The Steading, Rosewell
BEST FOR
Ages 0-5
ENTRY
from £1.40
WHERE
Rosewell
What it’s like
A small, calm soft play and sensory room set-up for babies and under-fives, with a café doing pastel de nata for £1.40.
This one's built for the very small. Soft play is for babies and toddlers, and the sensory room sessions are capped at six children in soft play or four in the sensory room if anyone's over five, six if everyone's under five. That cap is worth knowing before you turn up expecting a free-for-all: it's deliberately kept small and quiet, which suits a nervous toddler far better than a packed warehouse of a place, but it does mean you can't just wander in and hope for space.
The café runs shorter hours than the main building, closing at 4pm on weekdays and earlier at weekends, so don't plan your visit around a late lunch there. Breakfast rolls are £2.80, a burger and chips is £9, and if you just want something small with your coffee the pastel de nata at £1.40 is the cheap win. The whole building is step-free and wheelchair accessible, with accessible parking bays right by the entrance, so getting a buggy or a wheelchair in isn't a fight.
Birthday parties happen on Saturdays, 12:30 to 3:30pm, up to 30 children for £90 with your own food and entertainment. Read the party rules before you book though: no confetti, glitter, glue or party cannons, bouncy castles have to be under 2.3 metres, and if you overrun or leave a bouncy castle up too late you're looking at a minimum £40 to £60 charge. That last half hour of your slot is for packing up, not playing, which catches people out.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 0 to 5, with soft play and a sensory room built around the very small
- Parking
- 2 accessible parking bays by main entrance, step-free route to entrance
- Food
- Café with coffee, tea, breakfast, lunch, brunch and street food menu
- Wheelchairs
- Fully wheelchair accessible building with step-free access throughout public areas
- Dogs
- Dog friendly
- Getting there by bus or train
- Lothian Buses 46 and X31 on Carnethie Street, minute's walk away, step-free pavements
- Parties
- Saturday parties 12:30–3:30pm, up to 30 children, £90 with own entertainment/food
- Party access is 12:30 to 3:30pm, but activities need to wrap by 3pm to leave clearing-up time.
- Bring your own food and decorations to a party if you want, or book one of their suppliers.
- Dogs are allowed in, if that changes your plans for who comes along.
- Buses 46 and X31 stop on Carnethie Street, a minute's walk away, with step-free pavements.
Plan your visit
How much does it cost to visit?
There's no general entry price listed beyond the café menu and party costs, but a pastel de nata is £1.40 and a burger and chips is £9 if you're after a rough sense of café prices.
What ages is this suited to?
Soft play and the sensory room are aimed at babies through to age five. Older children can use the sensory room too, but the group caps drop if anyone's over five.
Do we need to book?
There's a booking link, so it's set up for pre-booking rather than just turning up.
Is there a limit on numbers?
Soft play sessions cap at six children, one adult per child if it's full. The sensory room is four users if anyone's over five, or six if everyone's under five.
What are the opening hours?
The building's open 9am to 5pm daily. The café closes earlier, 4pm on weekdays, 3:30pm Saturday and 2:30pm Sunday.
Can we get food there?
Yes, there's a café doing breakfast, brunch, lunch and street food, with locally sourced options and dietary choices catered for.
How much is a birthday party?
£90 for the Main Hall on a Saturday, 12:30 to 3:30pm, up to 30 children. You bring your own food and entertainment, or use one of their pre-booked suppliers.
What are the party rules?
No alcohol, smoking or vaping, and no party cannons, confetti, glue or glitter. Bouncy castles are capped at 2.3 metres and need to be a low-roofed model.
What happens if a party runs over?
A standard overrun is a minimum £40 charge. Leaving a bouncy castle or large equipment up too late is a minimum £60 charge, so build in time to clear up before 3:30.
Is there parking?
There are two accessible parking bays right by the main entrance, with a step-free route in.
Is it accessible for wheelchairs and buggies?
The building is fully wheelchair accessible with step-free access throughout the public areas.
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