Summer Camp

Not sure how you are going to keep the children entertained during the summer? Don't worry, Playzone has you covered! We have 9 fantastic weeks of summer camp lined up for children between the ages of 4 and 8! We will be exploring something different each week, everything from going under the sea to into the safari, we will be sure to keep your little ones busy all summer!!

Good mental health habits for kids

These days we are constantly hearing about mental health in the media, everything from positive initiatives to the lack of funding for mental health services and more often than not the emphasis tends to be on the lack of funding, poor services and the increasing number of people experiencing mental health difficulties. We here at Celbridge Playzone seek to take a holistic approach to children and child development and as we strive to be more than your average family play centre we have found the top six ways you can help your children keep mentally well and although it might seem unusual to be focusing on a young child’s mental health, laying the foundations for positive mental health at a young age may make a huge difference later in life.

Ensuring that your children have good mental health doesn’t mean that they will never experience worry or upset but rather they will be in a position to deal with these emotions and overcome them, preparing them better for whatever life may have in store for them in the future.

Here are the top six ways to promote good mental health in your children.

Look after your own mental health
Many adults find themselves living stressful and busy lives and some may even find themselves getting bogged down by the stress experienced throughout everyday life. It is important that before being able to look after your child’s mental health you must be actively looking at ways to look after your own mental health and control stress. Children learn from their parents so living a life, which promotes mental health, will have a positive effect on your children, making them aware of the importance of looking after your mental health.

Sleep

Sleep is an essential aspect for ensuring positive mental health, both for adults and for children. Ensuring your child has positive mental health means ensuring that they get enough sleep. Ensuring children get between 10 and 12 hours sleep will enable proper growth and development and ensure they are well rested, allowing them to deal with challenges to the best of their ability.

Exercise

Exercise does more than just ensure physical health but it also has a significant positive impact on your mental health. With exercise encouraging the production of hormones such as serotonin, which helps tackle depression and low mood, it is important that your child is getting a minimum of an hours exercise a day. A trip to someone like Playzone on a rainy day can help with this as children don’t exercise like adults a trip to Playzone can ensure children can get healthy exercise through play.

Creative Outlets

All children should be encouraged to get creative as it encourages them to find new ways of expressing themselves. Not only does creativity allow children to explore different outlets for emotions but it also encourages them to engage in activities mindfully, focusing on the here and now, allowing children to move away from the stress and worries associated with everyday life. Finding hobbies such as art and sports also allows this to happen.

Space

As parents we worry about our children, we want to spend time with them everyday and ensure they are well looked after, we want our children to feel loved and cared for so when it comes to accepting that children of all ages need time and space of their own it can be hard. Children of all ages can benefit in some way of having their own down time, time to allow their thoughts to wander and to explore their own thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Just like adults children too need their own space in order to relax.

Talk

We always hear about the benefits of talking when it comes to look after our mental health and this doesn’t just apply to adults but it is essential for children too. Some kids bottle up what is going on inside as they feel they cannot talk about things or indeed may not have the ability to express their emotions which is why from a young age it is essential to encourage talking and questioning why a person may be experiencing such feelings. Some children may not be able to verbally communicate their worries or concerns so engaging in creative methods can also be useful.

Mental health is an essential part of our lives and is something, which needs to be, valued the same as physical health. We here at Celbridge Playzone we recognize the importance of mental health and it is for that very reason that we seek to take a holistic approach to child development but also to give parents the tools necessary to help ensure their children can begin to lay the foundations of positive mental health.

Raising confident happy children

Raising children is a full time job, one that we recognize at Playzone as something that can be challenging but worthwhile. Here at Celbridge Playzone we see a whole host of children who we watch grow and develop into fun loving mischief-makers. We have developed unique relationships not only with the children we see on a regular basis but also their parents and it is for that very reason that we seek to help and support parents just as much as the children. Our blog is the place where parents can come not only to learn about Playzone but also to get some top tips on helping their children to grow and develop in to the little mischief makers we want to see them become, loving life and reminding us adults of the importance of living life to the full and taking advantage of any opportunities that come our way.

Parenting can be stressful, we all want the best for our children, we all want them to grown up to be confident and happy but this can sometimes be challenging. Sometimes as parents we can find ourselves unintentionally preventing our children from being as confident as they could be. Confidence is essential for children as it helps them to grow and succeed in many different areas of life which is why we have sourced some of the top tips for helping you to ensure that your children grown to be happy and confident, testing their limits and living life to the full.

Facing their fears

From a young age it is essential to help your children to face their fears, both developmental fears and learned fears. Overcoming learned fears such as a fear of dogs or spiders could be a daunting task for parents, especially if they share many of the same fears but it is something that will allow your children to develop confidence and allow them to gain a sense of achievement, that they have overcome a fear. It is essential to avoid avoiding ensuring your children can grow and develop.

