Soft play & indoor play in Preston

Rascals at Bamber Bridge is the steady one, a big centre minutes off the M6 with a sports court, a disco room and a quieter SEN session on Tuesday evenings, though its prices are not published. Flip Out at Fishwick Park, off Mercer Street, is the trampoline option: a Kids Arena, slamball, a stunt zone and two soft plays including one for toddlers, with jumps from £13 and under fives from £8.

Watch Flip Out's term-time hours, because it is shut on Mondays and does not open until 12.30pm on weekdays. Its buy-one-hour-get-one-free slots on Sunday mornings and term-time weekday afternoons are the cheap way in.

Soft play & indoor play in Preston

Flip Out Preston

Preston~40 min

★★★★☆3.7(687)

Preston's Flip Out: trampolines, a Kids Arena, slamball, a stunt zone and two soft plays, one for toddlers. In term time it is shut on Mondays and opens at 12.30pm on weekdays.

Jumps from £13, under 5s from £8IndoorsAges 1-14

Jump Maniax Preston

Preston~40 min

★★★★☆4.2(417)

A big indoor play centre at Fishwick Park off Mercer Street, mixing soft play, slides, inflatables and arcade machines with a separate toddler section and a cafe. Prices are nowhere on the website.

Price not listedIndoorsAges 1-11

Rascals Play Centre

Preston~35 min

★★★★☆4.3(1,122)

Preston's big indoor centre at Bamber Bridge, minutes off the M6, with a sports court, a disco room and a quieter SEN session on Tuesday evenings.

Price not listedIndoorsAges 0-11

Soft play & indoor play elsewhere in the North West

Giggles Play Mill

Warrington~10 min

★★★★☆4.2(164)

Two-tier soft play frame, low climbing wall, pirate ship, crawl tubes and a bouncy slide, plus Messy Monday and sensory sessions during the week.

Session priceIndoorsAges 4-8

Jellybeans Play Centre

Warrington~15 min

★★★★☆4.1(641)

Bigger than the average soft play: multi-level frame, a spooky room, an astro slide, a climbing wall, two mini bowling lanes and a slot racing track. The bowling is what makes it work when you have a toddler and a seven-year-old to keep happy at once.

Session priceIndoorsAges 4-9

Fun2b

Warrington~10 min

★★★★☆4.2(200)

Straightforward multi-level soft play with a café that adults can actually sit in. Nothing fancy, reliably works.

Session priceIndoorsAges 4-8

Tenpin Warrington

Warrington~10 min

★★★★☆4.2(1,663)

Soft play plus bowling under one roof, which solves the two-different-ages problem in a single trip. Ask for the barriers if anyone is under about six.

Per game / sessionIndoorsAges 4-11

Play & Sensory Centre

Warrington~10 min

★★★★★4.5(16)

Council-run indoor play and sensory space. Quieter than commercial soft play, which suits some days better.

Low costIndoorsAges 4-8

Holiday Clubs (HAF)

St HelensIn town

★★★★★5.0(17)

Funded holiday clubs with food included, ages 4 to 18, for families on benefits-related free school meals. Worth a look even if you assume you won't qualify.

Free if eligibleIndoorsSchool holidaysAges 4-11