UPDATE: As of 2015, Play Creative Café has moved to 809 Chemong Road, Peterborough. Lil’ Bean and Green has closed. Smock has closed and is online-only.
If you’ve got a baby, toddler, or preschooler at home, kid cafés are an essential resource. Letting your little one blow off steam while you relax with a cup of coffee is something every parent and caretaker needs now and then.
For new moms, just getting out of the house with baby is a welcome respite. And at a kid cafe, no one gives you the evil eye when your child cries (and cries some more).
Play Creative Café in the Leaside/Davisville area is one such establishment. The space is designed to encourage creativity for the under-four-foot crowd while providing cappuccinos and wi-fi for grown-ups. Up front, the café offers java any way you want it, accompanied by delectable baked goods. Smoothies, tea (some kid-friendly options), juice, yogurt, and milk are also available.
A second dedicated area encourages dramatic play, complete with a mini kitchen. The third area is for the junior Picasso: kids can get as creative and messy as they want in the art space.
The space is smartly divided by glass walls, allowing light into all three areas areas and allowing you to keep a keen eye on your little ones. Downstairs, a massive chalk board runs the length of the building and there’s tons of open space for art camp and special events, whether birthday parties, dance parties, or baby showers. The owner, Jan, will even arrange for a “special-occasion permit” for your private event so mommy or daddy and their friends can have a drink while the kids play.
Another amazing perk for parents: each month, local restaurants partner with Play Café for a Date Night event, offering specials while your child is cared for at Play Café.
Details:
Play Creative Café
1517 Bayview Ave.
416-482-8023
www.playcreativecafe.com
Open daily
Play rate: $10 ($7 for members)
Membership: $40/yr (includes 10% off parties and camps and free demo classes)
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More Toronto Kid Cafés
Oaks ‘n Acorns (the Danforth) is an arts-and-crafts space for kids with a dance studio, gym, and baby studio and a full calendar of classes every month. The café is included with classes, or you can pay a small fee ($5-$8) to access the café and Stay ‘n Play area, which has a craft table, Duplo table, baby toys, play house, kitchen, dress-up clothes, and more. On the menu are coffee and tea plus sandwiches, bakery items, and healthy snacks for kids.
CLOSED Lil’ Bean n’ Green (Leslieville) was Toronto’s first kid café back in 2009 and is going strong. The gated indoor play area has a “treehouse” with slide, plus toys and books in English and French. Just beside the play area is the café, with a menu of coffee and tea, bakery items, sandwiches, soups, salad, ice cream, and Kiddie Sampler plates with healthy options. Fees are $5 to play ($3 for siblings) or free with $10 café purchase. Stop by to play or for sing-alongs, Lil’ Bean also has camps, hosts parties and events, and schedules occasional fun nights for parents.
RedFish BlueFish Creative Cafe (the Annex) has a ground-floor free craft space for kids along with the café and seating, and and outdoor patio. Upstairs is a play space for “crawlers and toddlers” ($6/family) that has occasional classes. The menu is substantial and includes hot meals, salads, and sandwiches in addition to coffee and tea (and steamed milk with sprinkles), kid sampler plates, applesauce, yogurt, bakery goodies, and ice-cream sandwiches.
CLOSED Smock Café and Wonder Workshop (Roncesvalles) has toys, books, costumes, and a craft area ($2–$5). In addition to a full menu of tea, (above-average) coffee, and baked goods, they serve up sandwiches and, for $4, kids’ meals with a choice of three healthy items like carrot sticks, fruit, and hummus with pita. Downstairs, Smock has frequent classes (yoga, crafts, mom-and-baby, and more) and birthday-party packages.
