The bizzness for my little monkey!! (Monkey Bizzness Soft Play Centre (Hockley))

Member Name: sam_k

Product:	Monkey Bizzness Soft Play Centre (Hockley)
Date:	11/11/08 (277 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Variety of facilities available for children, food/drinks available, spacious

Disadvantages: a bit too far for me to go every week!!

Monkey Bizzness is an indoor play centre for children located in Hockley, Essex. It is just off Hockley High Street, close to bus routes and Hockley train station.

They are open 7 days a week from 10am - 6pm, closing at 5:30pm on Sundays and are open all year round except Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Eve and New Years Day.

It is aimed at families catering for children from older babies and toddlers up to children no taller than 4'10". With a large area for adults to sit and watch their children and enjoy food/drink from the snack bar. They also offer a variety of party packages.

Prices are as follows
Under 2's: £2.95
Age 2 - 5: £3.95
Ages 5 and over: £4.95
Babies are free if accompanied by an elder paying sibling.
Parents get in free (if accompanied by a paying child!) which is not the case in all soft play centres I have visited.

Facilites
There are 2 main soft play areas within the centre for under 5's and over 5's!!

Under 5's area
In this secure gated area
are mini cars
see-saw rocker
educational interactive wall panels
ball pool
Soft fun cubes/shapes
basic soft/padded climbing area
slide

Over 5's area
extensive soft play climbing area including 4 lane bumpy slide
soft ball canons
5 a side football/basketball area (netting walls so no flying balls)
There is also a transerve climbing wall along one wall.

I believe there are also short sessions offered on 2 mornings a week to participate in Junior gym, which is specially designed equipment for children such as treadmill, rowing machine, exercise bike amongst others. It is stated there is a member of staff available to help parents supervise their children on the equipment.

There are a number of tables with chairs alongside the soft play areas so lot's of space for you to sit down and have a drink and/or something to eat. There are a number of highchairs available for younger children if needed.

Near the snack bar are a few leather sofas and some newspapers so parents of older children that need less supervision can sit and relax.

Snack bar
There are a variety of hot and cold foods to choose from including sandwiches, pannini's, jacket potatoes, salads, burgers, main meals and also a good range of childrens sized meals such as fish fingers. There is also a selection of hot and cold drinks including fizzy drinks, water, smoothies, milkshakes, slushies, a variety of coffees. They are all reasonably priced too.

There are facilities for heating baby bottles/weaning foods too.

Toilets
They have large toilet areas including baby change facilities and disabled toilets.


Overall I was very pleased with our visit here and my son certainly enjoyed himself!!
I was impressed with under 5's facilities as I have found in other soft play centres it can be limited and my son (currently 15months) gets bored. But here there was plenty for him to climb on and over and he loved the mini cars. I did as usual have to carry him round to explore the over 5's area too though!!!

It wasn't too hot as I have found with other places and I was impressed with the security they have. Entry beyond the reception area is via a tall gate that a child would not be able to open. There was a similar gate to enter the under 5's area so I was confident my son was safe (slightly less running after him for me then!!)

Not only did I get in free as a parent but I also got a free filter coffee/cup of tea as part of the child entry ticket.

Overall reasonably priced and a great day out!!!!


See website for more information
http://www.monkeybizznessadventureplay.co.uk/inde x.html

Summary: Highly recommended if you live near enough