FAQ's for General Entry

1. Can we visit Cookie’s Island at any time and what are your prices?

Our sessions are 90 minutes and our session start times are: 10am, 12noon, 2pm and 4pm - Monday to Sunday.

Non peak times are Monday to Friday (Term Time only). Walk-ins are welcome – this is when customers are able to attend a play session without pre-booking online.

Our peak times are weekends and school holidays. All visits must be booked via our booking page on our website.

PRICES

NON-PEAK: Under 6 Months – FREE 6 Months - 2 years £4.50 3-11 years- £6.95 Adults - £1.00

PEAK: Under 6 Months – FREE 6 Months - 2 years £4.50 3-11 years- £10.00 Adults - £2.50

2. What ages are suitable for children to visit and play at Cookie’s Island?

Our play equipment and pricings are for children from birth to 11 years. Older children are able to visit, however they will need to be a spectator and watch with the adults. Children over 11 and Adults are charged £1.00 during non-peak times and £2.50 during peak times.

3. What if we can’t attend the session we have pre booked online?

All payments booked online via our website are non-refundable.

4. Can we transfer the session we have booked to another time or day?

Due to prebooking your sessions and having limited amount of families in the centre at any one time, we are unable to transfer your play session to another date or time.

5. How many people will be at my session?

There are many ways to attend a session. We always encourage families to pre-book, however on quiet sessions, families are able to walk-in and pay on the door (Entry is not always guaranteed). Due to this we cannot confirm how many people will be at any particular session. Our quiet times are normally Monday to Friday (Term time) and 10am on the weekend and school holidays. Our busiest times are 12pm, 2pm and 4pm sessions on the weekend and school holidays.

6. Can I leave my child with my older child/teenager?

For the safety of the children, all children in the centre need to be supervised and looked after by an adult aged 18 years or above. We may refuse guests who are attending with someone that we feel/can prove is younger than 18 years old.

7. Am I allowed to leave by child to pop to the car or to go shopping?

No, all children in the centre need to be supervised by an adult who is aged 18 years or above at all times. If children are left unsupervised, we will call security to help locate the parents/carers, and where necessary the police and/or any other relevant authorities will be notified.

8.Do you have activities for toddlers?

YES we do! Tuesday and Thursday (Term time only), we have our Mini Bakers session during our 10am and 12noon play session. You and your child can make yummy sweet/savoury treats and learn new recipes. Colouring is available upon request.

Do you do sessions for children who have special educational needs and disabilities?

Unfortunately, since COVID-19 we have had to stop our Autism/SEND sessions on a Saturday morning. Our quietest time to visit is 10am on weekends and school holidays. We do have ear-defenders to use during your session if needed- a deposit of £10 will be required and paid back on return.

We also run funday’s throughout the year for children with Autism/SEND and their families. Please keep an eye on our website and social media pages – facebook and Instagram to keep up to date. We also work closely with Newham Parent Forum who also book sessions throughout the year for local families.

10. Are we allowed to bring a birthday cake into the centre, during a normal play session?

No, birthday cakes are only allowed into the centre for pre-booked and paid birthday parties. This is for many reasons such as health and safety, cakes are lit and taken to the birthday child by a member of staff in designated areas only.

11. Do you cater for allergies?

Yes, we have a café menu with a large selection of hot and cold meals, snacks and drinks. Please let staff aware of your allergies when ordering and they can show you our allergy menu to check individual ingredients.

12. Can we bring in food and drink from outside?

Food can only be consumed in the centre that has been purchased from our café during play sessions. Any food or drink not purchased from our café will be removed. For parties we have a separate adult menu that you can order for your guests and is displayed as buffet style. Parties who hire out the whole centre exclusively for their guests can either order food from the centre or bring in their own food (the food must be cooked and ready to serve) along with cutlery, plates and napkins. Customer access to our kitchen and facilities is not permitted.