Nature

Many children develop when they are outdoors, experiencing new things, making new friends, and gaining a sense of autonomy. Engaging with organizations such as Scouting Ireland will not only allow your children to learn new skills but will provide them with a level of autonomy which will allow their confidence to develop along with a greater understanding of the world around them, reducing fears and foster a greater sense of achievement within.

Praise

Praise is crucial for ensuring that children know what they have done well and encouraging a boost in confidence. Nowadays with the media focusing on looks rather than what people do, skills they have and abilities they can develop it is essential for us as parents to focus on what our children do and achieve rather than how they look or how others might view them in aiding the development of their confidence, encouraging children to link their self-worth with the positive things they do will enable them to recognize their talents and create a positive self-image.

Try, try, and try again

We all learn through our mistakes but often children can get frustrated when something doesn’t work our for them the first time round. For this reason many children find themselves lacking confidence in certain areas because they fell they cannot do something. In order to encourage our children’s confidence to develop we must remain children, constantly that if at first you don’t succeed try again. When a child try’s again and again and eventually achieves their confidence will be boosted and they will develop a strong sense of achievement, instilling personal values of persistence and patience.

Responsibility

When children are given responsibilities and trust they often seek to live up to the expectations they feel this responsibility imposes upon them along with maintain trust. When children are given responsibility and trust and succeed in maintaining that trust we often see children grown and develop, building confidence and seeking more responsibility. As parents we may avoid giving our children responsibilities for fear of loosing them and seeing them grow up to fast but in order to ensure that out children grow up to be beaming with confidence and full of autonomy we must give into our own fears in order to allow our children to develop.

Here at Celbridge Playzone we often see children develop confidence by completing simple tasks such as getting to the top of the slide and finding the courage to come down the slide without a parent. It is these small steps that allow children to grow and develop into confident children. Being more than just a play centre we here at Playzone have recognised the role we play in children’s lives in encouraging and supporting them to achieve things. These small achievements, which happen at Playzone, have the power to lay the foundations for your children to develop in confident children.

Get Pampered at Playzone!

Are you looking for the perfect way yo spoil your little darling for her next birthday? Be sure to check out Playzone's New Pamper Parlour parties!! With everything from foot spas to tattoos, hair do's and nail painting you will be guaranteed to have a pampered angel at the end of the day! Call us today on 01 6273996 to find out more about letting your little one be pampered and relaxed on her special day!

Health and Safety at Playzone

Do you find yourself driving past Playzone and wondering what its like inside? Or do you find your kids are hearing stories about the adventures their friends have had at Playzone? Are you unsure if a play centre is a place you want to be bringing your kids? Are you concerned about safety and if the equipment is age appropriate? Well if you have answered yes to any of these questions we might be able to help you in deciding if Playzone is right for you!

The Equipment

The play equipment is the main attraction in our play centre so it is important that the equipment meets the needs of the parents.

First off here in Playzone we have separate areas for children depending on their ages. We have the main equipment, which is suitable for any children over the age of four. We have the baby area for the little ones who haven’t quiet found their feet yet and we have the toddler area for the little ones just finding their feet and beginning to develop a sense of adventure. These three separate areas mean that parents can rest assured that there is something that will meet the needs of their children, providing appropriate challenges but not being too challenging that they require help getting around.

Not only do we have separate areas for different ages but also all of our equipment is spacious and all parts of the equipment are clearly visible ensuring that parents are able to spot their children at all times. The advantage of having play equipment which is open ensures that parents can be put at ease knowing that their children can be seen at all times.

If your worried about your children playing in the play equipment, what if they get lost or stuck, cant find their way down or there are older children in the toddler and baby areas? We can help with this. At all times our play equipment is monitored by trained staff that will not hesitate in assisting your child if they are in need. If they are stuck our staff will help them get unstuck, if they are scared are staff will bring them back to their parents, if they are lost our staff will help them find their way. If your little one likes to get up to mischief, is a bit of a dare devil and tries the impossible, like climbing up the slide you can rest assured that are staff are on hand at all times to help keep your children safe, making sure they don’t get up to mischief and make it up the slide.

Security

We know that it can be hard to keep an eye on your children at all times, especially if you have a number of them running around Playzone at any one time which is why we have taken precautions to put your mind at ease. Children love doing things they are not meant to do and one such thing is opening doors, children do it all time. We understand that this can be scary for parents, the thought that your child could open a door and make it our to a car park but we ensure that this does not happen. With all our emergency exits alameda any little mischief makers who try to escape will be unable to do so as our staff are always aware of the alarm which indicates an emergency door has been opened, on hearing this alarm staff will immediately check doors ensuring they nobody has left the building unattended.

But not only do we have our emergency doors alarmed we also have a gate at our reception area which is just our of reach for children to open ensuring that they must wait for their parents assistance and for the little ones who manage to get the gate open not only do we have staff on reception at all times to bring them back in and make sure this doesn’t happen but our main door is also childproof. With a handle at eye level for most adults children are unable to reach ensuring that they are unable to get out the front door.

