I never thought I'd be writing about Iron Age political geography at a place called Andy's Playland.
It's Skiing Break, and because of preparations for our recent move my wife and I never got round to booking accommodations up north as we often have in recent years. This week, instead we take turns with the old folks at minding the children while they're on break. Yesterday, having been tipped off by Ãsa of Ting & Tankar, my wife took our daughter to the Museum of Nordic Culture where she had a blast in the kids' room. Today, she wanted me to take her to Andy's over at the old Sickla industrial estate that's been turned into a suburban shopping Mecca.
I had a bad feeling about this place. I mean, it's on the third floor of a mall (shudder), and you take your kids there and pay to let them play while you sit around waiting? Sounded... sad and McDonaldsy and culturally deprived. But it's won me over completely. Get this: it's a huge cavernous fun house with slides and ball ponds where your kid entertains herself for hours on end while you partake of free wifi and a reasonable coffee shop. I brought a book and the family laptop and earplugs, and I have been working, undisturbed. Now and then the 5-y-o shows up sweaty and breathless and rosy-cheeked, drinks some water and zips off again to her newfound friends. This place is open from 10 to 20 on weekdays. Admission is SEK 120 ($14) a kid.
Taking the children skiing is of course a far better way to bond with them, but honestly, it'll be years before the little one can appreciate slopes and lifts and northern climes anywhere near as much as she enjoys the playland right now.
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Ah, the memories! Used to take a pair of children to the local McDonald's and buy a single Happy Meal, which went mostly uneaten, sit for 2 hours mostly in conversation with another adult (a rare treat at that stage), while keeping a wary eye out for kami-kaze-style dives by small boys from the roof of the Hamburger-Tree-House-Slide. It's the only reason I have a shred of sanity at this point. See? McDonald's isn't totally evil and wicked, after all.
Sounds a bit like Niki's here in Uppsala. From the pictures on the homepage it looks a whole lot more pleasant for the adults. Apart from the sad state of the table section, I do love Niki's for the sake of the kids and envy them (we never had that much fun as kids!). Running around free in this world of pillows, slides, air bag castles, multi level fun houses... wonderful.
Thank you for the tip, my parents live just in the neighbourhood of Sickla. They are taking the kids to see a theater show there on saturday (Dieselverkstaden).
I have been my taking my children to similar Playlands both in Lund and in Växjö (there is none in Kalmar). Although the entire idea does seem bizarre at first, I agree entirely with Martin that when it comes down to it they are pure paradise. The children play for hours on end, needing minimal attention and getting maximum satisfaction, while for adults it is a perfect place to work. It's just about the best destination I know for reading academic papers and books. What is more, all the action makes the children even go to bed early in the evening while the parent is reasonably rested and still fit for adult occupations! They are machines for family satisfaction and worth every öre.