Looking for soft play centres in Manchester and play cafes in Manchester? I have spent the last 2 years with my baby, now toddler, exploring the best soft plays in Manchester and there really are some amazing ones, alongside some really great play spaces and play cafes where the little ones can play in an imaginative and role play way with a cafe on site for a well needed coffee and catch up with friends, so I’m so excited to provide you with this list!
TOP TIP – If you can visit these soft play centres in Manchester midweek rather than the weekend and school holidays, you will have such a better experience as it will be much quieter. Soft plays, understandably, get really busy on weekends and school holidays and it can feel overwhelming with a little one around all the bigger kids!
Note – please check opening times before visiting. Some of the places noted are closed on Mondays I’ve found.
Best Soft Plays in Manchester
Soft Plays are indoor play centres with soft equipment and areas for children to play so this is what this section will focus on. Most soft plays will have an age 3 and under area which is great for toddlers and babies, and I have found that some soft plays in Manchester are better for babies than others so I will highlight this below!
1. Epicland Play Cafe – Partington
Epicland Play Cafe really is epic with its light up slides, role play areas and overall pastel coloured design.
Epicland has age-zoned play areas, from a baby corner and toddler slide, to soft-climb frames for 3–9s, plus an on-site café and what I love about it here is that you can clearly see the children playing in almost all areas from the cafe area so it is possible to attempt to catch up with a friend at the same time.
If you follow them on Instagram, you’ll see how well and how frequently they clean the soft play which definitely makes you want to go even more!
- They are located in Partington shopping centre with plenty of free parking right outside
- They are on the 1st floor but there is a lift
- Note that they are closed on Mondays
- Grip socks are required which you can buy there if needed
- Unlimited play is available during off-peak sessions, subject to capacity
2. Head Over Heels – Wilmslow & Chorlton
Head Over Heels is an award-winning indoor play centre with soft play and you can see why it’s award winning as soon as you step inside and you’ll quickly realise that not all soft plays are made the same because this is a soft play you actually want to go to as a parent!
There are 2 locations, Wilmslow and Chorlton-cum-Hardy. Both of them feature an under 3’s area with age appropriate soft play including smaller slides, smaller ball pits and also a baby sensory room. During school holidays, at set times they have someone do a singalong session which is really fun. And all of this is alongside a much bigger soft play area for older children. They also have facilities like a sports court, a disco and a role-play café.
I have to say that I do prefer the Wilmslow location, especially for the under 3’s area because it’s a lot bigger. Plus the cafe and seating areas in the Wilmslow location are huge and really new with fancy toilets which you can tell have been designed with parents and young kids in mind! Parking at Wilmslow is pretty good, they have multiple car parks available on their own site and nearby warehouse sites.
Head Over Heels in Chorlton is set over 2 floors for its soft play and cafe and although it is still very large, it seems smaller than the Wilmslow location. Chorlton only has a few dedicated parking spots outside and it is easier to park in Morrisons nearby when it’s busy.
This is one of the pricer soft plays so make sure you have time to use up your whole session (generally 2 or 3 hours) and it’s cheaper to book online in advance.
3. Antz in Your Pantz – Timperley
Antz in Your Pantz is a soft play and party centre for ages 0–10 located in Timperley and just a short walk from Timperley tram stop. It’s one of my go-to’s because of how close it is to Altrincham.
They have a 0-3’s area which is a really good size and can grow with your child. There’s a baby sensory area which is quiet and full of lights and sensory equipment and outside of here there’s a big space with a role play kitchen, post office and builders area alongside an age appropriate soft play over 2 floors.
The bigger soft play area is a great size, you can see most of it from the cafe seating below and I have taken my 2 year old inside it now he’s a bit bigger. It’s big enough for older ones to have a good play but not too big for adults to go in with little ones too. And right at the bottom at the back is a disco area.
My tip to get a cheaper price and deal, is to book their £10.00 early bird 9:30am slot and £10 term-time mid-week meal deal.
