With London’s decidedly changeable (read: wet) weather, a great list of soft play areas in London is a must-have for every parent. My kids are like a couple of mischievous puppies when they’re cooped up in the house for too long, so I’ve become a bit of a connoisseur on ball ponds and indoor climbing frames.

When it comes to soft play, north London has some of the best centres:

Topsy Turvy World

Tucked in behind Brent Cross shopping centre is a huge soft play centre, a great place to let the children burn off energy after traipsing around the shops with you. The play areas are split by age group, with babies and toddlers in the upstairs area while older children run rampage and play games downstairs – something to bear in mind if you have kids in two different age brackets. They also host regular Gymboree, baking and craft sessions.

Topsy Turvy World, Prince Charles Dr, Hendon, London NW4 3RW

Clown Town

Just off the North Circular, Clown Town is a large indoor play space with separate areas for under fivess and older children, as well as a fenced in baby zone. It’s bright and spacious, with lots more natural light than the other soft play areas. Its best feature is that it is incredibly easy to supervise the kids from afar so you can enjoy a coffee or feed your baby while the kids play.

Clown Town, Finchley, London N12 0SH

Little Dinosaurs

I love Little Dinosaurs, the small dinosaur-themed soft play centre at the top of Alexandra Park. It’s quite small but well designed, with a fun little baby area, a two-level play structure, and a large fenced in area outdoors. The food is not just decent but actually quite nice, and it has more of a cosy family run feel than the other places.

Little Dinosaurs, The Grove, Alexandra Park, London N22 7AY

Kids N20

Halfway between Woodside Park and Totteridge and Whetstone, Kids N20 is a bit of a hidden gem – you could easily drive past it without ever realising it’s a children’s play area. I wasn’t too keen on the baby area, and the design is such that it’s impossible to stay with the baby while also keeping an eye on the toddler, but for ages two to six (even seven at a push) it’s excellent.

Kids N20, Whetstone, London N20 0PT

Talacre Treetops

I confess, I have never been to Talacre but the feedback from mums and nannies has always been excellent. They have a three-level climbing structure, open gym sessions with trampolines and balance bars, and also run gymnastics and tennis lessons for kids.

Talacre Treetops, Dalby St, Kentish Town, London NW5 3AF

Also nearby and worth looking up are the Sobell Centre in Finsbury Park, Pyramid Soft Play in Islington, KidzBiz in Palmers Green and Kidz Adventure Zone in Wood Green, and David Lloyd Finchley – a gym with a fantastic play space. If you don’t mind a bit of a trek further North, Willows Farm is just 20 minutes up the road and will blow you away.

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Find more ways to entertain the kids with our deals for things to do in London.