How to choose a play sofa: 7 things to check before you buy

To choose a play sofa, measure your room first. Then check the pieces, the foam, the covers and the returns policy. Our Play Sofa is 160 × 80 × 56 cm as a sofa and opens out to 160 × 172.5 cm for floor play. The Play Sofa Mini is 120 × 60 × 45 cm, made for smaller rooms and smaller children. Both have 8 pieces and covers you can wash at 30 °C. Both come with a 3-year limited warranty on foam and fabric and 30 days to return.

A kids' play sofa, also called a play couch or a soft play sofa, is a foam sofa made of separate pieces. Children take it apart to build dens, slides and tunnels. Then it goes back together as a sofa. We make play sofas, so this is the checklist we'd give a friend. It covers what to look for in any play sofa, and how ours measures up.

Which size play sofa do you need: 160 cm or Mini 120 cm?

Start with the room, then think about who will use it. The 160 cm Play Sofa suits a living room or a shared playroom. It gives siblings space to play side by side and opens out flat for sleepovers and floor games. The Mini is 40 cm narrower and 20 cm shallower. It suits a bedroom, a small flat or a younger child.

	Play Sofa, 160 cm	Play Sofa Mini, 120 cm
Size as a sofa (W × D × H)	160 × 80 × 56 cm	120 × 60 × 45 cm
Seat height	25 cm	20 cm
Construction pieces	8	8
Covers	Removable, machine wash at 30 °C	Removable, machine wash at 30 °C
Good fit for	Living rooms, playrooms, siblings, sleepovers	Smaller rooms and smaller children
See the range	Play sofas 160 cm	Play sofas 120 cm

How much floor space does a play sofa need?

As a sofa, the 160 cm model covers 160 × 80 cm of floor. Laid flat, it covers 160 × 172.5 cm. Children also need room around it to build, so plan for more than the footprint. The Mini covers 120 × 60 cm as a sofa.

Here's a quick test. Mark the sofa's footprint on the floor with masking tape and leave it for a day. If you keep stepping over the tape, the room is tight and the Mini may suit you better.

“We live in a tiny apartment, so flexibility is key. The play sofa stacks easily, looks great, and doesn’t clutter our space, absolute lifesaver!” Anna, city mum. Read more family stories.

Is one play sofa enough for two children?

One 160 cm sofa is a good start for two children. Its 8 pieces come in pairs, so the sofa splits into two identical sets of 4: one seat module, one triangular backrest, one armrest and one round cushion each. That means two tents, two armchairs or two ships, with no arguments about who got the bigger half.

If both children build big every day, add-ons give them more to work with. The Arches, the Slide and the 4-piece Playset all combine with the sofa.

What should you check before you buy a play sofa?

These are the 7 things we'd check on any play sofa, ours included.

1. It fits your room, with space to spare. Compare both the sofa size and the flat size with your floor, using the table above.
2. You know exactly what's in the box. Brands count pieces in different ways, so ask what each piece is. Our Play Sofa has 8 construction pieces: 2 seat modules, 2 triangular backrests, 2 armrests and 2 round cushions. Each seat module is two cushions sewn into one cover, so there are 4 seat cushions in total. The Mini has the same 8 pieces.
3. The base cushions are all the same height. Then the pieces line up. Laid out on the floor, they make a level play mat without steps or gaps. All our base cushions are the same height.
4. The foam is dense and springs back. Cheap, low-density foam sags quickly under jumping children. Ask what foam is used and where it comes from. We use high-density, high-resilience foam from Polish manufacturers, with no added chalk or fillers.
5. The covers come off and go in the washing machine. Spills will happen. Our covers come off and wash at 30 °C. Wash all the covers together, so the colour changes evenly over time.
6. The warranty and returns are clear. Look for how long the foam and fabric are covered, and who pays for returns. We give a 3-year limited warranty that covers manufacturing defects in the foam and fabric. You have 30 days from delivery to return a sofa. You pay for return delivery. An unpacked sofa needs careful repacking, because the foam expands once it's out of its vacuum packaging.
7. You know how it arrives. Ask how the sofa is packed and where it ships from. Ours is vacuum-packed and ships from our warehouse in Poland, with free delivery within the EU. Once you open the packaging, the foam takes around 24 hours to expand to its full shape. New foam can smell a little at first. The smell goes away once the sofa is unpacked and the room is aired. Delivery times for your country are on our shipping page.

Which play sofa fabric is easiest to live with?

All four of our fabrics have removable covers that wash at 30 °C. The difference is in the feel and the look.

• Ultra Plush is the fabric of our Original Play Sofa.
• Corduroy is 100% polyester, scratch-resistant and pet-friendly. It's a sensible pick if you have a dog or a cat. See the corduroy collection.
• Teddy has a soft, teddy-style texture.
• Waffle is a wide-rib corduroy.

If you're unsure, choose the fabric you'd happily sit on yourself every evening. Most evenings, that's what the sofa will be.

Can a play sofa work as an everyday sofa and a sleepover bed?

Yes, and it should, because it will spend most of its life as a sofa. The 160 cm Play Sofa has a 25 cm seat, low enough for small children to climb on by themselves. The Mini's seat is 20 cm high. On many days it's where children read and rest, not just where they build.

For sleepovers, open the 160 cm sofa out flat. It makes a 160 × 172.5 cm surface for sleeping bags, stories and a late night.

Want ideas for play days? Our 12 play sofa builds show what to make with the 8 pieces, step by step.

What do other parents say about Shappy?

Shappy is a family brand from Poland. We've sewn our play sofas in the EU since 2021. Since then, 60,000 families have chosen Shappy. Parents have left more than 700 reviews across our shops. You can read what they say on our reviews page.

Still deciding whether you need a play sofa at all? Our honest pros and cons cover the downsides too.

Ready to compare the two sizes?

See the 160 cm Play Sofa and the Mini side by side, in all the fabrics and colours they come in. You have 30 days from delivery to return it.

Compare the play sofas

What else do parents ask about choosing a play sofa?

Which play sofa size is right for a small flat?

The Play Sofa Mini is made for smaller rooms and smaller children. It measures 120 × 60 × 45 cm as a sofa, with a 20 cm seat. If you have room for 160 × 80 cm plus space to build around it, the 160 cm Play Sofa gives children more space to play.

How many pieces does a Shappy Play Sofa have?

Both the 160 cm Play Sofa and the Mini have 8 construction pieces. These are 2 seat modules, 2 triangular backrests, 2 armrests and 2 round cushions. Each seat module is two cushions sewn into one cover, so there are 4 seat cushions in total.

Can you wash a play sofa?

Yes. The covers come off and go in the washing machine at 30 °C. We recommend washing all the covers together, so the colour changes evenly.

Does play sofa foam go flat over time?

Low-density foam can sag quickly with daily jumping. Our sofas use high-density, high-resilience foam from Polish manufacturers, with no added chalk or fillers. Like any foam, it softens a little with use. Our 3-year limited warranty covers manufacturing defects in the foam and fabric.

How does a play sofa arrive, and how long does it take to expand?

Our play sofas arrive vacuum-packed, like a mattress in a box, and ship from our warehouse in Poland. Once you open the packaging, the foam takes around 24 hours to expand to its full shape. If you change your mind, you have 30 days from delivery to return it. You pay for return delivery, and an expanded sofa has to be packed carefully for the journey back.