It was my baby's first time in a playground!
I started thinking about taking Mason to a daycare or playground when he started walking. This is so he can fine-tune his motor skills while learning how to socialize with other kids. But I didn't, and it actually took me quite long to bring him in a place like this—because GERMS. I never cared about germs to this extent when I was single, but as a mom, I now understand why a lot of other parents are so disgusted with ball pits. TL;DR KIDS LICK THEM. And who knows how often and diligently staff clean these balls? ANYWAY, so I finally had the courage to take Mason to a playground—at this point, he was literally begging for it. I was so anxious going in, but I caved, and here's what went down.
This place is so conducive to role-playing.
I was surprised at the amount of mini villages toys in there. The place looked small from the outside, but once you're in, it honestly looks like a mini Kidzania. There were small nooks that looked like a mini-hotel, police station, fire station, kitchen, bakery, vet clinic, among many others! And Mason loved all these spaces.
Mason ran around and most of his plays were guided by me at the start. When he realized he was free to touch and play with all the toys, he went all out! He sat on the little chairs and beds, rode the little cars, and played with the toys and small furniture in the cute and well-kept little village — except for the costumes. I think this age is not big on dress-up play yet. But get this: most of the items he touched, especially the plastic food and utensils, HE ATTEMPTED TO PUT IN HIS MOUTH! 😫 Now imagine how many other kids did that without their guardians looking. I had to keep a very close eye on my baby so he doesn't lick the toys 😭
It was legit child-proofed all over.
It was my dream child-proofed play area for Mason. The floor was carpeted, the walls and all the sharp corners and areas are padded, and all toy furniture are sturdy — even parents like me can sit on them without worries. They have at least 4 staff roaming around to check on the kids and put things back to their places whenever things get too messy. There's one staff dedicated to watching kids go down the slide to make sure nobody gets hurt. This is the area by the ball pit, which was Mason's favorite place. The rest of the staff were assigned to other areas of the playground — basically, all areas are closely monitored.
I feel like I also need to emphasize on the quality of toys in there. They were sturdy fixtures - particularly the mini furniture - that are made of high-quality material. I checked on the fabric used for the dolls and the plastic used for the balls and fake food. I am not a toy expert but I am very meticulous. These are high-quality ones that I could only wish to afford for my son—and they don't smell toxic. Plastic toys made of substandard material usually don't smell nice.
The areas and surfaces are sanitized regularly — except for the plastic toys.
Mason loved the slide and the ball pit above everything else. His eyes literally lit up when he saw that pool of balls and he wanted to dive right in — and as always my anxiety went through the roof.
The first thing in my mind seeing that ball pit was how much germs and viruses are possibly tucked in there that I just can't see. So as the OC mommy that I am, I had to interview one of the staff there to ask about their protocol in sanitizing the plastic toys especially these balls. Her short answer was that they clean all the surfaces and furniture regularly, but only wipe the plastic toys whenever there are visible stains or dirt on them 😩 I was so concerned. I know I'm not being a neat-freak because it should be common knowledge for moms that unsanitary ball pits can be a source of contractible diseases like flu, HFMD, and chickenpox—even UTI and meningitis look it up. I was so conflicted because while my anxiety's through the roof thinking about all those GERMS, my son's face is so lit up and he was obviously having the best time!
Guardians are allowed inside.
I haven't been to many playgrounds like this before, but I honestly thought I'll have to leave Mason there under the care of staff because the place isn't that big. But both my husband and I were allowed inside for an additional fee and it was a pleasant experience. I went in there with my baby and my husband was taking our photos. Both kids and guardians are required to wear socks—you can buy a pair from them for P35 if you don't have yours.
It was a treat seeing Mason play like this for the first time. He's been watching tons of slide videos on YouTube before this and was literally begging us for days to take him to a playground. I love my baby and I want to see him happy so who am I to say no, right? ♡ He ran around with a big smile on his face and was so nice to other kids. He's not so big on playing games and sharing toys with other kids yet, he preferred exploring on his own and staying close to me. He also kept coming back to his favorite spots: The slide, ball pit, and cars.
You can hold kiddie parties there—BUT
1) You can't close the entire place down, meaning it will remain open for walk-in customers, and 2) you can't bring food and entertainers inside.
When I came in, I immediately thought of how amazing it could be if I can hold one of Mason's future parties here. Imagine: all of Mason's friends and cousins here in this playground, having a blast, with food trays, bubbles, and clowns or mascots. It sounded so good, but unfortunately, it's not possible here. I talked to a staff and apparently, while they've had clients who were able to hold kiddie parties there, they usually serve food as takeaway treats because they're not allowed to bring them inside. They just let the kids play freely without a structured program or anything since they also don't allow hosts or entertainers. I mean the place was really nice but it was a bummer that they don't allow parties.
OVERALL SLEEPLESS MOMMA RATING:
⭐⭐⭐ 3/5"They need to get more insights from their primary customers—PARENTS"
While children are their main clientele, I think Dave's Funhouse, as a child-centered enterprise, should try to listen more to their main stakeholders which are the parents. Listening more, in this case, means being receptive to sensitivities like sanitation because it is a big deal for a lot of parents. TBH, I won't mind paying a bit more for a playground that can assure me that my baby won't get sick by touching the toys. Safety is one thing - and they actually do well in terms of overall safety - however, cleanliness is another but is just as important. Additionally, considering making the place a party venue, for me, is not only good for the business revenue-wise but can actually attract loyal, returning customers. Because not only will my baby want to go there on a usual weekend because it's fun, he will also want to go there with friends because it's where he had his birthday. Nonetheless, I'm giving Dave's Funhouse a 3-rating because the place looked really nice and my baby had a great time—I'm convinced he'll stay there for as long as possible if it was up to him. It's completely up to them if they'll open up their facility for party reservations in the future, but with a bit more effort in ensuring sanitation, I'm not gonna hesitate giving this place 5 stars in the future.
🎥 BONUS CLIP!!! To show you how much Mason loved it, here's a video from our first visit at Dave's Fun House Megamall branch.
Dave's Funhouse Megamall Branch
Address: 2/F SM Megamall, Doña Julia Vargas Ave cor EDSA, Ortigas, Mandaluyong (near Eat Together food court)
Phone: (02) 8632-7122
Hours: Opens daily 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Prices:
(Weekdays)
1 hour: P230
Unlimited: P480
30-min extension: P100
(Weekends & Holidays)
1 hour: P250
Unlimited: P510
30-minute extension: P110
Extras:
Accompanying guardian: P25/head (1-hr minimum stay)
Socks: P35/pair
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