Kids are active. They have lots of energy and benefit from moving throughout the day. But there’s not always time to head to the park, and the weather does not always cooperate. Being cooped up inside can start to make everyone go a little crazy after a while.
It can be helpful to create spaces inside where kids can be active. Getting them an indoor slide and a few soft play equipment pieces can help save your furniture and couch cushions from total destruction. Add in a few items for open-ended play activities, and you’re set for hours of play!
In this post:
- Best Soft Play Equipment With a Tunnel
- Best Rearrangeable Sets
- Best Plush Balls
- Considerations When Buying Soft Play Equipment
- Think you don’t have enough space for soft play equipment?
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Soft play equipment for kids is ideal for indoor use and allows for climbing, jumping, and balancing while offering a soft surface for crash landings. The pieces are also great for lounging around. They can help babies and toddlers build gross motor skills like coordination, balance, and strength. Larger movable parts can be used in various ways as kids grow.
- Looking for more great toys for toddlers? Check out all our favorite outdoor toys for one-year-olds!
Best Soft Play Equipment With a Tunnel
1. FDP SoftScape Playtime Grow-n-Learn Tunnel Climber
This soft climber has a big tunnel that is large enough for kids to crawl through and is a great option for little ones. The stairs and triangular pieces encourage lots of climbing and active play and are great for lounging. It’s excellent for kids as young as 6 months old or as soon as they start to crawl. The stairs help them climb to the top, and the triangular piece acts as a slide. There are foam pads on either side of the tunnel to cushion kids who fall from the top.
It’s extra durable, holds up after lots of use, and comes in multiple color options.
Cons: It requires a sizeable amount of floor space and is a bit more expensive than some options on this list.
Size: 60 x 18 x18 inches. It is 54 inches wide with the side pads.
Check prices for FDP SoftScape Tunnel Climber
Best Rearrangeable Sets
Rearrangeable sets are a great open-ended toy! The pieces can be moved around and played with in endless ways.
Babies can crawl on them, stack them, and push them down. Older kids can develop their imagination, thinking, and problem-solving skills as they build full-on structures. Kids can also grow their social skills as they play cooperatively with others. These are all skills they will need to be successful learners in a school environment.
The blocks are soft and flexible and won’t hurt kids or the house when they fall.
1. ECR4Kids SoftZone Climb and Crawl Activity Play Set
This colorful set comes with five pieces that kids can arrange in lots of different ways for climbing, fort building, and knocking down. The pieces each have a nonslip base that helps to keep them in place while kids play on them.
They are easy to clean, durable, and light enough for babies and kids to move independently.
Check prices for ECR4Kids SoftZone Play Set
2. Costzon 4-in-1 Unique Shapes Convertible Climb and Crawl Foam Set
This set can be arranged in various ways, including a couch and a flat play mat. The pieces can be used separately or together to create endless configurations that encourage climbing, crawling, and imaginative play. This makes it great for all ages.
It comes in two color options.
Size: 59 x 39 x 6 inches
Check prices for Costzon 4-in-1 Foam Set
3. FDP SoftScape Playtime and Climb Multipurpose Soft Foam Playset
This small six-piece set is ideal for babies 6 to 24 months old. And the pieces will still be great for building as they grow older. It has two attached half circles that can be used flat, folded, or as a seat.
It comes in 5 different color options that parents can pick to match home decor.
Size of largest piece: 24 x 16 x 8 inches
Check prices for FDP SoftScape Foam Playset
4. FDP SoftScape Toddler Builder Block Set
This 12 piece set is relatively small but allows for lots of building, crawling, and climbing. It is ideal for babies and toddlers and gives them many pieces to move and manipulate. The set will encourage hours of active play.
It is easy to clean, durable, and comes in 4 different color options.
Cons: the pieces can be slippery and work best on a rug or play mat.
Check prices for FDP SoftScape Block Set
5. Costzon Soft Blocks, Toddler Foam Block Playset
While not a climber, this set of 12 cubes is great for moving and building. The blocks are easy for babies and kids to stack and quiet and safe when they tumble down.
Put them out and see what your kids use them for – the blocks might become a wall or a tower or a seat or a bed all in one day. Kids are pretty creative when given open-end toys.
Size of each block: 8 x 8 x 8 inches
Check prices for Costzon Soft Blocks
Best Plush Balls
Do you have a kid who loves to throw everything, including less-than-ideal things like wooden blocks or hot wheels?
Give them something that kids can throw indoors! Plush balls can be great for kids who are in a throwing phase. They can help minimize the number of times you have to say “No” or redirect your kids.
1. StoHua Baby Taggie Ball
This brightly colored ball has a rattle and is sized small enough to fit in a baby’s hand, making it ideal for little ones. It is excellent for rolling, throwing, grasping, and chasing after.
Size: 5 inches in diameter
Check prices for StoHua Rattle Plush Ball
2. T Play Plush Basketball Pillow
This ball has been a lifesaver in a classroom of preschoolers who love to throw. They love that it looks like a basketball and are often coming up with new and fun games to play with it. It is easy to throw and is also soft and pleasant for when they want to snuggle.
We recommend it for indoor use only.
Size: 9 x 9 x 9 inches
Check prices for T Play Plush Basketball
3. Melissa & Doug Sports Throw Pillows With Mesh Storage Bag
This is an excellent set of 4 plush balls for the kiddo that loves sports. The balls can decorate a kid’s room and be thrown throughout the house. They are soft, fluffy, and even washable. A mesh bag is included for easy storage.
Check prices for Melissa and Doug Sports Plush Balls
Considerations When Buying Soft Play Equipment
First, look at the amount of space available to dedicate to soft play equipment. This will help you to narrow down your search.
Next, consider the age of your children and for how long you would like them to use the soft play equipment. Are you looking for something for a baby or older kids? To be used now or as they grow?
Consider size and the number of ways that your kids might be able to use the pieces. Can the pieces be rearranged, stacked, moved? Many open-ended options will provide the most prolonged engagement from your kids and work for the broadest range of ages.
Protips:
- If you have a bit of time, try checking Craigslist and Facebook marketplace. These are both great places to find used kids’ items. Things like play equipment can easily be checked for wear and cleaned before use. This can be a great way to keep things out of a landfill and save a bit of money in the process.
- Look for foam pieces with covers. This makes them easy to clean and helps them to hold their shape. It also keeps babies from biting chunks out of the foam.
- Looking for a free option? Check out this post about a free alternative to the Nugget Comfort Couch.
Think you don’t have enough space for soft play equipment?
Maybe you think you don’t have space for another kid thing. It might be time for a toy declutter if you have lots of kid items and they are slowly taking over your house. Not all toys are created equal, and we bet that you have a few that you could do without.
More is not better. It often overwhelms kids. Things get broken, pieces get lost, and toys go unused. Check out our post on how to declutter your toys and create peaceful spaces for your kids. This will free up space for a few choice items that your kids can use every day.
Final Thoughts
So consider investing in some soft play equipment and providing your kids with active and creative places to play indoors!
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