Soft Play and Rainy-Day Places Near Medway

For soft play in Medway most families go to Monkey Bizz on Medway City Estate in Strood, which says it has been open for more than 25 years; The Fun Drum off Capstone Road in Gillingham, which has a football arena as well as its play frame; or Kidzone on Maidstone Road in Rochester, for under-10s. Every entry was checked against the venue’s own site on 28 October 2026.

We have not visited these places and nothing here is a rating. Each entry sets out what the venue publishes: ages, prices, session times, booking rules, food and parking. Food hygiene ratings come from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) register for Medway, and every venue here is rated 5. Where a fact comes from somewhere else, we say so.

Soft play centres

Monkey Bizz, Medway City Estate, Strood

Monkey Bizz says it has been welcoming families for more than 25 years, with a multi-level play frame, a toddler area and a role-play village. Visit Medway’s listing describes the main frame as “over three stories” and a separate Tots Town for under-4s with a baby corner, plus a sports area with soft foam balls. Sessions last two and a half hours: 9.30am to noon, 12.30pm to 3pm and 3.30pm to 6pm. It is closed on Mondays in term time and open every day in the holidays. Prices from October 2026: children aged 5 to 12 pay £11.80 off peak and £14.70 at peak times, 1 to 4 year olds £10.80 and £13.70, babies of 6 to 11 months £7.50 and adults £3.50; under-6-months go free. Off peak means term-time Tuesday to Friday. You must pre-book online, and a child who is not booked costs £2 more. It is cashless, and food is ordered at the table. Rated 5 by the FSA (February 2026). Unit 1, Arden Business Park, Chaucer Close, ME2 4LF. medwaybizz.co.uk

The Fun Drum, Gillingham

An indoor play centre in Elm Court Business Village, just off Capstone Road, which describes itself as “newly revamped”. It has a baby area for children aged 3 and under, Tiny Town for 4 and under, a large soft play frame for all ages, and a 150 square metre Football Arena for children aged 5 and up, included with admission. On term-time weekdays it opens from 9.30am to 6.30pm and you can just walk in. Weekends and school holidays run in two-hour sessions from 9am, and those need booking. A child aged 2 to 17 pays £10 on a term-time weekday and £11.50 at weekends and in the holidays; 6 to 23 months £7 and £7.50; adults £3 and £3.50; under-6-months free. It lists a cafe, free parking, free lockers, baby changing and disabled access. Rated 5 by the FSA (April 2025). Elm Court Business Village, Capstone Road, ME7 3JQ. thefundrum.co.uk

Kidzone, Rochester

A soft play on Maidstone Road for under-10s, with a height limit of 4ft 6in, made up of rope bridges, ball pools, tunnels and slides. Kidzone says the building is fully air-conditioned and that its under-3s area has sensory lighting and large shapes to move around. Adults get a coffee and cake lounge with sofas, and hot and cold food is made to order from 10am daily. You do not need to book in term time; booking is for weekends and school holidays. Children over the height limit cannot go on the frame to look after younger brothers or sisters. Parking is free on site: enter your car registration on the iPad inside. Prices are on its opening times page, and it has a separate page for SEN sessions. Rated 5 by the FSA (November 2024). 661 Maidstone Road, ME1 3QJ. kidzonerochester.com

Inflatables and trampolines

Jumpin Fun, Medway City Estate, Strood

An inflatable park next door to Monkey Bizz, which describes itself as “15,000 sq ft” of “wall to wall inflatable fun”, with a ball pit, an airbag, a trapeze, a football pitch and a wipeout machine. Open bounce sessions run at weekends in term time and every day in the holidays: an hour costs £10, or £8 for an early bird ticket, and two hours costs £15. Children aged 4 and under must be with an adult, who is covered by the child’s ticket. Toddler Time, for 4 and unders only, is £5. On term-time weekdays, Eat and Play gives two hours for £9, or £12 with pizza or a hot dog, chips and squash; the venue says these are quieter and suit SEN families and younger children. It also runs free SEN sessions with lower music and fewer people. Rated 5 by the FSA (April 2025). Unit 2, Arden Business Park, Chaucer Close, ME2 4LF. jumpinfun.co.uk/rochester

Soar Trampoline Park, Gillingham

A trampoline park two minutes from junction 4 of the M2, with free parking that it says gets “very busy” in the school holidays. For the youngest, Mini SOARers is for 2 to 4 year olds, at £6 a child with one adult free; on its current timetable it runs from noon to 2pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Family Sessions run from 10am to 11am at weekends and in the holidays, at £14.50 for anyone aged 5 or over and £7 for 2 to 4 year olds, or £45 for a family of four. Open Jump is £14.50 for an hour. An Additional Needs session costs £14.50 with a carer free. Only Soar’s own socks are allowed (£3 a pair), there is a £1.50 booking fee, reception takes cards only, and you should arrive 30 minutes early for the safety briefing. It is closed on Monday 2 November. Rated 5 by the FSA (August 2026). Units 5 and 6, Medway Distribution Centre, Courteney Road, ME8 0RT. soartrampolinepark.co.uk

