Your Perfect Rainy Day Plans at Nikki’s Play Cafe
If you’ve brought a little person into the world in the last 5 years in Dorchester, you’ll have had a plethora of services, outdoor play areas and classes available to you depending on what your preferences or needs may have been. But what about those dreaded rainy days when outdoor play isn’t an option? And while there are numerous fantastic courses and classes available, most take place at set times on set days, often require pre-booking, and usually take a break during the holidays – the time when parents, grandparents and carers are most in need of things to occupy their little ones. One of those classes is Moo Music: fun, interactive music classes for babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers that focuses on developing memory, language and coordination skills in a multi-sensory way.
Locally run by Nikki Skinner, who has expanded the classes from being based solely in south west Dorset to now incorporate a team of ‘farmers’ spread across central Dorset and the county borders, Moo Music is joining the ever-expanding community of Brewery Square. From early 2024, Moo HQ will be based on Pope Street as part of ‘Nikki’s Little Play Cafe’, adding a soft play cafe to the local Moo Music empire. But this will be a play cafe with a difference…
For many, the words ‘soft play’ conjure up images of sticky facilities, garish colours and a cacophony of noise, however Nikki has taken a refreshing approach, aiming to stimulate the children that visit without causing over-stimulation. Current research has influenced the selection of an engaging but muted colour palette, facilities are fully accessible, and consideration has been given to those children who may find larger spaces, noises and interactions with others difficult, with the inclusion of a sensory room. As the mum of a son who has autism, this is something Nikki is acutely aware is often missing from the play services out there; she’s keen to ensure every child can gain something from the experience of visiting the new play cafe.
And it isn’t just the facilities for the children that have been taken into consideration. Nikki wants the grown ups to feel just as supported too, not only by providing a place to sit and have a cuppa while the children play (and sometimes that’s all that’s needed!), but building on the community feeling within Brewery Square by making ‘Nikki’s Little Play Cafe’ a hub for the local information and support that parents and carers may need. This will include a fortnightly SEND support group, drawing on Nikki’s personal experience and professional expertise.
Giving back to the community in as many ways as possible is key for Nikki, and this doesn’t end once parents and carers have finished their cuppa. Sustainability is a focus of the cafe, with as much of the food and drinks waste as possible being diverted from landfill. The notion of reusing and recycling continues as preloved clothes and toys will be available to swap or purchase for a small donation, with local children’s charities and services benefiting from any funds raised. That’s a lot of giving back for a ‘little’ play cafe!
They say it takes a village to raise a child … Nikki’s Little Play Cafe is definitely taking that notion to heart, offering a place for parents, carers and their little people to engage, develop and feel part of a community. Far more than ‘just’ play cafe, and one that is both different and aims to make a difference to everyone that visits.
Nikki’s Little Play Cafe will be opening in 2024 at 4 Pope Street, Brewery Square, Dorchester, DT1 1GW.
For more information contact Nikki Skinner on 07398 452060, email info@nikkislittleplaycafe.co.uk, or visit nikkislittleplaycafe.co.uk
Blog courtesy of Nikki’s Little Play Cafe