Between daily rain storms and scorching temperatures, it’s not always possible to take little ones to outdoor playgrounds during the summer. But there are two new indoor play cafes in Lakeland where sunscreen is not required.
Kid Cafe
Kid Cafe opened on July 3 at 2947 S. Florida Ave. near E. Edgewood Dr. It offers children the opportunity to play in the ball pit or with sensory boards while their caretakers sip on free coffee and tea. Owner Katie Clements, 38, of Lakeland, said her young customers love it so far.
“I’ve not had one kid not like it … Everybody has to drag their kids out when it’s time to leave. That’s the worst part, they don’t want to leave,” Clements said. “I love to see so much joy on all of these kids’ faces.”
Sensory experience: Clements said Kid Cafe is unique because it has sensory boards on all of the walls and liquid floor tiles. The sensory boards allow youngsters to manipulate zippers, learn how to unlock doors or work on tying shoes.
“It’s a tactile place, friendly for all of the senses. There’s nothing like this in Lakeland or Polk County,” Clements said, adding her cafe is also popular among children diagnosed with autism or people with disabilities.
Offerings: The cafe is suited for children 6 years old or younger or those diagnosed with autism. Admission is $10 per child who is playing. Parents and infants or older siblings who are not playing are free. Clements said she also plans to offer music classes and Mommy and Me classes. The facility also has a party room.
To ensure cleanliness, Clements said she has a professional cleaner clean the ball pit twice a week, and she said she disinfects the surfaces every 30 minutes.
Meet the founder: Clements, who is originally from Enterprise, Alabama, has been living in Lakeland with her husband and two sons for the past five years. In her early adulthood, she served in the United States Navy for 11 years as a dental hygienist, medic, EMT and basic nursing skills instructor. She was deployed for 11 months for the Africa Partnership, taking her all over the continent to countries like Ghana, Liberia and Gabon.
When she returned, she was then deployed to Haiti, to assist in rescue efforts after the earthquake in 2010. After serving in the military, she became a stay-at-home mom and, once her kids began attending school, a substitute teacher. She said she was inspired to create Kid Cafe because there weren’t many safe and engaging indoor play areas for young children.
Warm welcome: Clements said she’s grateful to the many families who’ve supported her business since it opened.
“The support is amazing. The ribbon cutting was out of control. It was all the way down the street; two parking lots full of people. On Facebook … I grew 700 followers in 2 days. We’ve been steady since the first. Business has been amazing,” Clements said. “When my children were little toddlers, there was literally nothing for them to do that was safe and inside.”
From the ground up: It took Clements three years to find a building for her cafe. Since it was her first time opening a business, she said it was difficult to find a landlord who believed in her and her vision. She had to renovate the space to suit her needs.
“(Renovating) the building, it was a mess. We literally tore down everything and redid it. It was crazy,” Clements said, adding she paid attention to the details, like adding a little toilet suited for toddlers in the bathroom and a cotton candy machine.
Slideshow: See inside Kid Cafe
Little Lake Play
Another indoor children’s play space that’s been open for a little over a year is Little Lake Play. It is owned by Callie Miller, 37 of Lakeland, who also owns the childcare and nanny agency, Carilly.
Little Lake Play is located at 111 S. Florida Ave., next to the Polk Theatre. It opened May 20, 2023.
“The decision to open Little Lake was driven by a desire to create a space for our littlest residents to come together — a place where they could play, learn and build connections with one another. We wanted to foster a sense of community among parents while providing a safe and engaging environment for children,” Miller said.
Local inspiration: Inside, children will find different areas with facades that resemble Lakeland landmarks. They can explore miniature versions of the Polk Theatre, the Terrace Hotel and the Lake Mirror Promenade.
There are opportunities for kids to dress up as veterinarians and doctors, play arcade games or basketball, or cook and serve food in the play kitchen. There are lots of toys for the kids to experiment with such as a lawn mower and leaf blower.
“The Lakeland community has embraced Little Lake with overwhelming kindness. In our first year, we welcomed thousands of guests, and we’re deeply grateful for the support,” Miller said.
Offerings: Play passes for children ages 2 to 10 are $15. Admission for adults and children under 2 or over 10 is $7.50.
Little Lake partners with Miller’s other business, Carilly, to offer drop-in childcare services, such as “Kids Morning Out” every Monday, Thursday and Friday, and “Kids Night Out” every Friday. It also offers music classes, daily crafts, a four-week summer camp and homeschool programming.
“We will be announcing an expanded lineup of educational classes this fall,” Miller said.
The facility also has a toy store at the entrance and will soon offer “high-quality” play clothes. It has an event room for parties and an office space or conference room that parents can reserve by the hour while their children play.
To ensure cleanliness, Miller requires everyone to remove their shoes upon entering the play space.
From dream to reality: Miller said she began “dreaming and planning” for the unique play space in early 2022. She secured the lease for the space in August 2022, with her husband, lifelong Lakelander Zach Miller. It was formerly occupied by another children’s play space, WonderHere.
“After securing our lease in August 2022, we embarked on a full-scale renovation, resulting in the vibrant and imaginative space you see today,” Miller said.
The renovation included modernizing the outside of the historic building by painting it white, which drew the ire of the Lakeland Historic Preservation Board. But the business has received a warm welcome.
Miller said she’s grateful for all of the support the play space has received.
“Thank you, Lakeland. Your enthusiasm fuels our passion, and we’re committed to making Little Lake a cherished part of our community.”
Slideshow: See inside Little Lake Play
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