Dobbies Milton Keynes

Dobbies Garden Centre Milton Keynes sits just off the A5 at Fenny Stratford, and its restaurant has a Little Seedlings soft play area at the back — the setting for the store's children's parties. The soft play has a baby area for children aged 0 to 2 and a main play frame for ages 3 to 8, so it suits younger children rather than older ones. It opens Monday to Saturday 9.15am to 4.45pm and Sunday 10.30am to 3.30pm, with last entry an hour before closing, and a general play session is £4.50.

The store is open Monday to Saturday 9.00am to 6.00pm and Sunday 10.30am to 4.30pm. The restaurant serves until 5.30pm Monday to Saturday and 4.00pm on Sunday, with hot meals until 3pm, and there is a Foodhall and bakery on site alongside the garden centre, a pet shop and hobbies and DIY ranges.

Beyond parties, the store runs a full events programme, all booked separately: free monthly Little Seedlings children's gardening workshops, school-holiday club workshops for children, paid adult workshops such as terrarium building and festive wreath making, and Gardener's and Festive afternoon teas in the restaurant. Seasonal ticketed experiences include Santa's Grotto and a Santa's Quiet Grotto for children who may have additional needs, Santa's Breakfast, Santa Paws and Pup-kin Patch for dogs, and a Little Scare-lings Halloween event.

Worth knowing before booking: the soft play is shared with other visitors and is not guaranteed to be exclusive to your party, the main play frame is for ages 3 to 8, and a parent or guardian must stay on site throughout, with at least one adult per ten children.