The Doves Play Barn
BEST FOR
Ages 0-5
ENTRY
from £5.95
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Uckfield
What it’s like
A soft play barn built for the under-fives, with rope bridges, slides and an inflatable course sized to small legs.
This one's for the little ones properly, not a big-kid frame with a toddler corner bolted on. It's built for babies through to five-year-olds, with rope bridges, slides, hidden spaces to duck into and an indoor inflatable course that's the obvious thing to save for after the toddler area's been done to death. There's a toddler-safe area too, so a crawling baby and a confident four-year-old can both be occupied without you refereeing.
The inflatables come with a rule worth knowing: any under-fives on them need to be walking and supervised one-to-one, so it's not a leave-them-to-it zone if you've got a toddler who's still wobbly on their feet. Sessions run 1.5 hours, which feels about right for this age group before naps or meltdowns take over.
It's £5.95 for a child, £1.25 for an adult, and babies in arms go free, so a grown-up tagging along barely dents the bill. The café does cakes, pastries and savoury bits from a local bakery, plus proper coffee and hot chocolate, and there's a gelato parlour next door if the weather's playing along. Open every day, 9am to 5pm.
Birthday parties are a private hire here, 1.5 hours for up to 30 children with unlimited squash thrown in, and they're strictly toddler parties for under-fives. Term-time hire is £180, weekends jump to £225, and you're welcome to bring your own cake and food if the bakery spread isn't quite what you had in mind.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Babies to 5 year olds, the inflatable course is the highlight
- Food
- Café serving cakes, bakes, pastries and savoury items
- Parties
- Private hire 1.5 hours, up to 30 children, includes unlimited squash
- Under-fives on the inflatables must be walking and need one-to-one supervision
- Birthday parties here are toddler parties only, for under-fives
- There's a gelato parlour right next door for after
- Lockers are available if you want to stash coats and bags
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£5.95 for a child from crawling to 5 years, £1.25 for an adult, and babies in arms are free.
How long do we get?
Sessions run 1.5 hours.
Is it suitable for a toddler who isn't walking yet?
There's a toddler-safe area for younger ones, but the inflatable course only allows under-fives who can walk, and they need one-to-one supervision on it.
What are the opening hours?
Open every day, 9am to 5pm.
What food is available?
A café serves cakes, pastries and savoury items from Newick Cottage Bakery, along with coffee, hot chocolate and teas. There's also a gelato parlour next door.
Can we do a birthday party?
Yes, private hire for 1.5 hours, up to 30 children, with unlimited squash included. Term-time is £180, weekends £225, and it's for under-fives only.
Can we bring our own food for a party?
You're welcome to bring your own food, cake and candles for a party booking.
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