On her trip to Gurgaon, India, Vantika Singh explored some interesting child-friendly cafes. So if you’re planning a trip to the area anytime soon – read on to find out more!
A new trend of concept cafes has made its mark in India. The locals along with a majority of expats in big cities are ready to get their daily fix of food and drink in a unique way. These cafes offer a safe haven to parents, especially mothers who can escape into their own world without having to worry about their kids.
This summer, I landed in Gurgaon and visited a number of new innovative and creative child-friendly cafes. As a mother of a 5-year-old, I was delighted to learn about these cafes. Most of them are located at malls, which are very popular with the South Asian expats.
- Monkey Business – Vandana Maithani, one of the co-founders of this experimental place with a cosy and homely feel says, “We wanted to create a space where young parents and their children are welcome, be it for work, play, learn or simply lounge. There is also a Baby Spa, where massages and hydrotherapy is provided for babies from the age of 2 to 12 months. This is a first of its kind in Gurgaon. Our spa personnel is a Certified Infant Massage Teacher (CIMT), trained by Tina Allen of The Liddle Kidz Foundation.” These cafes inherently follow a non- discrimination policy and encourage inclusion of children with special needs. Vandana adds, “By design, our play area is not a physically hyper place. In fact, it encourages children to calm down and indulge in experiential play – all the toys have been thoughtfully curated from various parts of the world. Our trained nannies shadow the kids depending on how much supervision is required without getting intrusive. Safety first, is strictly followed by our staff who are also trained to use the first aid kit that is always kept handy.”
- Bricks Cafe – Ideal for kids who love to let their imagination go wild with Lego blocks. They boast of a Lego themed menu for adults and kids. The caretakers make sure that the child is kept engaged at all times and help them use the blocks not only at their play-desks, but also on the big Lego wall. A cute candy floss and a soft ice machine provides sweet treats to kids while they take a break from their activity.
- little.BIG – This cafe and restaurant offers a gourmet dining for the so called ‘Big’ and keeps the ‘Little’ happy and safe. The entire space is childsafe. Each table has rounded corners with a toy placed on top of it. The underside of the tables have paddings in case the child bumps its head. The crockery is unbreakable and the electric sockets are beyond the reach of the kids.
A ‘must-try’ on the children’s menu are: Animal Toasties (bear-shaped bread crostinis with cheese corn and mushroom dip) and the Rainbow Hummus and Pita.
A big play area opposite the restaurant is a plastic free zone where the kids can have a lot of fun with their designated caretakers. They organise activities like cooking workshops and farm tours.
- Another Fine Day – It is a concept cafe with a reading room. All moms fond of reading can take a seat and view their children playing happily through a glass window. It is a safe play area with trained care takers.
- Going Bananas – Big, safe and cheerful soft play center with a cafe, this has about 20 different activities and trained staff who keep the children busy. You can see the children find their way through the big maze or tunnel from across a glass wall while sipping on your hot beverage or reading. You can even get a haircut or go on a shopping spree as this place is situated inside a mini mall.
Another Fine Day and Going Bananas have been founded by Romil Parashar Malik – a mother who constantly struggled to have a cup of coffee in peace while taking care of her children. She shares how many like her have sought refuge at her concept cafes especially the expat community.
These new age spaces in Gurgaon have been admired for their international feel, hygiene and safety standards.
I hope this information is handy to those who plan to travel to India during their vacations!
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