Kids in Prague

Indoor Playground Andel Shopping Centre, Prague 5

Indoor Playgrounds on 24 March 2009 by Darina

NEW DESIGN after reconstruction!!! What do you think? I have been going to this kids play area for some time, therefore it doesn’t really surprise me that it is right next to public toilets in Novy Smichov Shopping Mall at Andel. So don’t be put off by the approach. It’s kind of strange when you slalom in between people queuing to use the WC as they say in Czech, but it’s worth it, if and when you manage to get in.

The play area is nice and clean and they baby sit kids from 3 years up. Younger children can enter only with you in attendance. There are little lockers for personal belongings and you can park your pram in the corridor safely. After you register your child and leave them your phone number, you can all go wild in the 155 m2 play area.

Children slide on a small slide into the ball pool, drive around on bikes, play with toys or watch cartoons. There is also a table for drawing but it seemed to me that I was the only one drawing there as many of the kids were being baby sat by the sitters who didn’t really pay much attention to the children. The maximum capacity of kids in the playground is 30. There are always 2 baby sitters and they claim that they have basic English skills or simply use non verbal cues to communicate with the kids.
Last time we went there I was a bit shocked by the way one of the sitters was treating some kids whose parents had left them there to play alone. She was constantly nagging on one boy in particular, telling him how to behave and making him tidy up the toys. I figured that he was her child that she had taken to work with her, but then his parents turned up.

There is nothing wrong with teaching kids to behave and to clean up after themselves, but not from others thank you - I will educate my kids myself and play areas are meant to be for playing. These girls are paid to clean the mess if anything - right? Maybe I am just getting too allergic to Czech aggression; a form of old fashioned hospitality and service.

So, for sure your child will be safe, however do not expect too much interaction from the staff. I guess it’s alright if you just leave them there for few hours. On the other hand I have heard some mothers who put their kids in there for the whole day. I’ve visited this indoor playground 5 times and only once we were unable to get in because of full occupancy.

If this happens, I suggest you take your kids upstairs to McDonald’s (not to eat, but to play) where they have a climbing tower with a slide that keeps them busy. If the weather is kind then very close by you will find Sacre Couer Playground which I highly recommend.

When heading to the indoor playground with a pram please make sure you use the lifts as it is much easier than winding through the whole Mall on the escalators. Take the lift to level 1 and you’ll find it right there, its called Detsky koutek in Czech. They also claim to have regular programs for kids but I have never experienced one as yet. I have to also mention that they have kid’s toilets and a changing table with wet wipes and nappies in case you forget.

What I am quite happy about is that the TV is not on all the time but only when there are too many kids and the sitters are finding it a little too much to handle. I really appreciate that they do not over use the TV since the latest studies have shown that if your child watches TV for more than 2 hours a day they may be facing future concentration problems in school.
 

Prices have increased after the revamp, here is the latest pricing information per child:
0 - 60 min 50 CZK
61 - 75 min 70 CZK
76 - 90 min 90 CZK
91 - 105 min 110 CZK
106 - 120min 130 CZK
121 - 135 min 180 CZK
136 - 150 min 230 CZK
151 - 165 min 280 CZK
166 - 180 min 330 CZK
181 - 240 min 780 CZK

NB: If you don´t pick up your child by 21:00 you will be charged 120 CZK extra

New photos courtesy of Karen.