Ikea Play Area

[Anonymous]

I have only been there first thing on a Sunday morning but it sure did get busy as the morning goes on. What are weekdays like there? I would be going sometime between 12 and 12.30pm. My twins are 3 and very timid of large groups so wondering if it is even an option. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Are you talking about dropping the kids off at "smalland" or whatever they call it? Or the play area in the cafe?

And which Ikea are you talking about? College Park? Woodbridge?

[Anonymous]

Sorry. Yes "Smalland" at College Park.

[Anonymous]

I haven't been there a lot on weekdays, but the store is generally much less busy than on the weekends.

And my son isn't quite tall enough yet to be allowed into smalland. But every time we go in, we stand him up to that line to see how close he's getting.

Side question, if anyone cares to respond:
At what age did you first leave your kid there? My son is just 2.25. He's out of diapers though, so as soon as he grows an inch, he'll be ready in terms of store rules. Do you think that 2.5 years old is way too young?

[Anonymous]

I think it depends on the kid. I have a 3 yo ds I wouldn't leave there. That said, it is a zoo on weekends and my tough 6 yo dd had a total meltdown about "mean big kids" in the playplace (in Woodbridge, though). It seems very lightly supervised-more like a free for all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it depends on the kid. I have a 3 yo ds I wouldn't leave there. That said, it is a zoo on weekends and my tough 6 yo dd had a total meltdown about "mean big kids" in the playplace (in Woodbridge, though). It seems very lightly supervised-more like a free for all.

Yes, the woodbridge one seems a little "tougher". I think CP is a little more gentle. Do you think the inventory in WOodbridge is better though> sorry for the side note.

[Anonymous]

nah, i think its about the same

[Anonymous]

I just came home from CP IKEA. Smalland seemed pretty deserted.

[Anonymous]

Do educated people really leave their kids in that place? You have no idea who is staffing it and what the other kids are doing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do educated people really leave their kids in that place? You have no idea who is staffing it and what the other kids are doing!

Yes, many educated, non-paranoid, non-alarmist people leave their kids there. My 3.5 y.o. loves it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do educated people really leave their kids in that place? You have no idea who is staffing it and what the other kids are doing!

Yes, many educated, non-paranoid, non-alarmist people leave their kids there. My 3.5 y.o. loves it.

Eww and no way!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do educated people really leave their kids in that place? You have no idea who is staffing it and what the other kids are doing!

Yes, many educated, non-paranoid, non-alarmist people leave their kids there. My 3.5 y.o. loves it.

Eww and no way!

Let me guess... Protecting the Gift advised against this, am I right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do educated people really leave their kids in that place? You have no idea who is staffing it and what the other kids are doing!

Yes, many educated, non-paranoid, non-alarmist people leave their kids there. My 3.5 y.o. loves it.

Eww and no way!

Let me guess... Protecting the Gift advised against this, am I right?

Nope. I haven't been on DCUM in awhile, so I didn't know we have a "Protecting the Gift" person even though I have heard that book mentioned on here a few times in the past. Never read it though.

Let's call me COMMON.SENSE mom! I really just never understood how someone can walk into a store and literally drop off their kid to strangers and go shopping. You really trust these people to keep your kid safe and not let them accidentally walk out the door with someone else. just crazy, I tell you.

[Anonymous]

We were there 2 weekends ago and we dropped off our almost 5 year old there.

I was actually very impressed. They have you fill out a form and the parent and the child get a bracelet.
Then they give you a beeper ( like at a restaurant) so if your child is upset or they need you they can contact you
right away.

My son had a blast and we were able to shop knowing he was happily playing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Let's call me COMMON.SENSE mom! I really just never understood how someone can walk into a store and literally drop off their kid to strangers and go shopping. You really trust these people to keep your kid safe and not let them accidentally walk out the door with someone else. just crazy, I tell you.

And I am COMMON SENSE dad! How can you really shop and adequately keep an eye on your LO without disturbing other shoppers. Or are you the one whose kids are running around jumping on the couches and running in front of me to sit on the chair that I am considering buying and I have to wait while your LO plays with the chair? Or the ones that I saw playing with the towels and unfolding three of them, then running away? Or were you the one who left your son sitting in the cart crying while you ignored him and did your shopping? I've seen a lot of those parents around Ikea and I have to say that in my mind, that is far from common sense. When you try to do two things such as watching your child and shopping, you don't do either particularly well. Smaland is perfect for keeping your child entertained and safe while you shop. With the check in and check out system, you have to identify yourself to take your child out, so unless someone else has your driver's license or the pager they hand you, they probably aren't just walking away with your child. Considering that Ikea has used this system for 25+ years (I used to shop in the White Marsh store in the 80's) and hasn't lost a child yet, I think it's safer than your common sense dictates.