Inside the Soneva Jani Kids Club: A Conversation with The Den's Manager, Stacy Bachan
Stacy Bachan leads the team that children at Soneva Jani ask for by name. We asked her about the children, teenagers and parents who come through The Den, and her answers tell you more about a kids club than a facilities list can.
Every so often, a child at The Den looks up at Stacy Bachan and asks whether she actually lives there.
"With a kitchen, playrooms, and practically everything they could dream of, they naturally assume we must live here too, and that when they go home, we simply stay behind and enjoy the place all to ourselves," she says. "We've even been asked, 'Do you go home like normal people?' which always makes me laugh."
Stacy is the Kids Club Manager at Soneva Jani, in the Maldives' Noonu Atoll. The Den, the Soneva Jani kids club, covers more than 1,500 sqm across two levels, with a 32-metre zipline that runs through a waterfall, a pool with a waterslide and a swim-up Grotto Bar. Our family has stayed on both Soneva islands. This time we wanted the view from the other side of the door: what it is like to run The Den. Her answers appear here in her own words.
Stacy Bachan, Kids Club Manager at Soneva Jani. Photo: Soneva.
What is The Den at Soneva Jani?
**Screen-free, minimal tech | 1,500+ sqm | Complimentary | Ages 4 to 17**
The Lego room, one of 11 activity rooms at The Den. Photo: Soneva.
The Den at Soneva Jani is a two-level children's club with 11 activity rooms, including a kitchen, a toddler room, a dress-up room, Lego, music and a teen games area called The Hangout. In the regular season the complimentary drop-off programme runs from 10:00 to 17:00 for ages 4 to 12, and from 10:00 to 18:00 for teens aged 13 to 17. Children under 4 join with a parent or babysitter. The Den is screen-free, with minimal technology.
What do children love most at The Den?
**Zipline | Ocean Bingo | Dress-Up Room**
Helmet on, harness checked: the moment before the zipline. Photo: Soneva.
Ask which activity children beg to repeat and Stacy does not hesitate. "The zipline, without question! Some children are a little nervous at first, but once they've taken that first leap, there's no stopping them. Even the tropical heat and humidity can't dampen their enthusiasm, and they're always asking for more."
The thing they would show their friends back home is different. Stacy picks the weekly Ocean Bingo and snorkelling experience, where children learn about marine life, "like how parrotfish contribute to creating the beautiful white sand on our beaches", and then get into the water to find it for themselves. "Snorkelling is often seen as more of a grown-up adventure, so there's a wonderful sense of excitement and accomplishment when children realise they can experience it too."
The one room she would keep
A rail of costumes, from capes to an astronaut suit, ready for whoever a child decides to be today. Photo: Soneva.
We asked Stacy what she would leave standing if The Den had to be stripped back to a single room. With a zipline, a waterslide and a pirate ship to choose from, she chose the Dress-Up Room.
"With costumes and imaginative play areas including a doctor's kit, tool bench, fire station, kitchen etc., it's a place where children can become absolutely anything they imagine. One moment they're a doctor saving lives, the next they're a chef, firefighter, or builder." Beyond the fun, she says, it reinforces "a message we believe children should hear from a young age: you can be anything you want to be."
What is there for teenagers at Soneva Jani?
**Teen-only time | Extra hour | Local Scout Teen Adventure**
The Hangout, upstairs at The Den, where teenagers have the billiards table to themselves in the extra teen hour. Photo: Soneva.
"Teens don't necessarily want to be entertained every minute; sometimes they just want to hang out, make friends, and enjoy a little independence," Stacy says. The Den sets aside dedicated teen-only time, and the programme reaches across the resort with Teen Chill & Chat at South Beach and Teen Table dinners at the weekly buffet.
The experience she singles out is the Local Scout Teen Adventure, "where teens visit a neighbouring island, discover everyday Maldivian life, and connect with local scouts their own age. It's a chance to venture beyond the resort, experience a different culture, make new friends, and enjoy a little adventure away from their parents."
Her summary of the approach: "it's about giving them the freedom to enjoy their holiday on their own terms."
How do you know a shy child has settled in at a kids club?
**They stop looking for you | Ask to come back before breakfast**
Off to the pirate ship with two Den hosts. Photo: Soneva.
"A child might initially arrive with their parents, excited but anxious about being separated, constantly checking to see if they're still nearby," Stacy says. "We know they've truly settled in when they stop looking around for their parents and become completely absorbed in the fun."
The other sign arrives the next morning: "when parents tell us their child woke up asking to come straight to The Den before breakfast."
For parents who have never left a young child with anyone else, this is the part that matters. Stacy counts it among the moments that will stay with her. "It's especially rewarding when parents who have never left their young children in anyone else's care before gain that confidence and trust after just one visit." Some families, she adds, have offered Den hosts the chance to return home with them as nannies or au pairs.
Is The Den at Soneva Jani screen-free?
**No video games | No cartoons | No device Wi-Fi**
No screens in the music room: guitars, a ukulele, drums and an electronic drum pad. Photo: Soneva.
We asked Stacy for the question parents never ask but should. Her answer: "How can we bring some of The Den experience home with us?"
