Safe Play Guidelines

Last Reviewed August 2025

Please read these safe play guidelines, and share them with anyone who will be supervising the children and play equipment while in use. Contact us with any questions.

Active & Responsible Adult Supervision, Always

Active and responsible supervision by an adult over the age of 18 is mandatory at all times. This means more than just being present; it means being attentive and proactive. Hirer must ensure;

  1. A capable adult(s) is supervising the play equipment throughout the entire event. The ratio of adults to children is dependent on the size and type of the play area but a general guide is 1 adult to 4 children. Adults should be fully briefed on these safety guidelines.
  2. Supervisors should remain close to the equipment and have a clear line of sight to all children playing. This allows them to quickly intervene if any unsafe behaviour occurs.
  3. It is the supervisor's role to actively enforce all safety rules, including age/size limits, no food/drinks, and proper use of the equipment. Gently but firmly correct children who are not following the guidelines.
  4. Be aware of potential hazards specific to each play equipment. For example, a supervisor should know to ensure the area around a slide landing is clear, and monitor the number of children in a ball pond to prevent overcrowding. See more below.
  5. Recommended number of children on all play areas is a limit, not a target. It may be necessary to reduce numbers for a safer play.
  6. If you notice any damage to any of the play equipment, prohibit use immediately and set it aside and out of children's view, to prevent continued use that can worsen the damage or cause injury.
  7. No shoes, no food and no drinks are allowed on any of the play equipment at any time.

Remember, active adult supervision is the most critical factor in preventing accidents and ensuring everyone has a safe and enjoyable time.

Soft Play Packages

  • Adults who enter the soft play area or walk on the soft play mats must also remove their shoes. For hygiene reasons, we recommend that everyone wears socks while using the play equipment.
  • Children must not be allowed to throw soft play shapes.
  • Once a play area is set up it must not be moved.
  • Where applicable, always ensure no balancing on top of tunnels if children are crawling through to avoid crushing.
  • The large shapes (e.g. heptagon rings, circles, squares, stacks of cubes) found in the Periwinkle, SOB, Cream and Chocolate and other Packages are easily toppled over. Babies and smaller children may struggle to extract themselves if these large shapes fall on them. Larger shapes must be held up and in place by a responsible adult when younger/smaller children are using it.

Soft Play Frames

  • Soft play frames are designed for specific age and weight limits, as provided on each product page. Please ensure all users adhere to these restrictions to prevent damage and ensure safe use always.
  • Do not allow children to climb on the outside or on top of of the frames.
  • Ensure the landing area at the bottom of slides is clear before a child slides down.
  • It is possible for the mats at the base of the slide to shift while in use - reposition them back in to place to avoid gaps between the slide and mats.

Ball Ponds

  • We frequently clean the balls in our ball ponds with our ball washing machine and/or a hot pressure wash.
  • To maintain a safe environment, do not allow any foreign objects such as balloons, small toys, hair clips, and anything sharp like glasses or pencils in the ball ponds.
  • The number of children in a ball pond should be limited to prevent overcrowding, especially when younger children are playing with older, larger children.
  • Always check for children in the ball pond before allowing others to jump or dive in.
  • Supervising adults should discourage children from placing balls in their mouths.

Bouncy Castles

  • Bouncy castles are strictly for children within the specified age and weight limits.
  • To prevent overcrowding, limit the number of children bouncing at the same time. Children of similar size and age should bounce together.
  • Children should not climb, hang on, or jump from the walls of the bouncy castle.
  • Children should not run against the walls of the bouncy castle, attempting to tip it from side to side.
  • Children must not bounce on the front step of the bouncy castle.
  • If outdoors, continually check that the bouncy castle is securely anchored and that the area around it is clear of any potential hazards.
  • In the event of high winds or bad weather, the bouncy castle's use must be suspended immediately.

Slides

  • Children must always slide down feet first.
  • Children must not be allowed to balance or play on the slide platform (top section).
  • No one should stand in front of the slide landing.
  • Children must not push or shove each other down the slide.

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