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Igloo Soft Play and Sensory Room is part of Immanuel URC Church in Southbourne. It’s quite small, which makes it a great soft play for younger children. Ten month old Orla was in her element here and particularly enjoyed crawling in and out of the igloo windows.

How to get to Igloo Soft Play

Immanuel Church is on the main road in Southbourne (Belle Vue Road) just to the east of the town centre. It is around 3 miles east of Bournemouth along the A35.

By Bus

Buses number m2 and 1c stop at Tuckton Corner. Note: The bus stops aren’t opposite each other. Coming from Bournemouth, the stop is around a 3 minute walk away. However, heading towards Bournemouth, the stop is right opposite the church.

Access

Igloo Soft Play is in the annex to the left of the main church building, in the back left hand corner. Walk along the corridor past the café and toilets (stick your head in the office to let them know you’ve arrived) . It has flat access, which is ideal for pushchairs.

Parking

There is a small car park to the front of the church. If this is full, there is also some free roadside parking nearby. Note: The church holds a range of activities daily, so parking can sometimes be tricky.

Opening Times

Igloo Soft Play is open between Monday and Friday. There are four sessions, which need to be booked in advance:

• 9 am – 10 am
• 10:30 am – 11:30 am
• 12 pm – 1 pm
• 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm

Note: Numbers are limited to four families per session, so the morning sessions (particularly during bad weather) tend to book up extremely quickly.

There is also a monthly ‘Sparkle Time’ on a Saturday afternoon, when the venue is open exclusively to children with additional needs and their families.

Price

Sessions cost £2.50 per child. Babies are free if accompanying an older sibling.

Suitable for age

The play area is for pre-school age children only. It is all on one level, so is particularly suitable for younger children. Although it’s aimed at under fives, I think children towards the top end of this bracket would find it rather dull.

Details

The small Soft Play area has a large igloo made of foam ice blocks, plus plenty of foam shapes and rubber animals.

There are also plenty of sensory activities. The walls are lined with things to touch and look at, such as lights and mirrors. And there are also plenty of puzzles.

Penguins

Immanuel Church also hold Penguins Stay & Play sessions for children under 4 twice a week. Sessions include crafts, singing and a snack. They take place on Mondays and Thursdays during term time from 9.30 am until 11 am and cost £2.50 for up to two children.

Food & Drink

No food or drink is permitted in the soft play are. There is a nice café iat Immanuel Church; Jubilatte Café, which sells sandwiches, quiche, jacket potatoes, cakes etc. It also has a children’s menu, which includes Orla’s favourite – babycinos. A kid’s meal deal, which includes a sandwich, cucumber sticks, pom bears, raisins, a snack bar and fruit juice, costs £5.50.

Toilets/Changing Facilities

There is a toilet with changing facilities just along the corridor from the soft play area.

• Updated: September 2025

For more inspiration on things to do in and around Bournemouth with young children, check out my 101 Things to do in Bournemouth with Babies and Toddlers here.