Little Village Play Cafe opened in April 2023 and is run by a local mom, Abi, who lives just down the street. She opened her small business because she saw a need for a warm, bright space for people to bring their little ones to play and for parents to meet other new parents and support each other along the journey.
Cozy & Casual | Coffee Shop + Play Space
You’re welcomed into the airy shop space where you can find everything from candles to teethers, t-shirts to baby carriers and everything in between. At the counter, you can order from their menu. They have coffee, smoothies, hearty snacks, plus beer, wine and seltzers.
Enjoy your treats at the cafe tables in the shop side, or sip from the counter overlooking the play space. If you need to get some work done, there are plenty of outlets to plug in and keep and eye on your little one while you work. Little Village Play Cafe is like being at your best friend’s amazing house with all the best toys. The atmosphere is cozy and casual.
Inviting & Accessible
They have a big, clean bathroom with a changing table plus a private, separate nursing room with a comfy chair and changing table. Their second bathroom can be found in the very back corner of the play space. Their space is inviting and accessible while still being super fun and engaging for the kids.
Play Space & Snacks
During Little Village Play Cafe normal business hours, you can pay to play in 30-minute increments. Be sure to pack socks, as they’re required in the play space. No need to pack your own snacks, as they have so many options to order. Kids even have the option to build their own snack tray. I love to see a place where kids can make their own choices in such a concrete way.
Photos used with permission from Little Village Play Cafe and Kyleen DzPloch
Kids Enrichment Classes
If you’re looking for a little more structure, you can sign up for one of their classes, which is what we did when we went to visit. My four year old and I visited for a ‘construction’ themed class and she had the absolute best time!
We showed up a bit early and shared a chocolate smoothie (five star rated by us both) and took a bathroom break before the class began. She was one of eight kiddos in the class. Though parents are asked to stay on-site for the classes, the kids participate independently in the activities.
The staff did an amazing job keeping the kids engaged and focused. They started with a construction themed story time. Afterward, they split into a building group and a crafting group. One staff member built “dinosaur houses” while the other did “pendulum paintings” with the kids. It was so much fun to watch both groups collaborate on their tasks. Getting a group of little kids who don’t know each other to work together toward a common goal isn’t always easy, but the staff at Little Village Play Cafe handled it without any problems at all.
After the indoor activities, they headed outside to build a brick wall with foam blocks and shaving cream. The kids all worked with different tools to build. I guess I’ll be making a trip to the store for shaving cream, because my daughter hasn’t stopped asking to do this at home! This was by far her favorite part of the construction class.
The class was lead by two people who work with kids in education. Abi, the owner, said that all the classes have clear lesson plans with learning objectives. The class my daughter took was obviously very well planned and coordinated.
After getting all that shaving cream cleaned up, we headed back inside Little Village Play Cafe for the heartiest snack ever. Z was so excited about her stop light fruit kebob, but her favorite part was the dirt cake with the tiny shovel. We got a little bit of time in the play space to wrap up the class.
On the way out, Z got a brand new book, an Instant Photo from the class time and got to bring her painting and her dirt cake home with her.
Sign up for a Class for Toddlers or Kinder-Aged Child
If you’re looking for an enriching class to bring your toddlers or kinder-aged kids, I highly recommend checking out the classes at Little Village Play Cafe. They have classes and registration ready to go online; all you have to do is show up and have some fun!
Location
6505 W. North Ave, Wauwatosa
