Baby Showers · Birthdays · Celebrations
The best soft play rentals in the Chicago suburbs
Five vetted providers who turn any venue into a safe, joyful little-kids' zone — so you can host, and they can play.
Planning a party for the little ones and want to keep a room full of toddlers happy all afternoon? A soft play rental is the easiest yes on your list — colorful, cushioned, and built for the under-fives who lose interest in everything else by the second hour.
We looked at the companies serving the Northwest Suburbs, North Suburbs, and the North Shore, and rounded up the ones families and planners actually come back to. Here's where to start, and what to check before you book.
The Shortlist
Five companies worth calling
Soft Play Rental Chicago
The reliable first call for family events across the suburbs. Setups are clean, sanitized, and sized for babies through age five — foam climbers, ball pits, soft blocks, tunnels, and sensory mats that come together into a real dedicated kids' zone. They handle delivery, setup, and breakdown start to finish, so the play area is one thing you never have to think about on the day.
Serves Arlington Heights, Schaumburg, Palatine, Glenview, Evanston and more.
Maison Soft Play
The styled end of the market. Maison Soft Play designs neutral-toned, boutique setups for ages 0–5 that photograph as beautifully as they play — every piece curated, delivered, styled in your space, and sanitized before it arrives. With 300+ families served, a 5.0 Google rating, and full insurance, it's the natural fit for North Shore showers and milestone birthdays where the look matters as much as the fun. Sizes run from an intimate suite up to a flagship setup, so it scales to the room and the occasion.
Serves Winnetka, Kenilworth, Lake Forest, Wilmette, Hinsdale, Barrington and more.
Petal & Play Co.
A styled, pastel-toned option built for events with a strong visual direction. Coordinated accessories and soft color palettes make their setups double as photo backdrops — a good match for North Shore celebrations where the play area needs to sit inside the overall look of the party, not compete with it.
Bouncing Around Chicago
The one-stop option for mixed-age parties. Alongside their soft play sets they carry inflatable bounce houses, so you can set up a cushioned zone for the toddlers and something bigger for the older kids at the same event. Equipment is well-maintained and sanitized between rentals.
Chicagoland Party Rentals
A well-established name with a wide suburban footprint and both indoor and outdoor packages. Worth a call if your venue sits well outside the city, or if you'd rather bundle soft play with tables, linens, and tent canopies from a single vendor instead of coordinating several.
Coverage by Region
Find the right provider for your area
Northwest Suburbs
Arlington Heights, Palatine, Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Rolling Meadows, Elk Grove Village, and Mount Prospect have a strong network of rental companies. Look for providers that name these towns specifically — some Chicago-based vendors add a surcharge for suburban delivery. The best here offer flexible indoor setups for banquet halls, community centers, and private homes.
North Suburbs
Stretching toward the Wisconsin border, this region has steady demand for family event services across Glenview, Northbrook, Deerfield, Highland Park, Lake Forest, Libertyville, and Vernon Hills. Locally based providers in the northern collar counties usually mean shorter delivery distances — which often translates to lower fees and more flexible time windows on your event day.
North Shore & Lakefront
Evanston, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Winnetka, Glencoe, and Lake Bluff lean toward detail-oriented events where aesthetics carry real weight. This is where styled, boutique setups earn their keep — pastel or neutral palettes, coordinated signage, and equipment that holds up in the photo gallery. Providers like Maison Soft Play are built specifically for this market.
Before You Book
Six questions worth asking
Confirm your delivery zone
Verify your exact city or zip is covered. "Chicago suburbs" is broad, and some companies have quiet gaps in their map.
Check the age range
Most soft play is designed for six months to five years. Make sure the setup matches the ages actually coming to your party.
Measure your space first
Share your venue dimensions ahead of time so they can recommend the right package size for your floor plan.
Indoor vs. outdoor
Not every setup works outdoors, especially on uneven ground. Ask about surface and weather requirements before committing.
Ask about sanitization
Reputable companies clean every piece between rentals. Don't hesitate to ask how, and when, it's done before delivery.
Deposit & cancellation
Confirm the deposit and cancellation terms up front — especially if your date could shift for weather or other reasons.
The Last Word
Whoever you choose, book early
The best providers fill their weekend dates well in advance, especially from spring through the end of summer. Settle on your date, confirm the delivery zone and age range, and reserve early — the little ones will handle the rest.