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Letter to the editor

Kids, mothers share playtime

An indoor facility is a playroom, support group and more.

By WAVENEY ANN MOORE
Published June 17, 2007

LARGO - My Little Play Town was abuzz with activity. Early morning rains meant good business for the indoor play facility with its miniature world of pretend.

This particular day, mothers, grandmothers and caregivers had flocked to the commercial playroom seemingly with one aim in mind: Let the little ones blow off steam.

By midmorning, the colorful, child-centered space also was proving to be a welcome respite for brand new mothers. Gathering in a back room, they chatted, exchanged ideas and munched on macadamia nut cookies. It's their Wednesday routine.

Fridays, the back room plays host to mothers in a Pilates class. In coming weeks, mothers also will relax with yoga or even get a massage, all this while their children play nearby in a make-believe town.

The indoor play center in a small shopping plaza at 1260 West Bay Drive was the idea of former Pinellas County schoolteachers Caroline Brasfield-Carter and Jennifer Quintana, who started the business in 2006. Two months ago, the business was bought by St. Petersburg residents Dyana Broussard, 31, and her husband, Brad, 39.

A former teacher's assistant at Bay Point Elementary School, Dyana Broussard had been looking for something to do that would allow her to be with her 2-year-old daughter, Liberty, during the day.

The indoor play space is for children from infancy to 5 years old, whose parents pay $8 per family for a visit. It's not a baby- sitting service, the center's owners say, though child care is offered while mothers attend onsite classes or parents escape for "date nights." It's also a place to socialize, Dyana Broussard said.

"I know that things like this are needed, " said Broussard, who was introduced to the concept when she lived in South Carolina. "Sometimes, as a mom, you get tired. You need a bit of relaxing and to share with other moms."

There are a few indoor play areas in the Tampa Bay area, she said, adding that those at fast food restaurants like McDonald's are always full. Many people are not familiar with the idea behind a place like hers, Broussard said.

"I think people are not used to someplace where you actually go and play with your child indoors, " she said. "People are not used to a place like this. They think it's a preschool."

Wednesday, about eight mothers and babies gathered at the 1, 500-square-foot center for the new mothers' support group. Jamie Schluckebier, 25, was among them. The mother of 6-month-old Eric later joked that she joined the group after "the newborn haze kind of cleared." Last week's topic was infant massage, which was presented in a short talk by a Largo business, the Art of Touch.

For Hallie Dedrick, 26, a dog groomer and mother of 5-month-old Reaghan, the Wednesday sessions have become an important part of her life as a new mother.

"Any first-time mom has a lot of questions. They wonder if they're doing the right things and if other moms are experiencing the same things they are, " said Dedrick, who's also the group's facilitator. "The moms' group is a great group to bounce things off."

Not everyone in the support group is new to motherhood. Doe Viscusi, 22, has three boys, ages 3 1/2, 18 months and seven weeks. She likes interacting with other mothers. Besides, she said, the play area, which has a miniature house, fruit stand, cars, toy trains and costumes, is ideal.

"My older two have really bad allergies to everything outside, so an indoor playground where they can run off all their energies is a lot better for them, " she said.

Participation in the new mother's group is $4 a week. Broussard recently introduced "date nights" that allow parents to drop off their children for a few hours on Friday and Saturday nights.

The cost is $10 an hour for one child and $5 for each additional child. Dinner is included. She also offers birthday parties and baby showers starting at $175 plus tax. Other services include story time and shopping afternoons.

"The more things I can offer to parents because they don't get to do them because they have children, the better, " Broussard said.

Response has been good, she said.

"It's been a lot of fun. It's been a lot of work, " she said. "We're trying to see what works and what parents want from this. I'm trying to get feedback for the things that I do."

Waveney Ann Moore can be reached at 727 892-2283 or moore@sptimes.com

Fast Facts:

My Little Play Town

1260 West Bay Drive, Suite D

Largo, FL 33770

(727) 585-9095

www.mylittleplaytown.com

[Last modified June 16, 2007, 19:34:46]