5 Play Cafes in Richmond, Virginia

If you have a baby, toddler or preschooler, this guide just for you!

Finding things to do and places to go when my children were itty bitty was always a challenge. If it was too cold, too wet or too hot, our go-to stroller friendly walks and toddler-friendly playgrounds didn't cut it. I needed an indoor space where my children could crawl around and get all their wiggles out. Thankfully, Richmond has a 5 new(er) play cafes around the metro area!

What is a "play cafe" you ask? It's the perfect place for parents, grandparents and caregivers to visit with their little ones! The ones around RVA are family-centric businesses that offer both a coffee shop or cafe atmosphere AND a play area for little kids. Play cafes have safe, and usually, gated, play areas for children 7 years old and younger to play without shoes (make sure your littles wear grippy socks)! It's an indoor space that everyone can relax, socialize, and get their wiggles out.

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RVA's Play Cafes

Here are 5 play cafes around Richmond that I've visited. You'll find location, pictures, and tips about each location -- basically, everything you need to know about visiting each one with your crew!

While some play spaces allow children up to 7 years old, this list is especially curated for children who are 5 years old and younger. All spaces do allow older siblings, too.

1.The Best Price for Play Times:

Toddling Around VA

This 1,500 square foot play area in Chester, Virginia has a cafe, gift shop, reading nook and two play spaces. The cafe serves coffee and drinks and dye-free and nut-free muffins, scones, and snacks - prices are between 75 cents and $3.

In the largest play area, the play equipment and toys include climbing areas, slides, toys for imaginative play, and more! Children can play with the wooden train set, ride on push toys, or build with giant, soft bricks. The play space has a turf surface so it's soft for babies, new walks, and toddlers. I love that the play space is completely open, so if you have a baby and a toddler, you can all enjoy the same play area at the same time. The second play space is only open when classes aren't in session, but I love it for a quieter, sensory experience. You'll find Montessori style toys, a tent, and a play garden house.

Toddling Around hosts 3 classes right now. Music class meets on Mondays and Fridays in the classroom. You'll need to grab your place in advance on Toddling Around's website. Tumbling Tots is a drop-in style gymnastics class. You can also purchase a 4-week pass for a discounted rate. On Saturdays, Toddling Around hosts 3 speech classes. All classes are parent and me style, and the play area is open during all classes.

Location: Chesterfield, Virginia

Address: 12260 Branders Creek Drive, Chester, Virginia 23831

Hours: Monday to Saturday from 9am-3pm

Cost: $9 per kiddo (no end time)

Ages: 5 years old and younger (babies, toddlers, preschoolers)

Food/Drink Policy: Outside food and drink are allowed. Coffee, pastries and snacks are also available for purchase.

*Check here for more details on Toddling Around, and check here for more things to do with kids in Chester, Virginia.

2.The Best Play Spot for Multiple Activities:

Art Factory Play Place

Located in Brandermill, this indoor play space, art studio, and cafe is designed for families of all ages! The highlight of this space for young families is the indoor play space. It's thoughtfully designed for babies, toddlers and preschoolers (age 0-5 years old). Children can explore multiple play structures with slides, climbing features and other obstacles to keep them active!

While you can always drop-in for open play time, The Art Factory also offers a Little Explorers class for preschoolers, summer camps for all ages, and events for the family. Little Explorers and Musical Storytime with Mr. Beatman are for children 5 and under, and these classes cost around $16 and $12 respectively for the parent/child pair. Little Explorers and Musical Story time fill up quickly, so make sure you sign up online in advance. You can add one of these classes on to your play time OR you could visit the art studio to paint your own pottery or create your own canvas.

Location: Midlothian

Address: 4810 Market Square Lane Midlothian VA 23112

Hours: Sundays through Fridays from 8am-6pm; play space is open occasional Saturdays but is usually reserved for birthday parties and private events

Cost: $8 per participating child (pay at the door or use your Punch Card)

Ages: 5 years old and younger (babies, toddlers, preschoolers)

Food/Drink Policy: Outside food and drink are allowed. Coffee, food & pastries and snacks are also available for purchase.

*Check here for more details on Art Factory Play Place!

3.The Most Convenient for Families in Bon Air & The West End:

Sunshine Play Cafe

Located in Stony Point Fashion Park, this indoor play place is perfect for little ones and their grown-ups! Sunshine Play Cafe is thoughtfully designed for ages 0-5 years old with a soft floor, plenty of plush toys, pretend play areas, ride on toys, and an indoor climbing structure with slides and a trampoline. Grippy socks are required (think the socks you get from a trampoline park) and available for purchase!

You'll also find plenty of seating when you walk in - there's tables and chairs for you to enjoy snacks and drinks. The cafe is not open yet, so make sure you bring water, snacks or pack your lunch when you visit.

Heads up: This is the most expensive play area - it not only has the highest price tag per child, but it also has play time limited to 2 hours.

