So you’ve heard all the hype, but is Oxygen York all-bouncing, all-playing centre of joyful activity that everyone’s been hoping for? We went along to the opening party of York’s new trampoline park with our 9 and 11 year-olds to check it out for ourselves, and here’s what you can expect.

Parking – Farewell Argos, hello Oxygen! York’s newest activity centre is on the site of the old Argos at Clifton Moor, which is great news because that means plenty of free parking. We found a space without any problems just outside the park, but with so many spaces within a short walking distance, it’s never likely to be an issue. 

First impressions – Wow! A combination of friendly staff, a clean, colourful entrance and lively music made us feel welcome instantly. The site is deceptively large and has been completely transformed from its former guise as a retail store. Every element has been designed for maximum fun, from the way you check your sock size to a hidden fan to soothe the hottest of faces.

Socks – Speaking of socks, anyone planning on joining in the action (that’s the whole family, right?!) will need grip socks to reduce the chance of injury. Although you can buy them on site, you’re welcome to wear ones you already have (if you’re organised enough to remember them in the rush to leave the house). Likewise, we were right to suggest to our girls that leggings and a light top were a better idea than jeans and a sweatshirt – it might have been a chilly winter’s day, but within five minutes they were boiling, so dress for action!

Lockers – Lockers are provided free of charge for you to store shoes and anything else you don’t want to carry around, like those sweatshirts that they insisted on bringing…

Activities – Although Oxygen is a trampoline park, there’s a lot more to it than that. The trampolines might be centre stage – and we love the fact that they’re relatively small, discouraging the temptation to share – but there’s a huge variety of other activities on offer. For little ones, there’s a baby and toddler soft play area that will keep younger children occupied for ages (and hopefully napping for ages afterwards, too). Older kids are in for a real treat, with a huge inflatable area, trapeze, parkour area, sports pitch and strike arena. Our daughters spent a full two hours exploring it all and rated the trapeze and parkour as the best bits aside from the trampolines. There’s also a climbing area that can be booked as an add-on and looks good fun, but we were so busy with everything else that we didn’t try it this time. Not everyone loves to trampoline, so having a mixture of activities is a real winner, especially for larger groups with lots of children. Everyone will find something that suits their age and stage, as long as they like to run about (and who doesn’t?).

Food & drink – We were impressed with the range and quality of food on offer. Prices are reasonable, too: paninis and jacket potatoes cost around £6, with a chicken or halloumi burger setting you back £7.95 (top marks for the halloumi burger, which is delicious). There are vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options available, and a very tempting selection of drinks to quench the thirst of the sweatiest child (bubble tea for the win). Importantly for the grown-ups, the coffee is good. It’s great that the cafe overlooks the park too, so parents can keep an eye on older kids while relaxing with a drink. Win-win.

Good to know – Oxygen York does birthday parties for 0 to 5s and older kids which look great fun. Peaceful Play sessions are also available, offering lower lighting and volume than other sessions. On the first Friday of every month, it’s Neon Night at Oxygen, which means jumping, games, dancing and competitions from 6pm to 8pm. Neon Nights tickets include two hours of jumping, a yummy hotdog, unlimited squash and glow sticks to take home.

The verdict – It was a solid 10/10 from our girls for their experience at Oxygen York, and we thought it was awesome too. The fact that they keep asking to go back, and asking to have their birthday party there, says it all.

Oxygen York, Clifton Moor Centre, Hurricane Way, Rawcliffe, York YO30 4XU – Visit the Oxygen York website