FAQ’s for PARTIES

1. Do you do birthday parties?

Yes, we have various packages to suit every family's needs, ranging from parties in the day (when other customers are also in the centre) Exclusive Hires (you hire the whole centre just for you and your guests), decorations, party bags, children’s meal’s, facepainting, character mascots, popcorn machines, sweet trolley, candy floss machine, balloon arches and back drops! Please visit our party page to see which package would suit your family. If there is something you would like included in your party that isn’t listed, you can discuss this with our team who will let you know if it can be added.

2. Can you have an exclusive hire party during the day?

NEW for 2022, YES you can! Our earliest time for an exclusive hire is now from 4pm. Please contact us for a bespoke quote as prices do vary for evening parties depending on the package you choose. There is an additional cost to the pricing found on our party page due to closing the centre early.

3. Can we come into the centre half an hour prior to the party?

We allow the birthday child and their family into the centre 15 minutes before the party starts. This is the earliest we can allow due to the centre being cleaned between sessions and getting everything ready for your party. Our party team will make all the preparations for your party but if you have any particular request, you will have the opportunity to speak with the staff who will be happy to assist you.

4. Are we allowed to bring a birthday cake into the centre, during a normal play session?

No, birthday cakes are only allowed into the centre for pre-booked and paid birthday parties. This is for many reasons such as health and safety, cakes are lit and taken to the birthday child by a member of staff in designated areas only.

5. How many children can I invite?

At the initial booking stage, we will discuss our various packages with you and their minimum & maximum number of guests, this way you will know which options best suits your needs. We advise you to go through your guest list and decide if siblings will be included in your numbers or if you need to advise parents that they will need to make alternative arrangements for them. They can of course pay the entry fee so any additional siblings can have a play at the same time.

6. What if less children attend than I expected?

We always encourage our customers to pay for less children than is on their guest list to make allowances for children who may be sick on the day or are no longer able to attend. Our team will discuss with you the minimum numbers for each of our packages so you can choose the best package to suit your needs. Payments for a few additional children will be acceptable on the day. Refunds are not given if less children attend than your minimum amount paid for.

7. How many adults can I invite?

Our centre is not massive, so we allow 1 parent per child included in your package. You are able to purchase an extra table at £15 (seats 8 people) Depending on your requirements, you can discuss them with our team who will help you decide on the package that will most adequately meet your needs.

8. When will I need to pay for my party?

Once you have made your decision, you will need to pay a deposit to secure your chosen date, time and party package. The amount of deposit will depend on your party package. The team will let you know how much it is. The balance will be due 10 days before the party date. You will be sent a confirmation email with details of your booking.

9. What if we have to cancel the party?

Deposits are non-refundable. In the circumstance you are no longer able to hold your party on your chosen date, you will be given the option to move your party to another date. If this is not an option you want to take up, any balance paid over the deposit will be refunded. This refund will exclude any payments made for the booking of a mascot

10. Can I view the setting before I book?

Of course, we can book a convenient time for you to come in and see the venue, our menus, and we can talk you through our various party packages to ensure you choose the best option for you. We also have a party catalogue which you can browse through to select any of our services.

11. Can I order food for the adults attending my party?

Yes. We have a menu for adults that you can look through and order prior to your party. Adult platters need to be ordered and paid for 10 days minimum before your party date. The food which you decide to order will then be laid out, in a buffet style about 20 minutes upon arrival for your guests to enjoy whilst the children play.

12. What if a party guest has special dietary requirements?

Please let us know before your party of any dietary requirements and we can let you know which food items would be suitable. We also have an allergy menu in the centre that you can look through and discuss with our party & kitchen team to find out with meals are safe to eat. We can work with you to ensure that no guest will leave the centre hungry!

13. How much time do the children get to play during a party?

As long as the guests arrive on time, they will get 90 minutes of play time on the apparatus. We will then sit them down in their designated party area to sing happy birthday and serve their meal, juice & dessert.

14. Can they go play again after they have eaten?

Once they have finished eating there is no additional time to go back on the apparatus to play. Each child will receive a party bag on leaving and they will be too excited finding out what they have received, to go back and play.