9 best indoor slides for kids that they’ll love to glide off

Best: Overall

Rating: 9/10

From the sleepy village of Dingden on the Lower Rhine in Germany, brothers Ken and Kai Buschmann have been crafting exemplary slides since 2014. The brand first came into the spotlight when it was selected as a birthday present for Prince George’s first birthday. Since then, it’s been snapped by Kim Kardashian and the brand has gained close to 50,000 followers on Instagram, so it’s safe to say this slide is rather famous.

Taking about 20 minutes to build – following the clearly laid out instructions – it’s easy to see why this slide has garnered such a following. Unbelievably photogenic, we didn’t even mind it hanging out in our living room. And this is why it’s been aptly named the “white elephant” as its minimalist design fits into every kids’ room, but is equally at home in adult spaces.

Before we knew it our three-year-old tester was whizzing down this slide, it’s wonderfully slippy offering the best “slideability” of all those we tested. Slippiness is matched by safety, with high-side bolsters and embedded rounded steps also make it easy for younger sliders to navigate. It has a recommended age range from 18-months to four-years-old (but taking a whopping maximum load of 50KG), and while it’s a considered purchase, the white elephant really is the crème de la crème of indoor slides.

Best: For comfort

Rating: 9/10

Our little tester was like a moth to a flame when we took these pieces out of the packaging. There’s something so alluring about these foam-filled objects that see kids playing for hours on end; sliding, climbing, bouncing and creating obstacles.

Bringing the delights of Soft Play Kingdom into the home, we were surprised by how aesthetically pleasing this set is. In a neutral grey and white colourway, it’s not garish and thanks to the shape, fits perfectly into the corner of a kids’ bedroom or playroom. Standing at 40cm tall, it’s not a “mega” drop but certainly provided our tester will all the thrills of the steeper slides and is perfect for those still finding their feet.

Thanks to the padding it feels safe, and each element is trimmed with strong, durable and abrasion-resistant upholstery fabric. Meanwhile, the foam filling boasts increased density and with a high elasticity it springs back into action after use. The quality is second to none, and maintenance is a doddle as you can simply wipe clean. Also, thanks to its soft nature, even climbing up the stairs – a true highlight for our tester – is fair game.

Best: Compact slide

Rating: 8/10

You may have heard of the term “pikler” before, the name comes from Dr. Emmi Pikler, a Hungarian paediatrician and creator of the Pikler triangle: essentially a climbing frame that allows children to explore, learn boundaries and respond to their climbing needs – which is great for a child’s physical and mental development.

Well-known brand, TP Toys, has launched a pikler-inspired active-tots range for toddlers, allowing parents to expand and grow their active play area indoors space. Made from FSC-certified wood, the active-tots folding slide took us around 30-minutes to assemble. Aimed at kids between 12-months to four-years-old, our tester was racing up the climbing-frame-style steps in no time.

While we did find the material not quite as smooth and slippy as others we tested, it still occupied our tester and feels smooth to the touch and thanks to the length of the slide (107cm in total) it got plenty of attention. A real highlight for this slide is that when play time is over, it can be easily folded up and stored away in a matter of seconds. This compact design is great for smaller spaces.

Best: For its looks

Rating: 8/10

Okay, this might be elaborating on the humble slide somewhat, but why have just a slide when you can have a bed with a slide? Our six-year-old tester was beside herself when we revealed her bedroom upgrade. Designed by The Paristot Group, which has been designing and manufacturing furniture in France since 1936, the tobo (meaning "slide" in French) will transform a child’s bedroom.

It’s worth bearing in mind that you’ll need to set aside some serious assembly time as it arrives flat packed in three boxes. There are easy-to-follow instructions, which took our two-person team just under three hours to complete. And the result is seriously cool. The slide itself is just over a metre long and we’ve never seen our sleepy six-year-old so keen to vacate her bed! The quality finish ensured a slippy departure, as our mini tester glided down the slide.

We were also impressed by the sturdy construction, made from a quality high-density particleboard and finished in a smart white and Jackson oak wood. As well as a slide, the midsleeper bed boasts integrated shelving and two deep drawers for storage. The steps are wide which makes for an easy ascent to bed… but of course, the best bit is sliding out.