4. Let Loose Soft Play – Sale
Let Loose Sale is a friendly, local-feeling soft play in Stanley Square, aimed at ages 0–10. Facilities include a multi-level climbing frame, an arcade, a dedicated baby and toddler zone with sensory toys, a mini frame, slide and ball pool and a café with a seating area overlooking the frames, ideal for catch up with friends whilst keeping an eye on the kids.
This isn’t one of the big Manchester soft plays but it does come with a much needed lower ticket cost where adults and 3 months and under go for free and 4+ months – 10 years are £3.50 each and it benefits from an ideal location in the middle of Sale with clean equipment and plenty to offer.
There are also many activity centres in Manchester that have a small soft play inside of them, there are good if you have older children wanting to take part in the bigger activity but you also want to keep a baby / toddler entertained. Here are the places I have come across that have soft play areas suitable for toddlers and small children inside:
- Play Factore
- Rock Up Manchester
- Total Ninja
- Inflata Nation (toddler inflatable area)
- Oxygen Freejumpin
- Reddish Vale Farm
Related post: 22+ TOP Indoor Activities in Manchester For Everyone to Enjoy!
Best Play Cafes in Manchester
These places are generally for free-play with a heavy focus on role play with kitchens, vets, hair dressers, post offices and cafes. They also have cafes inside of them which means you can meet a friend for a coffee and hop between the cafe and play area with the kids. These play cafes are much quieter and less intense than the soft plays given above due to the nature of play and the smaller capacities.
5. The Afternoon Spot – Hale Barns & Knutsford
The Afternoon Spot isn’t so much of a play cafe, it’s a toddler stay and play, you can get good coffee and they allow snacks! It’s been made for that little window between nap and dinner set up by a new mum who needed to fill her afternoons because so many baby & toddler sessions are on in the morning!
The Afternoon Spot offers 2 hours of free-play, you arrive and leave when you want, they take any coffee / matcha orders on the door and get it from a local cafes and then you can sit down and chill with your little one or meet other parents. The majority of their toys are wooden for a range of ages and their nice rugs make it cosy and easy to bring along a small baby if you have a toddler too!
It’s a great mix between a play cafe and a toddler class and I find it much more social and easy to chat to other mums than if I went to a soft play with my toddler by myself for example. Parking at The Hale Barns location is free and right outside the door.
Mondays & Fridays 2:00-4:00pm – Hale Barns Holy Angels RC Church
Tuesdays 2:00-4:00pm – Knutsford Charlton Lodge
Keep an eye on their website and schedule here as they often do themed sessions and they might start to add new dates and locations soon!
6. Little Explorers, Urmston
Little Explorers is a children’s imagination play centre in Urmston town centre rather than a climbing-frame soft play. It has 7 separate role-play areas, a dressing-up collection, a pre-walker sensory area which is great for keeping small babies away from the toddlers and a café serving coffee, cakes, sandwiches and toasties.
What I love about this play cafe in Manchester is its size. You can easily see all of the role play areas from the cafe seating and easily pop between them and because of its smaller size, it doesn’t get hugely overwhelming.
It’s free to park at the side or on the street nearby. Weekdays are ‘stay and play’ and weekends offer a 1 hour 45 minute slot, which are worth booking ahead. They also run a free ‘New Parents Club’ for babies up to 12 months on Thursday mornings which is a great way to meet parents in the area.
7. Little World for Scholars, Altrincham
Another one of the play cafes in Manchester is Little World for Scholars, a role-play centre in Altrincham town centre.
It has a little airport, a garden, a fairy house and more, with a coffee shop serving hot and cold drinks, cakes and snacks. I’ll be honest and say this isn’t as good as some of the other play cafes in the area but it is very ideal being in Altrincham town centre just across the road from the tram, train and bus station and it benefits from being chilled and relaxed.
There is no parking onsite but nearby parking is Stamford Quarter multi-storey or free Tesco parking for 3 hours.
