Play Sofas and Open-Ended Play Furniture

FAMILY · UNITED KINGDOM

Play Sofas and Open-Ended Play Furniture

What they are for, safety, durability and whether they are worth it

Modular foam play furniture has become popular and it occupies a specific niche between a toy and a piece of furniture.

What they are for

Large foam blocks that children build into dens, slides, obstacle courses and forts, and that reassemble into a sofa. The appeal is that the child decides what it is, which is what sustains play far longer than a single-purpose toy.

They suit gross motor play indoors, which matters in winter and in homes without a garden.

Safety

Supervise climbing and building, keep them away from stairs, windows and hard corners, and do not let children jump onto them from furniture.

Foam is soft and does not remove the risk of a fall onto a hard floor beyond the edge of it. For toddlers, keep the structures low.

Check for fire safety labelling on the covers, which upholstered furniture in the UK must carry, and keep the packaging plastic away from children.

Durability

The cover is what fails. Look for a removable washable cover, a robust zip and whether replacement covers are sold separately, since that determines whether it lasts years.

Check the foam density — low density foam compresses permanently within months of being jumped on.

Space

These are large. Measure where it will live both assembled and in pieces, since a play sofa in a small room dominates it.

Is it worth it

For a household with a couple of children over several years, frequently yes. Cushions from a sofa and a blanket do much of the same job for nothing, which is worth remembering.

Playing with it

Children invent more when adults set up less. Putting the pieces out and leaving them alone produces longer play than demonstrating a design, and a photograph of a good build gives them something to rebuild later.

Store it assembled as seating so it stays in use rather than in a cupboard.

Cleaning

Remove and wash the covers as the label allows, spot clean the foam rather than soaking it, and dry everything fully before reassembling.

Alternatives and space

Sofa cushions, blankets and a clothes horse make a den for nothing, and a set of large cardboard boxes occupies children for a surprisingly long time. Buy the furniture because it suits your space rather than because a toy is needed.

Measure where it will live both assembled and in pieces.

Check the foam density and whether replacement covers are sold separately.

Keep the pieces off stairs and away from windows when children are building.

Resale

These hold value reasonably well and sell on readily.

WHERE TO BUY

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