Looking for an incredible play centre around Chatswood? Planet Mino offers two floors bursting with creative and imaginative play ideas, the kids (and adults) are certain to have nothing but fun! St Ives mum Laura Loveridge took her three children there to try it out…
As you enter Planet Mino, you are greeted with the most enormous ball pit that I have ever seen! The kids were so excited to get stuck in that they forgot to take their shoes off and were quickly reminded by the friendly staff that shoes must come off and anti-slip socks must be worn before entry. My 4-year-old often still asks for help to take his shoes on and off (even though he is quite capable) but I have never seen him remove them so fast!
They were soon jumping in the ball pit… sliding down the four-lane slippery dip; pretending to be pirates and save their ship on the interactive wall, navigating intricate climbing structures, jumping on different sized trampolines, pretending to be birds flying high above the clouds on the net climbing structure; and so on and on. They even had to slide down and escape the volcano before it erupted!
The imagination and creativity of this soft play is endless and not only does it stand out for this reason, but the pastel colours make it so inviting and pleasing on the eye as well.
The look and feel (and cleanliness!)
Shoe rack for storing shoes before you enter
At this point, it’s also important to note that parents or guardians must also remove their shoes and wear socks even if not intending on going to the equipment. Cleanliness at soft play centres is always something on the back of my mind but with this and noting the industrial sized ball pit cleaning machine in the car park below, I was already impressed with the cleanliness of the place and this impression continued throughout our morning there. They even provide slippers to use when using the toilets as all shoes are left upstairs.
Planet Mino food and the cafe (yum!)
Parents can enjoy a coffee while watching their kids play
To make it even more magical (for the mums!) the cafe and seating area completely overlook the first floor play area so you can see your kids the entire time whilst enjoying a hot cup of coffee (hurrah!), a bite to eat from their delicious menu or even whilst you try to catch up on some work. It’s just too easy!
Like many play centres, Planet Mino have a no outside food policy but they do offer a variety of options from the café should you need just a snack or something more substantial. The kid’s menu ranges from $8-$14 and includes items such as ham and cheese toasties or meatball pasta and for the grown-ups there is slightly more variety including all day breakfast items, delicious healthy salads and hot lunches such as chicken schnitzel. For further details please see their website.
I was also pleased to see no plastic in sight as all the cutlery was wooden and food served on reusable plates which eases my environmentally conscious heart. We also got a sneak peek at their Christmas lunch special which involved Rudolf noses and magical Frozen fairy floss. It was so creative and fun and tasty all at the same time.
Exploring the Lower Floor
Downstairs at Planet Mino there is lots of fun for little ones!
I think the kids could have stayed all morning on the first floor alone so seeing their faces light up when they realised there was a whole other section downstairs was priceless! There awaits even more imaginative play. like:
- Shops and kitchens
- Ride on cars
- Jumping cushion
- Building blocks space station
- Beauty parlour
They even have a 0-2-year-old only section which has its own ball pit and climbing structures and having a little one myself, I was quite pleased to see the age of the kids in this area being “policed”. Although she is used to the rough and tumble from older siblings, it’s nice to know there is a quieter area if it all gets a bit too much.
Transport and parking
Underground parking is available however, if you have a big car, I would find street parking as the spaces are very cosy and I found quite hard to navigate! There is a lift up to the reception which is accessed via the Alleyne Street entrance.
Planet Mino Pricing
I have to confess, whilst it isn’t cheap to visit this play centre, it really does offer a lot for your money and you could easily stay the whole day!
Weekday rate:
- 0-12 months: $10 Unlimited play (free with older sibling)
- 1-3 years: $12.50 per hour | $39.50 Unlimited play
- 3+ years: $14.50 per hour | $44.50 Unlimited play
- 0-12 months $15 Unlimited play
- 1-3 yrs $14.50 per hour | $45 Unlimited play
- 3+ yrs $17 per hour | $49 Unlimited play
See prices on Planet Mino website.
Review: Overall
All the kids had a fantastic time at Planet Mino! If it wasn’t for the fact the little ones needed a sleep, I think we could have stayed all day! We stayed for around two and a half hours and I still don’t think the kids played with everything available.
The centre is split on two floors by stairs which isn’t easy if you are watching more than one child or have very young children who can’t navigate stairs yet but there is so much to offer on each floor, I found my kids were just happy to play wherever the other ones were.
We loved it, and will definitely be back!
Planet Mino: Essential Details
- Address: 10 Smith Street, Chatswood
- Open: Mon-Thurs: 9-4pm | Fri: 9-5pm | Sat-Sun: 9-5pm
- Phone: (02) 9417 5939
- Website
