Pssst, Småland is coming back

Småland is IKEA’s free, supervised play area inspired by the forests of southern Sweden — a place where imagination, movement and creativity come together. It’s designed especially for children aged 3–8, giving parents time to browse, shop or enjoy a coffee while little adventurers play.

You'll find us conveniently located on ground level near the entrance of the IKEA Tempe store.

Småland is designed for children aged 3 to 8 years old (inclusive). Children must also be fully potty-trained and able to use the toilet independently without assistance.

All children enjoy 30 minutes of play per day, with IKEA Family members receiving an additional 30 minutes for 1 hour total.

Småland is open 11am – 5pm, Monday to Thursday, 11am – 7pm, Friday, and 10:30am – 8:30pm, Saturday and Sunday.  

No, entry is completely free.

Småland features active play zones, creative corners and calm areas — all designed to support movement, imagination and downtime. This includes climbing elements, drawing stations, imaginative play structures and cosy spaces for quiet time.

Yes! Our trained Småland co-workers are always present and maintain a safe co‑worker‑to‑child ratio. They’re there to support, guide and ensure a positive experience for every child.

All Småland co‑workers hold the mandatory NSW Working with Children Check, which includes identity verification, reference checks and a police vetting process. Only co‑workers who have passed this assessment are permitted to supervise children in the space.

In addition, Småland co‑workers undertake annual Småland‑specific training, covering: 

• Child safety and supervision protocols 
• First aid and CPR
• Epi‑Pen administration
• Emergency and evacuation procedures
• Inclusive care and supporting children with diverse needs
• Småland operating standards and incident‑response processes

A strict co‑worker‑to‑child ratio is maintained at all times to ensure safe supervision. Co‑workers also receive ongoing refreshers throughout the year to stay up to date with safety requirements, operational changes and best‑practice guidance for working with children. 

Comfortable clothes are recommended for active play. Children must remove their shoes but keep their socks on for hygiene and safety.

Småland is provided for children while their parents are shopping inside the IKEA store, you must remain within the IKEA premises while your child is in Småland.

For safety and allergy reasons, no outside food, gum, or drinks (except water) are permitted in Småland. We also ask that children do not bring electronics or their own toys, as they can be easily misplaced. AAC devices are permitted, should a child require one, we would request that you show up with some extra time to show staff how to understand and support their visit.

Please let our co‑workers know during check‑in. While our team is trained in First Aid (including CPR and Epi‑Pen use), they cannot administer medication unless permitted by local legislation. Items like Epi‑pens or inhalers can be stored safely with your child’s belongings, and we ask that you remain reachable and close by. 

At IKEA, we strive to give all children the opportunity to play! While we cannot provide one-on-one supervision for all children, we would love to co-create a Plan to Play to support every child’s ability to experience play time in Småland. Please speak with our IKEA Småland co-workers for us to start the process!

Please note, the options available will be dependent on co-worker availability, and on how busy Småland is on the day of your visit. There may be a delay in admission to Småland dependent on capacity, but we will endeavour to welcome all children into Småland!

If a child requires an AAC device, we would request that you show up with some extra time to show staff how to understand and support their visit.

Service animals are welcome. 

Families enter the registration lobby one at a time. We’ll take your mobile number, provide your child with a numbered “play” vest and a numbered box for belongings, and ask for handwashing or sanitising before entry. The same parent or guardian who signs in must sign out, and we’ll verify this for safety. Please note if two parents or guardians both sign a child in, they must also both be present at the time of collection to sign-out that child.

You will receive an SMS reminder, and we may attempt to call you. If we cannot reach you and a significant amount of time passes, our customer relations team or duty manager will be required to escalate according to our protocols. After 30 minutes, the duty manager will contact the police. Please collect your child on time so they remain comfortable and other children can enjoy Småland.

Yes, we have a few simple rules to ensure everyone has fun. These include no aggressive behaviour, hitting, biting, spitting, or disrespect towards co-workers or other children. Children who struggle with safety instructions will be gently guided, and parents may be contacted for early pick‑up if needed. Our co‑workers are here to support, not discipline.

Our co‑workers will immediately and safely evacuate all children. Parents can meet their children at the designated evacuation point. The evacuation point will be communicated during registration as well as confirmed with the Småland co-worker at check-in.

Småland at IKEA Tempe has been upgraded to the new global “Småland 2.0” concept. The refreshed design focuses on imaginative play, active movement, creativity and calm spaces — all created with children’s wellbeing, hygiene and accessibility in mind. While the traditional ball pit was a much‑loved feature, the new layout offers a wider range of modern, inclusive and safe play experiences for all children. 

Småland has been closed since COVID as part of a global IKEA pause on supervised play facilities. IKEA has used this time to redesign and upgrade the space to the new “Småland 2.0” concept — a refreshed, safer and more inclusive play experience inspired by the forests of southern Sweden. Tempe is the first store in Australia to reopen under this new design. 

Tempe is the pilot location for Australia. Småland is also available in Perth, Richmond and Springvale; however, at these locations it operates as an unstaffed play space where parents supervise their children and enjoy family time together. IKEA is currently reviewing the rollout plan for additional staffed Småland locations, and timing will be confirmed once the Tempe reopening is complete and customer feedback has been gathered. While our ambition is to bring the staffed Småland experience to more IKEA stores across Australia, no dates have been finalised yet.