8. Sprouts Club, Worsley
Sprouts Club is a small, calm but magical role-play centre, designed to feel more relaxed than a big soft play and to help with this, groups are capped at 6 children.
Children can serve snacks at Sproutlings Café, look after patients at Flo’s pharmacy, give makeovers at Cecilia’s salon or do the shop at “Sprouts and Spencer’s”. There’s also a cosy area for under-2s to keep them away from the busy toddlers. What I love about this place along with many of the other play cafes is that parents can sit with a drink and snack while the little ones play.
There are a few dedicated parking spaces available outside, with more on nearby Worsley Road.
9. Curious Little Ones Play Café – Near Poynton (Adlington)
This one is really one of the play cafes near Manchester because it is based in Poynton, Cheshire East.
Curious Little Ones is a calm, Montessori-inspired play café for ages 0–6, with small sessions so it never feels chaotic. It has a “Pre-Walker Nest” for babies up to 1 years to keep them separate from the busier play area.
Children aged 1–6 get an Exploration Zone with an arts and crafts area, an imaginative play zone, a reading corner and Montessori-style toys. Parents get barista coffee, sandwiches and cakes so everyone is happy.
At the end of every session they do circle time with the option to sing or tell a story which helps make it nice and interactive for the little ones and parents. Note that they are closed on Saturday.
Manchester soft play and play cafe FAQ:
What is the best soft play in Manchester for babies?
Head Over Heels in Wilmslow is great for babies because the 0–3 area has a large baby section with dimmed lights, small ball pits and sensory equipment. I also like Antz in Your Pantz in Timperley, which has a quiet baby sensory area with lowered lighting and sensory toys. Further out, The Fun Depot in Ashton-under-Lyne has a dedicated sensory room for under-1s (I haven’t been, but it’s well reviewed).
What is the best soft play in Manchester for 1 year olds?
I really loved taking my 1 year old to Antz in Your Pantz in Timperley and Head Over Heels in Wilmslow, because their 0–3 areas are brilliant for pre-walkers and new walkers. Little Explorers and The Afternoon Spot are also great places to take a 1 year old. I haven’t been, but Jungle J’s in Chadderton has a separate space for the minis with a play house and Little Tikes cars, and The Fun Depot’s toddler frame and truck area suit new walkers too.
What is the best soft play in Manchester for toddlers?
Head Over Heels in Wilmslow and Chorlton and Antz in Your Pantz in Timperley are great for toddlers. They offer lots of areas to play, plus bigger areas for when your toddler gets more capable. I haven’t been, but The Funhouse in Swinton is a good pick for toddlers who like to climb.
What is the best soft play in Manchester for families?
Head Over Heels in Wilmslow and Chorlton are great for families because their soft play suits a range of ages. They also include sports areas, discos, role play and dress-up that adults can join in with, plus good cafes serving genuinely good food and nice seating.
What is the cheapest soft play in Manchester?
Let Loose Soft Play in Sale is £3.50 per child and adults don’t need to pay (check their website for current prices). Antz in Your Pantz in Timperley does a £10 early-bird deal and school holiday packages that bring the cost down if you visit often. Further afield, The Fun Depot starts at £3 per child and Jungle J’s from £3.50 on weekday term-time sessions. Funtastic (Radcliffe) and The Funhouse (Swinton) are both from £5.50 on weekdays, with Funtastic giving one adult free per child and The Funhouse giving free toast and juice. I haven’t visited these four.
I hope this post has helped you find the best soft plays in Manchester and the best play cafes in Manchester for toddlers!
- For more of my Manchester posts see:
- PERFECT One Day in Manchester Itinerary! A Day in Manchester with Lots of Options!
- 22 FUN & Unique Day Trips From Manchester!
- 25 Family Days Out NEAR Manchester TRIED & TESTED!
- 22+ TOP Indoor Activities in Manchester For Everyone to Enjoy!
- 18 TOP Things To Do in Altrincham & Near Altrincham From a Local!