Head Over Heels

I took my nephew here the other Saturday and, to be honest, I was fairly trepidatious. The prospect of spending a couple of hours with loads of kids speeding around at 100 miles an hour was not the most enticing.
However, Head Over Heels was great! He ran and climbed his socks off, and then we all enjoyed a lovely lunch in the café. My gf had some delicious falafel with hummus and flatbreads, I had a mouthwatering steak sandwich with onion relish, and my nephew had the fish goujons and chips. (Being Chorlton, the first item on the kids’ menu was ‘vegetable crudités’)
On the play front, the wee man loved the lot but was particularly taken with the slide and the ball pool.
The staff were very friendly and helpful, and the cost was not bad at all given how much entertaining kids can cost.
We’ve certainly pencilled in a return visit for next time he comes to visit.

Started off well but gone down-​hill since they started charging parents to go in with their kids, as if the overpriced café wasn’t an insult enough! Try to avoid now, better value at the Trafford centre or in Trafford park. Now there is greater choice for play areas, I’d choose somewhere else.

Okay, I admit it. This is the best indoor play venue that I’ve been to with my kids (and believe me, I’ve ‘enjoyed’ quite a few). Well planned, clean, roomy and a pleasant little café serving fairly decent snacks. My kids love it.
But being a slightly grumpy old dad now, it’s not perfect… but it’s not their fault!
HOH gets very busy… and I mean busy. So don’t expect a few minutes of peace and tranquillity while they are babysat by the big slide, tunnels, ball pools etc. The decibel level can rival Manchester Airport on a busy day, and the likelihood of a multiple kid pile up is pretty high.
So, pick your moment… and if you must go at a weekend… then a short prayer on the way in might be a good idea.

Thank heavens for Head Over Heels! Finally a children’s play area that doesn’t stink of smelly feet! I have been coming here for years with children and it is a well organised, well designed soft play area for birth to 10 years old. The infants’ section is small but integrated with the larger children’s area and toddlers race around on the equipment without a care in the world. The bigger play area is a large fairy tale castle like structure with three levels of fun and a great ball pit where the rugrats can have a ball shower.
What sets Head Over Heels apart from other indoor play areas is that parents can watch children from the sidelines on soft leather couches as opposed to on harsh plastic chairs that other places seem to favour. The restaurant is lovely if not a little expensive and they do panninis, pizzas, an all day breakfast, and a nice cappucino and cake which you can indulge in as the older children zoom down the red astro slide. Head over Heels is just a nice, clean and well air-​conditioned place for kids and adults alike and £5 is a small price to pay for peace whilst your little ones are occupied for an hour and a half.
My children have held several parties here and the staff have been amazing. For £11 per child, the party group have 60 minutes play downstairs and then go into a disco room while parents can relax in the restaurant watching their children on tv screens. Then its off to the separate party area where they are served healthy snacks including: fish goujons, cucumber, carrot sticks, grapes, olives and pizza. Each guest takes home a balloon and a party bag and have a good night’s sleep afterwards. It is advisable to book a few months in advance if you are interested in having your child’s party here though as it gets booked up early.
This place is head over heels above any other the kids have been to. Well worth a visit!

who would think, a boring looking trading etsate next to morrissons in chorlton would house such mayhem and child like madness in a great well set out fun factory of kids flying everywhere, mums and dads frantically wondering where little toby went but actually enjoying the slides abit too much, we had a party here in january and ill honestly say it was perfect. private room to eat, time in movie room time for play, great food (kids only) and great staff. gets a bit mad on saturdays or if weather bad but makes for a great few hours for the rugrats, due to the bigness and funness of the place i have lost my child many times and once took me a while to find her, safe, just so many levels and tunnels to scramble about in, it wasnt till i got her home that i realised it wasnt my child, how the police laughed and social services chuckled,(joke) go enjoy your child will thankyou for it and sleep well after (a double bonus) oh and good café for the elders too

brilliant place for kids and adults alike. best café and atmosphere is just amazing. best kids birthday parties too, always a success.

A few days ago now I walked into this place and knowing that I was attending a child’s 6^th birthday party, thought i would be spending my Saturday morning ill at ease with the surroundings, I can honestly say i was pleasantly surprised. being a parent myself of cheeky and energetic 3yr old, I have frequented similar indoor play centers so can feel i can fairly validate the benefits of this place in particular.
The vast play area designed for children over 3 to discover is very well laid out, and parents will not have to perform much neck bending to get a visual on their location within all the slides, ball pits and climbing opportunities that seem to reach the ceiling of the building. If you are not at all worried what your precious little mite is up to then you should take advantage of the on-​site café that has a reasonably priced selection of coffees, teas hot & cold lunch snacks, child friendly menu and cakes. You can sit and also watch your child on a wide screen TV go ape in the disco room! Most importantly, while you get the chance to chill in the café, you feel a needed sense of security for your child, the possibility of them being able to make a bid for freedom is completely minimal!
The idea that you can really have a stress free Birthday party was evident on my visit, OK i did not have to deal with the receiving and waving off of contented children, but the staff upheld smooth organisation of the allotted 2 hours play/​party was definitely worth being placed amongst over excited small people. The party food consisted of children’s favorites (their real favorites — not the mung bean stuff stricter parents wield)
The parking is the only downside I encountered, while there are spaces available immediately outside, there are not enough for visitors at busy times, Morrison’s on the same road will only supply a 2 hour free space, so if you are stuck you may find yourself trawling nearby streets.

