Catch up on work (there’s free Wi-Fi) while they explore the soup-to-nuts community center. Miss Wobbles can practice putting one foot in front of the other in the newly revamped prewalker area. Plus, it’s easy to snag a parking spot on the street.
Recess Urban Recreation, 470 Carolina Street, at 18th Street, San Francisco (415-701-7529 or recessurbanrecreation.com).
The resto’s play space is in full view of most tables. Kiddos clank pans in the pretend kitchen and steer trains around the track (that is, if they can tear themselves from the mac ’n’ cheese).
Full Moon Restaurant, 344 Huron Avenue, Cambridge, Boston (617-354-6699 or fullmoonrestaurant.com).
With the best of local entertainment and a menu adults and kids can both enjoy, it’s a family fantasy come true. Staff win over even the most bashful tots and make a point of remembering everyone’s name. Activities take place on the hour (karaoke, magic shows) and you never know when Snow White will drop by for a surprise appearance.
Giggles n’ Hugs, 10250 Santa Monica Boulevard, suite 155, Los Angeles (310-553-4847 or gigglesnhugs.com).
Take an on-site class while she stays busy with supervised play. The mini village is tricked out with a firehouse and gas station, so there’s little chance she’ll notice you’re gone. Treat her to a cone from the old-fashioned ice cream parlor. When warm weather arrives enjoy a scoop on the deck.
Little Beans Cafe, 1809 West Webster Avenue, at North Wood Street, Chicago (773-251-1025 or littlebeanscafe.com).
The scaled-down cityscape — courtesy of a well-known museum designer — has renditions of a deli, apartment building, and taxi cab (hey, it’s never too early to learn how to hail one). Uptown parents rejoice; an Upper West Side location is slated for this year.
Apple Seeds, 10 West 25th Street, at Broadway, New York City (212-792-7590 or appleseedsnyc.com). Membership is $970-$1,325 per year.
We drool over the minimal space (when can we move in?) designed by a husband-and-wife duo. To stay true to their waste-not-want-not credo, art projects incorporate found objects and rice is subbed in for glue.
Seesaw, 600a Octavia Street, San Francisco (415-553-8070 or seesawsf.com).
Little monkeys get a kick out of scaling the climbing wall and dangling from a zip line. Hot date? Drop them off for movie night.
Sensations Therafun, 1704 Chantilly Drive, Atlanta (404-634-3500 or sensationstherafun.com).
Watch from the sidelines of the airy Lincoln Park loft as tots make meals in the play kitchen or pull themselves up to the ballerina barre. Older sibs won’t mind tagging along once they know about the slides, tunnels, and seasonal art projects.
Kookaburra Play Cafe, 2267 North Clybourn Avenue, between Fullerton and Webster Avenues, Chicago (773-281-5400 or kookaburraplaycafe.com).
One day it’s too hot; the next too rainy. Head here to seek refuge from temperamental weather. Clamber up rope ladders and bounce on trampolines; those in need of downtime mellow out in a vibro-acoustic tunnel.
Play-In, 2501 Northwest 2nd Avenue, Miami (305-576-7604 or play-inmiami.com).
Whimsical wooden toys and weekend concerts score points from both discerning parents and tykes. Rumbling belly? Satisfy it with organic baby food and brick-oven pizza.
The Little Treehouse Play Cafe, 10 West Gravers Lane, Philadelphia (215-247-3637 or treehouseplaycafe.com).
No chance of sensory overload here. The interior is stark yet stylish and the cherry-picked selection of toys won’t overwhelm. Bust a move on the light-up floor or add creative touches to the rope sculpture suspended from the ceiling.
The Coop, 11118 Ventura Boulevard, at Vineland Avenue, Los Angeles (818-760-9613 or thecoop-la.com).
Once an auto shop, the sprawling space is now a kid’s paradise. Climb on the stage, make-believe in the play house (kept interesting by changing themes), or shoot hoops. Mr. I Don’t Wanna Get Dressed’s prayers are answered every week on pajama Monday.
Family Grounds Cafe, 3652 North Lincoln Avenue, at West Patterson Avenue, Chicago (773-281-0785 or familygroundscafe.com).
They might not have grassy backyards, but mini-Manhattanites are blessed with this Soho spot. Take a Pilates class (heaven after you lug a stroller up three flights of subway steps) or sip coffee while rugrats romp around the indoor playground.
Citibabes, 52 Mercer Street, at Broome Street, 3rd floor, New York City (212-334-5440 or citibabes.com). Family membership is $2,200 per year.
Philly’s row houses are picturesque, but there’s seldom spare room to play. Let kids run wild through the obstacle course; the fenced-off area for crawlers ensures they won’t get trampled by rambunctious big kids.
Nest, 1301 Locust Street, Philadelphia (215-545-6378 or nestphilly.com).
Williamsburg was once the province of trucker-hatted couch surfers and lifelong interns. Now hipsters-cum-moms and their kidlets cuddle up with classic books, crawl on the soft play area, and slip down the slide.
Play, 33 Nassau Avenue, at Dobbin Street, Brooklyn (718-387-2071 or playspacenyc.com).
There are no high-tech gadgets here. In the quaint Buckhead cottage, imaginations are encouraged to run wild. Considering the glow-in-the-dark movement studio and enchanted forest, that should be a breeze.
The Little Nook, 530 East Paces Ferry Road Northeast, Atlanta (404-846-2232 or thelittlenook.net).
Nestled in a three-story Craftsman house, the Seattle spot’s welcoming vibe makes it almost like home. Rummage through the dress-up box (not just princess costumes; there’s plenty for little dudes to choose from, too) or get messy with seasonal art projects.
Orange Blossom Society, 16715 Northeast 79th Street, Redmond (425-883-2400 or orangeblossomsociety.com).
The focus is on imaginative play rooted in reality, so minis shop the pretend grocery and vroom across the floor with vacuum toys. And while some places may be germ havens (do those ball pits ever get deboogered?), moms appreciate the scrupulous cleaning that goes on here every day.
Peekadoodle Kidsclub, Ghirardelli Square, 900 North Point Street, at Beach Street, suite f100, San Francisco (415-440-7335 or peekadoodle.com).
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