A soft play room at home: what it is, and what it isn't

Indoor playgrounds are a Singapore weekend staple. Bringing a little of that home is a different job. Here is how we think about a soft play area at home in a flat, and the limits we set for our own.

what it is for.

A soft play room at home is a small, defined space for awake play:

• somewhere to climb in and out, read, build and pretend
• close enough to the grown ups to be part of family life
• enclosed enough to feel like the child's own place

It works best in the room you're already in, so the child can play while you cook, work or sit nearby.

what it isn't.

It is not somewhere to leave a child alone, and it is not a bed. People sometimes compare these spaces to a playpen. We think of Arc differently: it is a room they choose to go into, used with an adult in the room, not a place to put them.

We also keep it to two children at a time. More than that and a small room stops being calm.

how to size one.

Measure the corner first, then add a walkway. Arc stands 140 × 160 cm on the floor and 150 cm high, and its inner floor is about 108 × 128 cm. That's enough for two small children and a basket of books. Leave space in front of the zipped door so it opens without hitting furniture.

what to put inside.

Keep it simple: a few books, soft toys, a small basket to tidy into. Leave out anything hard, heavy or with cords. The space works because there is not much in it.

where it sits in the room.

Put it where you can see into it from the sofa or the kitchen. Mesh sides help with that, and so does placing the door facing the room rather than the wall.

Room No. 01 Arc is for up to two children from 12 months, for awake play with an adult in the room. S$50 reserves one of the first 50, fully refundable until delivery, for delivery by the end of November 2026.

questions parents ask.

how much space does a soft play room need?

For Arc, a floor area of 140 × 160 cm, 150 cm of height and a little room in front of the door.

is it somewhere to leave a child?

No. Arc is for awake play, with an adult in the room, for up to two children from 12 months.

See Arc

Read next: A small room for a small person: why we designed Arc