Le PLAY Cafe: Kids Learn and Play, Adults Relax and Stay

Joanne Cronin of Seaford babysits her granddaughters, Shannon, 3, and Kayla, 4, during the day.

So when she wants to get out of the house for few hours, she goes to Le PLAY Cafe.

"For a grandma it's pretty good," she said. "It's air-conditioned and I can sit and watch them play. They really enjoy it." 

Le PLAY Cafe has an indoor playground for children and a coffee lounge for adults.

Mike Wells and his wife Katrina are the owners of the cafe.

"It is where kids learn and play and grown-ups relax and stay," he laughed.

Mike Wells said that the cafe was his wife's idea.

The two moved to Florida with their children Mike, 3, and Ashley, 5, and saw many indoor playgrounds/cafes in the area. When they moved back to Long Island a year later, they decided to open a cafe for both children and parents in Bellmore.

"A lot of parents are like 'Thank You, you saved us,'" Wells said.

Le PLAY Cafe caters to children six-months to 6-years-old. Customers are given a two-hour a day time limit. The cafe sells beverages and toys and offers private parties.

On a recent day, small children frolicked in the playground area as parents watched. 

Children watched cartoons on a large television screen, played with toys and dressed up in the wide variety of costumes that were available.

Jennifer Meslin, 36, of Levittown spent a couple of hours in the cafe with her sister-in-law Jennifer Meslin, 31, of Westbury and their small children.

"It's adorable and I love it here," Meslin said as she watched her 1-year-old daughter, Sophia, play. "It's accommodating for both parents and kids. I will definitely come back especially in the winter."

Meslin's sister-in-law, Jennifer Meslin, agreed.

"I would recommend the cafe to other parents," she said. "The price is reasonable, it's clean and the staff is really nice." 

"It's great," Wells said. "Parents can meet other parents and it helps kids deal with separation before pre-school."

Cronin sat in the lounge area as her granddaughters giggled and played with other children.

"They have their freedom while I am still watching," she said.