Opening a play cafe, what would you want?

[teamaven]

I’m thinking of opening a play cafe in my local area, it really is a gap in the market here and I have confirmed interested.

To be honest I wouldn’t know where to start! But there are a few units available near me.

1st question - has anyone done this before and can provide some advice?

2nd. What would YOU like to see from a play cafe? Any unique ideas are a bonus

I disagree. I am gathering ideas/advice etc. If I decide it’s something I would like to do then I will write up a business plan/look at costs etc. Everything starts from nothing 🙂 be kind

Do you have any experience in a cafe? Preferably running one, but time working in one would also be helpful.

My thoughts are that I would avoid areas cafe like this as it would be a constant stream of kids babies toddlers, mothers, buggies etc much more so than a normal cafe. Now that I am past that stage in life I wouldn't be tempted by the cafe. I expect others without young kids probably feel the same so you are limiting your market.

Do you have any experience running a business?
A minimum wage worker will cost you around £14 per hour once everything is taken into account.

Im not being unkind. Im being realistic. You asked for opinions. You also said you wouldn't know where to start.

I'd say no screens.

It drives me mad when we go to a softplay and they end up playing on a screen for the whole time we're there. I could have saved £30 and just given them the iPad at home. I want them to run around.

That sounds like the worst of both worlds to me.

If I don’t have my kids then I don’t want to be sitting in a play area with the noise that entails.

You’ll also find a lot of parents uncomfortable with a play area that basically invites people to just come and sit in. I’d give you a month before you’re faced with a local rumour about some guy who came in for a coffee who is now facing “yes but WHY would he chose THAT cafe…all those children around…” rumours.

This is a terrible idea. Trying to please everyone, actually pleasing no-one. Play Cafes can be super successful in the right area. You don't need the normal cafe business, people buying a cup of coffee and working from your tables for hours.

This sounds backward but I'd actually start by looking at portion sizes for under 5s. First steps nutrition has some excellent resources. From there design a menu and cost it out. Add in wages, rent, wastage then make the items and think if you would be happy to pay for it.

You also have to have a really clean understanding of the risks you are creating in the space for children so that you make it actually safe as well as so you can get insurance.

Potty and seat in loo

Little zones for differnt jobs eg hairdresser fire engine, shop, cafe, with costumes. Builders etc.
a slide and very very clean ball pit if space. Fancy dress costumes. Book area. Train set and magnatiles.

I disagree this is a great idea. look up ‘two plus cafe’ who do this.

Age limits are a PITA when you have an age gap.

One thing you need to be careful of is little people running around and risks of them running into people carrying hot drinks.

Careful consideration for the layout and consideration for the temperature of hot drinks - not scalding hot.

The one near us sources their cakes from a family run bakers a few doors down from them. I really like that. Have a look at websites of existing play cafes. My favourite is little play village in Hadleigh, essex

There is definitely a market for them. Somewhere chilled to go with little ones.

Another question is would you get away with not charging for entry but with the expectation that everyone buys food / drinks?

Baby sensory area = baby germ pit.

We used to regularly go to 2 different ones when DS was younger and honestly we both loved them.

Cafe 1 - city centre location so brilliant to go to when I needed some things in town, to keep DS happy. They had really good coffee and food and worked with other local businesses e.g. bakeries so most was locally sourced. They didn’t charge entry and didn’t have sessions, it was just walk in. However sometimes this meant they were really busy and other times we had the place to ourselves. The buggy parking was right at the back which was a pain when the place was full. And the door opened out on to a busy street with no gate/cage round the door so you had to watch little ones like a hawk. Otherwise it was great. Sadly it has closed down, they just were not getting enough business.

2 - In a little village but short drive from city and on a main bus route, car park next door. 3 booked sessions per day. Charges £3.50 for children over 6m, £2.50 for adults, under 6m free, twin place free. Again really lovely coffee and food, some locally sourced. Buggy parking is by the door as you go in and there’s a secure gate to keep kids away from the door. They also do special events at Easter, Christmas etc and have sensory storytelling, music, baby yoga etc as one offs which seem to be popular. This is the one that’s still open so I guess the business model of booked sessions probably works better. Also they are really on it with their social media, which must help.

Good luck if you go ahead with it OP.

What really erks me is having to pay to go to these types of places as an adult, no problem paying for the child but I go to the play center where I don’t have to pay to enter and I buy a drink and pay for the children to enter

Regular cafes with a high turnover of customers are struggling to stay afloat at the moment. If you don’t charge entry you’ll never cover your costs - customers in play-cafes aren’t eating & then leaving for the next paying customer, they’re sitting there for a couple of hours whilst their children play.

OP - I think asking people now what they’d like in a play cafe is like deciding what colour to paint the walls in a new house before finding out how whether you can get a mortgage. Find out what the costs would be first - once you’ve looked into rent, rates, insurance, energy, wages, NI, price of equipment etc etc then you can see if it’s a viable option.

A sustainable play cafe business either has to charge for adults, or instead charge a very high amount for the kids. It’s impossible to cover costs otherwise. It’s not the same as a normal cafe where you’d drink/eat then immediately vacate your table for another paying customer.

Yes this! Both my kids started walking way past 12 months and a lot of local soft plays put me off by their high prices for 1 year olds.

My friend looked into opening something similar and was put off by insurance costs, so may look into this as a priority.

Clean! Nothing that requires climbing or anything that needs parent help. Closed sessions with one secure exit. Good birthday party options

we had a ‘pop up’ one near us when my two were little and I LOVED it. I didn’t like it as much when it moved to its perm home - it was smaller and more chaotic.

What I loved;

space - it was in a huge church hall
times - open 9-3 and I literally stayed there all day
set up - play area in the middle with tables around so I could base myself with the baby and let the toddler play
variety of toys - including a small toddler slide
food - amazing food for adults and kid (no chips which meant it didn’t smell awful) decent coffee, lovely homemade cakes including vegan options.
welcome - breastfeeding mums were given a small bottle of water which was such a thoughtful touch. They’d bring it to you when they saw you feeding.

And yes you have to charge entry. I think our pop up one had one price for parents and one price for childminders. I also think it was free for under 1s.

perhaps try a pop up first and see how popular it is.

I’d rather pay a higher price for the children

we tend to go to all the soft play places that charge for the children only, they are just as nice and have been established for many years

it was the fancy new imaginary play barn which shut down after 2 years, was charging adults to enter. Much as I want to attend I can justify paying the prices