This is a question I have asked quite frequently when I tell people that I have a play café. "Is that like a indoor play gym with both slides and rock climbing structures and trampolines?" I guess that's what happens if you introduce an entirely new idea to your city.
Indoor playgrounds have existed for a while, and there are lots of of these in our town of Burlington and neighbouring cities of Oakville and Hamilton. They are the places that you take your children to when they want to burn off their energy if it's too cold out to visit the park, or whenever you do not need them to tear your house apart. They're the places where your children can run around through mazes, climb ropes, and slide down slides and let out all of the mad!
It was actually at an indoor park the notion of Chickadee Family Cafe was born in my mind. I'd taken my then two-and-a-half year old to a popular indoor play area within our hometown Burlington and strove to keep up with him as he raced down slides and through mazes. I crouched into tiny corners chasing my little guy around and came out utterly exhausted (proceed, insert jokes about how out of shape I am here).
As soon as I arose in the play structures, I looked around me at the other parents. Many were standing about trying to keep a visual in their own kids' whereabouts. Some were phoning their kids' names, hoping that they were not stuck in a maze...'trigger c'mon, most of us know no adult really wants to have to climb all the way up those structures to regain a crying child. Mostly, they looked exhausted and tired. Perhaps their children woke up at 6am too.
I had fun with my son, which was the main aim of visiting the indoor playground, but in a place filled with other moms and dads around my age with kids around my son's age, there was a huge opportunity for building connection with my community that I felt was completely overlooked. However, the atmosphere did not really lend itself to using an actual conversation.
I began to research what was out there for a few quality mommy -- son time which didn't require me to crawl on my hands and knees and www.helmamusements.com then squeeze my butt through a tunnel fit for a toddler. I found drama cafes. Play cafes are comparatively new to Canada, but are around the UK, Australia and the US for several years. A drama café combines the requirements of both parents and kids, fueling parents with caffeinated beverages while supplying ample play space for children to explore and have fun.
Play cafes take the community-focused approach of a café and incorporate a play space for kids. In Chickadee Family Caféwe supply that coffee shop atmosphere which you are utilized to sipping your latte in as well as an enjoyable child-friendly environment filled with creative and toys based drama actions. When the play space is closed along with the kiddos are in bed, our space can quickly transform in a day assembly space for parent workshops, a couples' date night or a meeting place for mompreneurs.
While most indoor playgrounds either don't provide meals or function up fast food choices or vending machine snacks, a play café is a full-service café with espresso based drinks along with a hearty menu of healthy snacks and lunch items.
A play café is a bridge between an early years' centre and your regional trendy café.
I hope that helped to explain the gap between an indoor park and a play café. We can't wait to start our doors and invite you to experience the difference for yourself.