Twiggy's Play

Twiggy's Play is the soft play in Thirsk itself, in a unit on the industrial park on the east side of town. For a family already in Thirsk on a wet day, it is the indoor option you can reach on foot from the Market Place, and it opens every day of the week.

The play space is split into four parts. The Main Play Frame is the big climbing structure for older children, described in listings as three storeys high. Under-2s have their own Baby Zone, toddlers have a Toddler Area, and the Imagination Zone is set up for role play. Keeping the youngest away from the main frame means a family with a baby and a school-age child can stay together in one room while each plays at their own level.

There is a cafe inside serving food, drinks and desserts, so you can sit with a coffee while the children play and stay through lunch if the rain has set in.

From Tea Time Cafe at 87 Market Place, the walk is about 1.4 km and takes around 17 minutes. Leave the square by Millgate, cross Cod Beck at the bridge, and follow St James Green and Stammergate on to Long Street. Turn into Barbeck and follow it to Thirsk Industrial Park, where Twiggy's is Unit 2, Concept Business Court, on Allendale Road.

By car it is a three-minute drive along the same roads. Listings describe free parking at the unit, and the postcode for a satnav is YO7 3NY. With small children and a buggy, the drive is the easier choice on a wet day, and the walk works well when it is dry.

A family with mixed ages can split up easily. Older children can head for the main frame, the youngest can go to the Baby Zone or the Toddler Area, and an adult can take a table in the cafe within sight of both. The Imagination Zone gives a change of pace when the climbing gets too much.

Booking is simple. Ring 01845 421110 or message the venue on Facebook with how many children and adults are coming, the day and time you want, and a mobile number. The venue then reserves you a table and sends a payment link for the admissions. Walk-ins are welcome too.

In term time there are toddler sessions with a weekly theme, and outside providers run TinyBeats and Messy Makers sessions on site. Those are booked through each provider's own Facebook page. The venue also hosts children's parties, which can take over the space, so check Facebook before you set off.

Distance comes first: it is a 17-minute walk from the Market Place, and it opens seven days a week. The separate baby and toddler areas are the next draw, because they let parents of very young children relax while older siblings climb. The cafe on site means a visit can stretch to two hours or more, lunch included.

Ring ahead for prices, because the official list is only published as an image and older listings online give out-of-date figures. Book on wet days and in the school holidays; walk-ins are accepted, but the venue advises booking to avoid disappointment. Remember that Tuesday opens an hour later, at 11am. Check the venue's Facebook page on the morning you go, since parties, events or maintenance can change the hours. Ask about the rules of entry, including socks, when you ring. A morning session followed by lunch back on the Market Place makes an easy half day for younger children.