At Room to Grow you can save 20 per cent when purchasing your mattress, we opted for the kids avenue superior sprung mattress (£179, Roomtogrow.co.uk) as it’s a low profile mattress with 15cm depth, making it safe for use with cabin, bunk and high beds. The Paristot tobo offers somewhere to sleep, somewhere to play and somewhere to store surplus toys, making it a showstopping product.

Best: Multipurpose slide

Rating: 8/10

After 30-minutes of assembly time, this tidy multipurpose slide from Australian nursery furniture brand Boori was ready for action. Unlike the other slides tested, this boasts a multifunctional nature. Multipurpose products are a godsend for parents as they save space and money in the long run – so we were delighted to see this is not just a slide but cna be used as a stool and drawing board in the future.

With a slide length of just over 80cm, and a height of about 40cm, we’d say it’s more geared towards kids aged 18-months to two-years-old, that’s not to say our three-year-old tester wasn’t rather taken by it. Available in blueberry, cherry and white with complimentary almond, the two-tone style is super stylish and the quality is second to none, using premium timber with child-friendly paint. Our tester found it very tactile, and it has a wonderfully smooth finish. To transform it into a stool and easel was a doddle, and is certainly a selling point for this well-priced product.

Best: For creative play

Rating: 8/10

With TP Toy’s active-tots pikler style wooden climbing cube and slide, there’s plenty of opportunities for play. Surprisingly easy to assemble, it took us less than 20-minutes to build. Made with FSC-certified wood, this product oozes quality.

We paid special attention to the “bridge” which can be used as a slide or ladder, or bridge if you expand the range. Being multi-use, we were impressed by how ”slideable” this was, as our mini tester whizzed up and down. Flip the slide over and you have a climbing ladder, which gained equal attention. You’re able to easily lock the slide in place so that there are no moving parts while the anti-slip rubber feet provide extra stability. We love how this product allows little ones to be creative with climbing, using the tunnel or navigating the ladder.

Best: For gliding

Rating: 8/10

This slide caused quite the reaction for our Frozen fanatic, and while it wouldn’t be high on the grown-up list, we can’t deny its appeal. Standing at 75cm tall, it has the biggest descent of all the standalone slides we tested, and the 90cm slide saw our little tester whizzing down in no time at all. The slide is wonderfully slippy, but the chunky side bolsters and non-skid steps make it feel safe and secure. For warmer months there’s the option to add a hose under the slide to create a magical waterfall, which is a fun feature.

Made from plastic, it’s an incredibly durable slide that is suitable for those aged two to five-years-old. While we can’t see that our three-year-old will still be infatuated in a few years’ time – for toddlers and pre-schoolers it promises hours of fun. It’s not been specifically designed for indoor use, but we like that it’s a doddle to tidy away as you simply take the ladder off and store it under the slide. It’s also incredibly light so you can easily move it around the house or into the back garden.

Best: For durability

Rating: 8/10

This foam-filled two-piece set gained the same gleeful reception as the other soft play slide (£160, Softplaykingdom.com) that we tested. It’s a more compact version consisting of two objects – a slide and steps which connect using a seamless Velcro strip so that there’s no falling in between – so if room is limited then this will transform the space.

The plush padding is comfortable underfoot – particularly when climbing up the stairs, a personal highlight for our tester – plus can be simply wiped clean if any spillages take place. The 2-piece step and slide feels safe and durable and the quality will ensure it stands the test of time. We’re also big fans of the neutral colour scheme which is a stylish addition to a bedroom or playroom.

Best: Value for money

Rating: 7/10

Available in a pink and purple or blue and green colourway, the pops of colours are sure to catch a young one’s attention. Coming in four parts, you simply connect the slide to steps and slot the left and right handles in place and then the fun is ready to commence.

This slide is the longest of all the standalone slides we tried, measuring at 110cm, and at 70cm high it makes for an impressive glide. It feels sturdy and safe, and the handrails ensure effective climbing while the flared run off warrants a secure finish. It’s recommended for ages 18-months to six-years-old, but we’d say around the age of two or three is the optimum use for this slide.

Designed to be used both indoors and outdoors, due to the plastic nature and bright colours it does, unfortunately, become a bit of an eyesore when in the home. You can store it away as the steps tuck into the slide – though we have to say we found this process a little testing as it’s pretty stiff which is a testament to its stability. Having said that, for £40 it provided our mini tester with plenty of amusement.