I first visited Play & Learn Cafe when it opened in the spring, and quite a bit had changed since then. There's a new Discovery Room with "messy projects" for kids (on this day, it was paints) and many different toy stations in the main room -- play structures, dress-up clothes, ride-on bikes, sensory bin, dollhouse, train table and more.
Aden and Tory had an absolute blast playing here the morning we visited. They ran for a solid three hours, which is fantastic for an indoor play area. I'd say Tory was on the older end of the spectrum for children's ages, which was fantastic for keeping the rowdiness at minimum. I liked how small yet open the main room was which helped me keep an eye on the kids easily, and I also liked the many gating devices they had to keep kids safe and secure in one particular area. We arrived around 9:30am (the cafe opened at 9:00am) and the place was practically empty. Thirty minutes later, closer to 10:00am, the place had filled quickly with parents and kids. Next time I go, I'll definitely shoot to arrive closer to opening time to beat the rush.
We didn't eat at the cafe on this particular day, but the menu looked appetizing for both kids and parents. Tory made me promise the next time we visited we'd stay for lunch. I'm sure we'll be back. A great find in the Twin Cities for things to do with kids.
We went there when they first opened and it was completely nuts, so this gives me hope. I would love to try it out again, maybe with Louie and Olive when Gus is at school, since you say it's geared towards the littler kids right now. (Or maybe that was just due to the timing of when you were there?) I don't know if my 6 year old would be too big and rowdy. ;)
ReplyDeleteTory was definitely one of the older kids there, at least on the day we went. They've added a bunch more toys and activities since the first time I visited, and more security gates to keep the kids inside one area. I'd say probably better for Louie and Olive; I'm not sure Gus would have enough to keep him entertained (the toys are geared toward the younger set, in my opinion).
DeleteStill though, a great place to let the kids play indoors this winter. If you do go, I'd recommend going right when they open. It got pretty busy around 10:00am and was pretty busy there when I left around 11:30am.