Indoor Soft Play Equipment | Old MacDonald Nursery

Project Overview

Sector: Childcare and Education
Location: Buckinghamshire
Project Type: Nursery
Services: Consultancy, Design, Manufacture, Installation
Project Size: 3 zones, various
Age Range: 0–4 years

The brief

Following the success of our previous installation at Old MacDonald Nursery’s Leverstock Green site, we were invited to create three new play spaces for their Bourne End nursery.

The brief was to design three engaging, versatile spaces that could support a wide range of activities while meeting the practical demands of a busy nursery environment. A key part of the project was creating high-quality indoor soft play equipment that would encourage active, imaginative and exploratory play.

The first area was designed as a multi-use resource space, incorporating plenty of storage for free play, music, art and reading. The second featured a soft play structure with role-play shops inside, giving children opportunities to explore imaginative play. The third was a timber and soft play structure designed for active play, encouraging children to move, climb and explore.

Our Approach

A nursery environment needs to do more than look good. It needs to work hard every day.

We designed the three spaces to be flexible, durable and full of opportunities for different types of play, giving children something new to discover each time they use them. Our indoor play equipment was carefully planned to work alongside the wider nursery environment, while also supporting staff and the day-to-day running of a busy setting.

The soft play areas were designed to encourage children to develop confidence through movement, climbing, exploration and imaginative play. By combining indoor soft play equipment with timber elements, role-play features and interactive details, we created a varied environment that supports different styles of play.

A considered design

Creating a cohesive look across the installation was also important. Natural colours and timber elements provide a warm, welcoming backdrop, while carefully considered farmyard details bring the Old MacDonald identity to life without overwhelming the play spaces.

One of the standout features is Old MacDonald’s red tractor, complete with working lights. This interactive focal point adds another layer of imaginative play and helps bring the farmyard theme into the space.

We also carefully selected materials and finishes to ensure the nursery soft play equipment could cope with the demands of a busy daycare environment, where play spaces experience frequent use every day.

The outcome

The finished installations bring together imaginative play, active play, creativity and quiet exploration in a cohesive collection of spaces designed specifically around nursery life.

The indoor soft play equipment was – as always – designed with sensory balance in mind. Each space provides children with opportunities to climb, move, explore and engage in imaginative role play, while also offering space for creative and quieter activities.

Lighting, accessories and themed details elevate the equipment beyond its core function, creating an immersive environment where children can play, explore and create their own worlds.

An outstanding childcare provider

The result is a collection of indoor play spaces that are engaging for children, practical for staff and built for everyday use.

For Old MacDonald Nursery, the investment also creates a distinctive environment that helps set their provision apart, while giving staff confidence that the equipment is designed to stand the test of time.

What this means for you

At Tigerplay, we create thoughtfully designed indoor soft play equipment and play spaces for nurseries, designed around the needs of children, staff and the setting itself.

From imaginative role play and creative spaces to active soft play environments, we consider how every element will look, function and perform in a real-world nursery setting.

Our approach combines engaging design with practical considerations such as durability, flexibility, storage and everyday usability. The result is commercial indoor play equipment that works hard for your setting while creating exciting spaces for children to explore.