Good place to occupy the little ones for an hour or two. Reasonably price (could always be cheaper) but the play areas are always clean and safe. Can get a little packed at busy times but I go back time and time again. 5 out of 5 from me.

A great children’s play place with excellent café and all round view of the play area. The children can experience a variety of activities and a great climbing frame. They give excellent children’s parties with lovely fresh food. The café is a great place to relax whilst your children enjoy themselves.

Great place to go with the kids and well priced too, would try and avoid lunch time on saturday due to kids parties and never get a seat. Kids always love it which is the main thing and watch the parking too as when its busy you’ll need to park down the road in morrisons.
Food is nice but little bit pricey, good big slide too for adults!
Prob the best though of all the kids places due to space inside and food

I have only been here once but it was great. I really wish i could drive so i could visit more often. The price is very good for what you get in return. The place is clean and safe unlike others I have seen. You can sit and relax keeping one eye on the kids whilst drifting off to paradise with a mug of coffee. The food is great and really sets the standard for others. It has great health options for both mum and kids at reasonable prices. A great day out!

I do think the staff are much more caring and are very willing to go out of their way for any customer than any other adventure play ground I have been to. and yes the gingerbread men are a big hit hehe.
There is a new menu now but is still of the same high standard I have come to expect.
People have complained about prices yes, but compare the standar of play structure, and size to others in manchester and surrounding areas, and you are really getting what you pay for.
Every month a ‘big clean’ is done where the staff all get together and clean the structure from top to bottom and get in between all the nooks and crannies and hoover, dust and polish it back to perfection.
The halloween and christmas parties are always a laugh and birthday parties are held by fun experienced party hosts.
All in all I think this is a pretty good place, although it can get very busy on a weekend when it is raining.

Now this is more like it. If you’re in the absolute position of having to look after yours or friends nippers whilst they fun off in a huge indoor park then this is the one you’d prefer to be stuck in. It’s main competitor in the ‘ball park market’ doesn’t quite cut the mustard when compared to head over heels. It’s always been very clean when I’ve attended and it’s general aroma is the right side of pleasant.
The facilities look fantastic as far as large indoor multi coloured scaffolding is concerned, the obligatory fun balls having their own lush cathedral on the ground floor of the entertainment castle. I sometimes sit there in hope that one of the kids I’m in charge of that day gets a little out of their depth, and decides it wasn’t such a good idea to climb to the very peak of Mount Scaffold — hey presto — I get to regress a couple of decades and bounce myself right to the top myself with a grin the size of dozen satsumas.
The restaurant knocks this place a few notches up the, um, food chain, in fact it offers a menu to embarrass a few pubs and restaurants I know of. Thai Salmon & Coconut fish cakes anyone? I’d post them through my lip box over mashed chicken carcass balls any day. Other nosh avenues include a wide range of sandwiches (pesto chicken for one), Greek salads, olive selectionoh, I forgot to mention they do a kids menu too (home made rather than pre froze in a warehouse somewhere off a preserved A road in the south west).
With fine coffee and the latest papers at your disposal, you’re a million miles away from the thought that this might be an episode in endurance.
My only negative comment for this place is the blimmin font and graphics at playwhy oh why do they insist on using those silly designs!

This is quite simply the best children’s activity centre I’ve been to. I’ve been taking kids here ever since it first opened and the standards have remained exceptionally high. The play equipment is well maintained, clean and replaced regularly. It’s bright and inviting and the big red slide is great for adults as much as kids. There’s comfy sofas for when you’re not chasing them round and the facilities are clean, and functional.
The sections for younger and older children are clearly defined and the café is amazing. The menu has tasty, healthy options, the food’s freshly prepared and cooked on the premises. There’s no frozen processed deep fat fried nuggets here — it’s chicken breast goujons!
We’ve had 3 parties ourselves here and attended numerous others. The staff are warm, welcoming and helpful. It might seem pricy per head, but the food’s included and of a higher standard than most places and you don’t have to tidy up afterwards. All you have to do is bring party bags and a cake
and the kids.
It does get ridiculously busy on Saturdays, rainy days, school holidays and the only negative comment is that they seem to have relaxed their maximum capacity rule and it gets a bit too rowdy. I’ve witnessed some serious head on collisions with far too many kids running round. My suggestion is to go out side of peak times to get the maximum out of the place, a longer stay and less anxiety about a bump and tears at the end of a great day out.
And DO try the ginger bread men — they’re the best by far