Location: Stony Point Fashion Park, City of Richmond

Address: 9200 Stony Point Parkway Suite 158b, Richmond VA 23235

Hours: Sunshine Play Cafe is open Wednesday-Monday from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, and on weekends from 8:30 AM -12:30 PM. You can also reserve play time on Tuesdays at 9am and 11am. Make sure to reserve your spot in advance - play times are by reservation only and do fill up quickly!

Cost:  $20 per child for 2 hours of play (adults don't need a ticket); $10 for siblings

Ages: 5 years old and younger (babies, toddlers, preschoolers)

Food/Drink Policy: Bring your own food, drink and snacks. The Cafe has not opened yet - it's set to open sometime in 2025.

*Check here for more details on Sunshine Play Cafe!

4.The Best Pretend Play Opportunities:

Busy Bee Play City

Located in Ashland, this indoor play space for little kids has pretend play areas, climbing equipment and plenty of space for your kiddo to move around! This is also the newest play cafe in the Richmond metro, opening in October of 2024 and the cafe opening in January 2025.

Designed to replicate a small town, Busy Bee Play City will find a cafe, a vet, a fire station, a school, a farm and a construction zone. This play space has toys and play areas to help young children learn critical thinking skills, build language skills, and practice their social skills! It also has a cafe, selling food and drinks, along with a cafe space with tables for grown-ups to enjoy a cup of coffee or get some work done! If you sit at the bar-high tables, you will have complete view of the play space too!

This is a no shoe play space. All children must wear grippy socks (think the ones from a trampoline park!). If you don't have any, you can purchase some from Busy Bee Play City for $2. Grownups can wear regular socks.

Busy Bee Play City is open every day except Sundays. Sundays are reserved for birthday parties and private events.

Location: Ashland, Hanover County

Address: 325 Hill Carter Pkwy Ste L, Ashland, VA 23005

Hours: Mondays 9am-3pm, Tuesdays 9am-noon (parents morning out), Wednesdays 9am-3pm, Thursdays 9am-3pm, Fridays 9am-7pm, and Saturdays from 9am to 2pm.

Cost: It costs $14.99 per kiddo between the ages of 1-12 years old. Siblings cost $10.99, and adults may visit for free (2 per kiddo).

Ages: 7 years old and younger (babies, toddlers, preschoolers) Food/Drink Policy: Outside food and drink are not allowed. A full coffee bar with cafe options is open with multiple items to purchase.

*Check here for more details on Busy Bee Play Cafe!

5.The Best Indoor Play Space for a Variety of Ages:

Kids Empire

Located off Broad Street and Gaskins in Henrico, this indoor playground is not technically a play cafe, but it offers both an indoor play area and food options, so I included it on my list.

Kids Empire has a massive, floor to ceiling climbing structure. You can climb the maze, spin on giant soft structures, go down slides, and more. My kids love the turf soccer play area, the Lego building area, and the roller slide the most. The roller slide actually has vehicles to ride in as you go down!

If you have little kids, there is a special play area just for little kids who are still wearing a diaper. This play space has soft flooring, a ball pit, smaller slides, and lots of soft areas to climb. I also like to visit while during the school days with little kids - you will find that the play space is almost empty between 9am and 2pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays!

Heads Up: The baby play area is separate from the large play area, which can make it tricky if you have multiple kiddos and multiple ages with only one grown-up present. This is also a massive space created for children 0 to 12 years old. Kids Empire is not an intimate cafe like the first four play cafes on this list.

Location: Glen Allen

Address: 9860 West Broad Street, Glen Allen, Virginia 23060

Hours: Monday to Thursday from 10am-8pm, and Friday to Sunday from 10am-10pm

Cost: Prices start at $19.99 per kiddo for all day play, and two adults per child can visit for free. You can leave and come back too. Everyone must wear socks. You can purchase a pair for $3.

Ages: While the entire space is created for children 12 and younger, and there is a special area just for children who wear diapers. This little kids play area is for children 3 and younger only.

Food/Drink Policy: Outside food and drink are not allowed. A snack bar has pizza & lunch items, snacks and drinks. Water bottles are allowed.

6.Opening Soon in RVA:

Ladders and Lattes

Opening in Fall 2025, Ladders and Lattes will be a nature-inspired play studio. You can participate in open play time and attend classes & special events. You can also host your little one's birthday at their indoor location.

Location: City of Richmond

Address: TBA

Hours: TBA

Cost: TBA

Ages: This play space is for children 0-6 years old and their caregivers.

*Check here for more information on Ladders and Lattes!

Wondering what classes and activities are open to babies, toddlers, and preschoolers during the week around Richmond, Virginia? I've rounded up our favorite RVA weekly activities for little kids, so you know exactly what to do with your kiddo. Click here for my guide on The Best Weekly Activities for Little Kids in RVA.

JSYN: Each one of these play cafes can also be rented out for private events and birthday parties! Looking for more birthday party ideas? Check out my RVA Kids Party Guide.

For more things to do with kids around Richmond, follow @thewestendmom on Instagram!