Play cafes

Imagine Play Cafe, Chatham Dockside

A play cafe built around a role-play village where, in the cafe’s words, children can “tinker as mechanics, style hair like pros, play vet” and even have a pretend mug shot taken. It also has a sensory area with cloud decor, soft floor mats, black and white sensory toys, bubble machines and light-up hanging jellyfish. Play is booked in sessions: Monday to Thursday at 9.30am, 11.30am and 1.30pm, Friday at 9.45am, 11.45am and 1.45pm, and at weekends from 9am, with Sunday sessions subject to party bookings. Memberships for unlimited play each month are sold. The cafe serves coffee, sandwiches and pastries. Rated 5 by the FSA (April 2025). 8A The Quays, Dockhead Road, ME4 4ZJ. imagineplay.co.uk

Rainy days at the museums

The Historic Dockyard Chatham

The dockyard is mostly covered buildings and ships, and the Wagon Stop Canteen, which sells pies, sandwiches and sausage rolls, has a soft play area. The Dockyard says it “allows children to let off steam whilst adults can sit back with a coffee”. Online tickets cost £29 for adults, £18.50 for children aged 4 to 15 and £78 for a family of four, are free for under-4s, and give a year’s entry; prices on the door are higher, and online tickets must be booked at least a day ahead. Its listings show a family activity, Yuck Yard: Barnaby Bilge’s Big Mess, running to 8 November and included in the ticket. Opening hours are 10am to 5pm until 1 November, then 10am to 4pm from 2 to 15 November, closed on 9 and 10 November. The site then shuts from 16 November until February, apart from Mission Christmas dates. The Wagon Stop Canteen is rated 5 by the FSA (February 2026). Parking is on site, postcode ME4 4TY. thedockyard.co.uk

Royal Engineers Museum, Gillingham

The museum of the Corps of Royal Engineers, with a Victoria Cross collection and a V2 rocket. For children it lists a Snob the Dog trail, dressing up, hands-on and digital displays, a First World War play tank, and a courtyard cafe with a play area. In the school holidays there are trails and crafts at £4 a child. For under-5s, Mini Museum Explorers runs on the second Tuesday of each month in term time, from 10am to 11am; the next is on 10 November. The museum opens Tuesday to Sunday and on bank holiday Mondays, from 10am to 5pm (last entry 4pm). Adults pay £17.50 (£15 for local adults), children aged 5 to 15 pay £8, under-5s go free, and a family ticket for two adults and two children is £45; tickets last 12 months. Prince Arthur Road, ME7 1SA for sat nav. re-museum.co.uk

How we chose

These are the indoor play places Medway families search for, plus two museums that put on activities for young children. Each one is checked against the venue’s own website. For Monkey Bizz we also used Visit Medway’s listing, which is run by Medway Council. Food hygiene ratings come from the FSA register, and we leave out anywhere rated below 3. Prices and session times change with the school holidays and private bookings, so check the venue’s booking page before a long trip. Run a place that should be here, or spot something that has changed? Email newsdesk@medwaylive.co.uk.

For outdoor days, see our guides to Medway playgrounds and walks near Medway. Also see things to do in Medway, what’s on in Medway this month, Halloween in Medway, Santa’s grottos and our guides to brunch in Medway and Medway restaurants, or browse the Medway business directory.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to book soft play in Medway?

It depends on the venue. Monkey Bizz in Strood asks everyone to pre-book online and adds £2 per child for anyone who turns up without booking. The Fun Drum in Gillingham and Kidzone in Rochester take walk-ins on term-time weekdays but ask you to book for weekends and school holidays. Soar Trampoline Park takes card payment only and asks you to arrive 30 minutes early for the safety briefing.

Where can I take a toddler on a rainy day in Medway?

The Fun Drum has a baby area for under-3s and Tiny Town for under-4s, Monkey Bizz has Tots Town for under-4s with a baby corner, and Kidzone has an under-3s area with sensory lighting. Jumpin Fun runs £5 Toddler Time sessions for children aged 4 and under, Soar runs Mini SOARers for 2 to 4 year olds at £6 with one adult free, and Imagine Play Cafe at Chatham Dockside is a role-play village with a sensory area.

How much is soft play in Medway?

On the venues’ own price lists, a child aged 2 to 12 pays £10 at The Fun Drum on a term-time weekday (£11.50 at weekends and in the holidays), and a child aged 5 to 12 pays £11.80 off peak and £14.70 at peak times at Monkey Bizz. Adults pay £3 to £3.50 at both. Jumpin Fun charges £10 for an hour’s bounce, or £8 for an early bird ticket.