"At The Den, we deliberately move away from screen-based entertainment. There are no video games, televisions playing cartoons, or Wi-Fi for personal devices," she says. "I think parents would be surprised by how little children actually miss their screens when they're genuinely engaged in something meaningful."
Her advice for home is modest. "It doesn't require elaborate facilities or expensive toys. Sometimes it's as simple as making time for imaginative play, spending time outdoors, creating something together, or encouraging children to entertain themselves without automatically reaching for a device." She is also clear about the limits: "It's not about eliminating technology altogether, but finding a healthier balance and helping children rediscover the simple joys of play."
Can parents join in at The Den?
**Parents welcome | Waterslide | Grotto Bar**
The swim-up Grotto Bar, behind a curtain of falling water. Mocktails and juices only, as parents keep noticing. Photo: Soneva.
Parents are welcome at The Den, and Stacy knows exactly where they end up. "We're told it's even faster than the slides at the villas, and parents seem to enjoy it just as much as the children. There's often some friendly competition over who can make the biggest splash at the bottom." The swim-up Grotto Bar, which serves mocktails and fresh juices, draws admiring looks too, with parents "often joking that they wish there was something on the menu for them too."
What do children take home from The Den?
**Confidence | Curiosity | Connection**
A wall of drawings left by children who have passed through The Den. Photo: Soneva.
"Whether they've overcome a fear, made a new friend from another country, formed a special bond with one of our Den hosts, learned something new, or discovered a talent they didn't know they had, I hope they leave with something meaningful beyond just wonderful holiday memories."
The connection runs both ways. Returning children ask after their favourite hosts by name before they have reached the resort, Stacy says, and then "run straight into that host's arms for a hug". Her favourite thing a child can say is the simplest: "Can we come back tomorrow?"
"Those moments remind us that what children remember most isn't always the activities or facilities, but the friendships and genuine connections they've made along the way."
The KCC view
The Den from above, set in the jungle at the heart of Soneva Jani. Photo: Soneva.
What stays with us from this conversation is how rarely Stacy talks about The Den itself. Asked which room she would keep, she chose the one where a child can be anything. Asked what children remember, she talked about her hosts. Asked about a shy child, she described watching for the moment they stop looking for their parents.
This is a team that sees each child as a person before a guest. In Stacy's words: "We take the time to get to know each child as an individual, encourage them to explore their interests, build confidence, and create meaningful friendships." The facilities at the Soneva Jani kids club are extensive, and it is the care Stacy and her team give each child that children ask to come back to.
The Den suits families who want their children off screens and in the company of people who know their names, and families with teenagers who want some independence built into the holiday. Programmes, hours and sessions change with the season, so ask the resort for the current week before you travel. To see The Den alongside other islands, read our guide to kids clubs in the Maldives.
Quick facts: The Den at Soneva Jani
| | |
| --- | --- |
| Club | The Den, Soneva Jani, Noonu Atoll, Maldives |
| Ages | Drop-off programme for ages 4 to 12 and teens aged 13 to 17. Under-4s join with a parent or babysitter. |
| Hours, regular season | 10:00 to 17:00 for ages 4 to 12. 10:00 to 18:00 for teens. |
| Cost | The daily drop-off programme is complimentary. Crafts are free. Specialist experiences are charged. |
| Screens | Screen-free, with minimal technology. No video games, cartoons or Wi-Fi for personal devices. |
| Size | More than 1,500 sqm over two levels, with 11 activity rooms |
| Good to know | Closed-toed shoes are needed for the zipline. The pool and waterslide close from 12:00 to 14:00 to children in the drop-off programme without a parent or guardian. |
| Kids Club Manager | Stacy Bachan |
Frequently asked questions
Is there a kids club at Soneva Jani?
Yes. The Soneva Jani kids club is called The Den. It covers more than 1,500 sqm over two levels and runs a complimentary daily drop-off programme for ages 4 to 17.
What age is The Den at Soneva Jani for?
The drop-off programme is for children aged 4 to 12 and teens aged 13 to 17. Children under 4 are welcome with a parent or babysitter.
Are screens allowed at The Den?
No. The Den has no video games, no televisions playing cartoons and no Wi-Fi for personal devices. Its manager, Stacy Bachan, says the team "deliberately move away from screen-based entertainment".
What is there for teenagers at Soneva Jani?
Teens aged 13 to 17 have dedicated teen-only time at The Den, Teen Chill & Chat at South Beach, Teen Table dinners and the Local Scout Teen Adventure, a visit to a neighbouring island to meet Maldivian scouts their own age.
Can parents go to The Den with their children?
Yes. Parents are welcome at The Den, and the waterslide is as popular with them as it is with the children.
What is Ocean Bingo at Soneva Jani?
Ocean Bingo is a weekly session at The Den where children learn about local marine life and then go snorkelling to spot turtles, fish and corals for themselves.
Our conversation with Stacy Bachan took place in October 2026. Facts about The Den come from the Soneva Jani team and the resort's October 2026 programmes. Always confirm ages, hours and sessions with the resort before you travel, as programmes change with the season.