Our play centre is staffed by friendly dedicated people who will also ensure your children are safe while in Playzone but for the extra security our play centre has security cameras throughout the building.

Hygiene

Often parents worry about hygiene in a place like Playzone but hygiene is something which we take very seriously, so seriously in fact that we clean Playzone ourselves ensuring it is done correctly and to the standards our customers expect.

Each evening Playzone is clean by staff, toilets, floor, kitchen everywhere ensuring that when you and your little ones come the next day Playzone is in tip top shape. But we are aware that cleaning every evening does not limit the amount of germs and bacteria around which is why we regularly hold cleaning nights and cleaning evenings. It is during these evenings and nights that we clean the equipment from tip to bottom, inside and out leaving nothing unturned and spotless. Those balls the children are always playing in and trying to eat, well we clean those too, washing them and drying them before placing them back into the cleaned equipment.

Among all staff in Playzone we adhere to a high standard of personal hygiene with particular importance placed on those in the kitchen and serving areas. You can rest assured knowing that hygiene, both personal and that of the play centre itself rank extremely high in Playzone's priorities.

Staff

Our staff are the ones who make Playzone great. Our staff, once hired, go through a process of training one in which involves different aspects of Playzone incorporating everything from parties to cleaning and customer service. It is this training which ensures our staff are able to deal with any situations which may arise in an appropriate and timely manner remaining cool, calm and collected ensuring no further stress is endured by our customers.

Not only do all our staff receive in house training but they also receive first aid training and fire safety training ensure all staff know what to do in the event of an emergency. With regular fire drills taking place our staff are confident in their abilities for dealing with emergency situations.

All staff, whether working on the floor or behind the scenes in the kitchen are Garda Vetted. This Garda vetting ensures that not only as a company we can have faith in our staff but that our customers can also have faith and confidence in our staff. Knowing that our staff are Garda vetted, receive both in house training and first aid and fire safety training allows our customers to come to Playzone and experience a sense of relief knowing that our staff our competent.

We all understand that parents worry about their children, it is a natural part of life but here at Celbridge Playzone we want to help lessen that worry. While in Playzone children remain the responsibility of their parents/guardians, which can be stressful on a busy day but our trained staff are there to lend a helping hand, keeping an extra eye to ensure no harm comes to anybody. We also understand the importance of hygiene which is why we emphasis among staff the importance of keeping our play centre clean, ensuring this happens, ensures our customers can be happy.

Choosing to come to a children’s play centre can be a hard decision a times, we know that there are certain fears surrounding a new experience but it is our job to ensure you have a pleasant experience which is why we go to great lengths to ensure we have a high standard of health and safety within our company.

Why come to Playzone?

Nothing is more important than keeping up with the times, becoming more modern and ensuring that you always have something new to keep your customers coming back which is why Celbridge Playzone has recently undergone a transformation!

When it’s a wet and miserable Sunday afternoon and the kiddies are getting restless and you want nothing more than a bit of piece and quiet new and improved Celbridge Playzone is the perfect place to go! With a spacious Zone Café  you can  sit back, relax and enjoy a nice coffee while the little ones were burning off their energy, making bedtime that night a simple affair. Most importantly no matter where your kiddies get up to mischief  you will be able to see them, whether it was at the top of the slide or on the roller racer track, the Zone Café is laid out to make sure that even the most eagle eyed mums can have a rest!

But what about when the munchies set in? Well don’t worry because with the excellent, jam-packed menu you will be guaranteed to find something for even the fussy eater! With salads and pasta, sandwiches and wraps it makes keeping those new years resolutions even easier!

9D Virtual Reality Simulator

But a trip to Playzone shouldn’t mean just the kids get to have fun, right? Well, if your looking for a new experience and you want to be up-to-date with having a go at some of the most modern things around you have to try Playzone's new 9D Virtual Reality Simulator!! Whether your looking to go diving with some sharks or have a go on a rollercoaster, we promise you wont be disappointed when you give this a go!

But enough about the parents, what has Playzone got to offer the kiddies?

For the kiddies just finding their feet we have a fantastic baby and toddler area with two levels, a slide, and a ball pit and lots of interactive toys. If your child has ever fantasied about being the next Michael Schumacher or Louis Hamilton, the roller racer track is perfect for them! Next we have the play frame, comprised of three levels it is guaranteed to keep the kids entertained for hours! With two slides the children are spoiled for choice along with bridges, tunnels, steps, ramps, and ball pits.

But if your kids like a little bit more adventure our new FunWalls are perfect! With three separate walls to choose from your kids will be spoiled for choice! What makes these walls extra special are the games they can play as they climb! From fighting fires to figuring out the maze your children will find themselves being challenged, intrigued and excited all at once. 

Playzone is going from strength to strength and developing as more than just a business but also as a community of people who work in a job that they not only enjoy but want to do to make your experience one to remember. Be sure to pop in and experience all that Playzone has to offer, everything from virtual reality experiences with sharks to become adventurous with our FunWalls you will be spoiled for choice when you get here!