloe Fineman) and TikToker and “Hot Mess” podcaster Alix Earle (Veronika Slowikowska) are feuding, trust us, you are not alone. Their apparent beef, which has been speculated about by very online people and, weirdly, business reporters, is now “Weekend Update” fodder, with the women comparing their fight to a “literal Chernobyl for white women.” Perhaps the best part was Michael Che’s complete bafflement as to who these women are and why they’re mad at each other. Elsewhere, Kam Patterson continued his streak of clunky “Update” segments, this time vying for a date with Megan Thee Stallion after her breakup with NBA player Klay Thompson. In describing himself, Patterson said, “Some say he’s finding his voice more every week.” Unfortunately for Patterson, there’s only two episodes left in the season.
Situated along the UK coast is a county brimming with quintessential British villages and an array of scenic walking routes, and the most hygienic soft play centre for little ones
This UK county is brimming with pretty villages and scenic vistas (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
A beautiful UK county with ample walking routes and picturesque villages has the ‘cleanest soft play’ centre.
Soft play centres, with their cushioned equipment, ball pits, mats, slides and climbing frames, are not only a great way to keep young children entertained, but they also support their development. Children can improve their social skills, enhance their coordination, and develop physical movement while stimulating imagination and creativity in a fun, safe and secure environment.
So it’s no wonder that soft play is popular among parents and their little ones. Yet parents not only want to ensure the soft play is suitable for their child, but also want to know it’s hygienic before planning a visit.
Luckily, the outdoor play specialists at Outdoor Toys have uncovered the cleanest soft play centres across 20 of the most popular UK counties, and there’s one that stood out from them all. Somerset ranked as the most hygienic soft play, according to the toy experts’ analysis of Tripadvisor reviews.
The experts revealed that fewer than 4 in 100 reviews mentioned hygiene issues at Somerset’s soft plays. Instead, unsanitary reviews made up just a mere 3.9% of all feedback on TripAdvisor, and 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. But it’s not just the children’s play centres that warrant a visit to the county.
Somerset is packed with picture-perfect villages and picture-postcard landscapes, set against rolling hills, patchwork fields, dramatic gorges, coastal shores and ancient woodlands. Thanks to its acres of lush landscapes, the county is famously home to Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, and when the festival isn’t on, it offers ample walking opportunities, including to the summit of Glastonbury Tor.
Dunster is considered one of the prettiest villages in Somerset, with its preserved medieval architecture, more than 200 listed buildings and 17th-century Yarn Market, nestled within Exmoor National Park. There’s also the picturesque village of Selworthy, with its array of thatched cottages, All Saints Church, and scenic walking routes to Selworthy Beacon, a hill and Marilyn of Exmoor, which offer panoramic views across the coast.
There’s also the small village of Allerford, with its whitewashed thatched cottages and 15th-century packhorse bridge, located on the edge of Exmoor National Park. As well as the historic village of Mells, which has often been dubbed one of the prettiest in the UK, thanks to its ‘chocolate-box’ charm, with honey-coloured houses and walks along the Wadbury Valley and Mells River.
So why not combine a trip to the cleanest soft play centre with exploring the stunning vistas of Somerset? And with its position along the coast, you could even spend a day at the seaside during the warmer months.
Top 10 regions with the cleanest play areas
1.Somerset
Total reviews: 908
Unsanitary reviews: 35
Unsanitary reviews (%): 3.9%
2. South Yorkshire
Total reviews: 1,040
Unsanitary reviews: 57
Unsanitary reviews (%): 5.5%
3. Lancashire
Total reviews: 1,106
Unsanitary reviews: 65
Unsanitary reviews (%): 5.9%
4. Greater Manchester
Total reviews: 1,344
Unsanitary reviews: 87
Unsanitary reviews (%): 6.5%
5. Nottinghamshire
Total reviews: 401
Unsanitary reviews: 33
Unsanitary reviews (%): 8.2%
6. Essex
Total reviews: 1019
Unsanitary reviews: 87
Unsanitary reviews (%): 8.5%
7. Hampshire
Total reviews: 1,020
Unsanitary reviews: 96
Unsanitary reviews (%): 9.4%
8. Lincolnshire
Total reviews: 564
Unsanitary reviews: 55
Unsanitary reviews (%): 9.8%
9. North Yorkshire
Total reviews: 457
Unsanitary reviews: 50
Unsanitary reviews (%): 10.9%
10. West Midlands
Total reviews: 447
Unsanitary reviews: 49
Unsanitary reviews (%): 11.0%
Kim May, Creative Arts Therapist at ISP Fostering, revealed the benefits of soft play centres for young children. She told the Outdoor Toys team: “Spending time in play centres helps children to embrace the play and imagination stages of their development and is beneficial for socialisation and the development of physical and cognitive skills.
“When children are in their most infant years, development is about harnessing imagination and mobility skills, and lots of what they learn is through sensory experiences – soft play can positively contribute to this. For children under four years old in particular, they rely on their sensory memory a lot (taste, touch, sound, feel, and sight). Even if a child is too small to physically move or interact with toys or a play area, they are still learning and developing through their senses.”
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