Xplore - Soft Play and 4D Golf

The moment you walk into Xplore, you're hit with that particular smell of soft play - a mix of rubber mats and disinfectant that's either deeply nostalgic or deeply horrifying, depending on your view of such places. It's an indoor soft play facility near Wakefield with added 4D golf, which honestly sounds more promising on paper than it might deliver in practice.

The soft play side is the real draw if you've got young children in tow. Climbing frames, slides, ball pits, the whole lot - it'll wear them out for a solid couple of hours if you're lucky. The 4D golf is a bit of a gimmick; it's what happens when someone adds wind, water spray and movement to a screen-based golf game. Kids find it entertaining. Whether you do depends entirely on your tolerance for overstimulation and slightly sticky floors.

It's the sort of place you'd consider on a rainy Yorkshire day when the kids are climbing the walls and Nostell Priory Holiday Park - just four miles away - isn't enough distraction. Bring a book, grab a coffee from their café, and accept that you'll be there longer than anticipated. Fair warning: school holidays get rammed, so go on a quiet Tuesday morning if possible.

Frankly, it's adequate rather than exceptional. Your kids will have a decent time, you'll get some peace and quiet, and you won't need to drive far from Wakefield. That's really the pitch.