Soft Play Shapes

Take a moment to look at a typical soft play set and you might wonder whether there is really much to say about it. Cubes, wedges, cylinders, steps, arches and blocks. Fairly ordinary objects, at least from an adult's perspective.

Children often see things differently.

What adults recognise as a foam shape, a toddler might see as a mountain to climb, a seat, a bridge, a stepping stone, a tunnel entrance or part of a game that only makes sense to them. One of the most interesting aspects of soft play is how children transform simple shapes into something entirely different through their own imagination and curiosity.

The humble cube

A cube may not sound particularly exciting. Yet watch children around soft play long enough and you will see cubes become seats, stepping stones, towers, building blocks and obstacles.

Children frequently move them, stack them, sit on them and incorporate them into games of their own invention.

The appeal is not necessarily the shape itself. The appeal comes from what the child decides to do with it.

Wedges and slopes

Wedge shapes appear in many Soft Play Packages because they encourage movement in different ways.

A small slope invites climbing. It presents a challenge that is achievable but not entirely effortless. Young children often enjoy repeatedly travelling up and down wedges as they develop confidence and coordination.

Adults may see a simple ramp. Children often see an activity.

Arches, tunnels and doorways

There is something fascinating about spaces children can travel through.

Arches and tunnels encourage crawling, exploration and curiosity. Children often return to them repeatedly, sometimes turning them into houses, secret passages or entrances to imaginary worlds.

These types of shapes are particularly common within Soft Play Climbing Frames and larger play layouts.

Cylinders and rollers

Round shapes create entirely different opportunities for play. They roll, spin and move in ways that square objects do not.

Children enjoy experimenting with this movement. Some push them. Others sit on them. Some simply enjoy seeing what happens when they roll across a play area.

These small experiments are often part of how children learn about balance, movement and cause and effect.

Shapes and imagination

One of the reasons simple soft play remains popular is because it leaves room for imagination.

Highly themed environments certainly have their place, and many children enjoy Themed Soft Play. However, basic shapes allow children to create their own meanings and stories.

A wedge can become a hill. A cube can become a castle tower. A collection of shapes can become almost anything.

The less defined the object, the more freedom children often have to interpret it in their own way.

Shapes and development

Different shapes encourage different types of movement.

• Steps encourage climbing and balance.
• Wedges encourage coordination and confidence.
• Tunnels encourage crawling and spatial awareness.
• Platforms encourage jumping, sitting and social interaction.
• Ball ponds encourage sensory exploration.

Together, these elements create varied play opportunities that support different stages of development.

You can read more about this in How Children Play on Soft Play and The Benefits of Soft Play.

When design becomes overcomplicated

Occasionally there is a temptation to assume that more features automatically create better play.

In reality, children often spend just as much time with simple shapes as they do with more elaborate equipment. Sometimes the most engaging play comes from equipment that allows children to make their own decisions rather than directing every aspect of the experience.

This is perhaps one reason why many classic soft play shapes remain largely unchanged despite trends coming and going over the years.

A shape is only the beginning

Ultimately, soft play shapes are tools rather than destinations. Their purpose is not simply to look attractive or fill a space. Their purpose is to support movement, imagination, exploration and play.

Children provide the rest.

You may also enjoy reading All that glitters is gold not - aesthetics in the soft play realm, What's the Point of Play?, Why Play Matters and Why Choose Dancing Cubs.