Glencoe's Play Cafe Offers Fun for Kids and Parents

Many people associate cafés with quiet afternoons, cups of coffee and a relaxing break with friends — but most people also don't cry when it's time to leave. That's not the case at Olly Olly Play Café in Glencoe, where kids can transform themselves into pirates, princess and everything in between while their parents relax.

Olly Olly features a wide variety of toys and spaces for kids to play in — including an enormous castle, a pirateship to climb around in and a dress-up closet overflowing with countless costumes. There are also board games, books, a fully-stocked play kitchen to play with.

Besides having plenty of room for the kids to explore, Olly Olly has an array of tables for parents to unwind, catch up with friends and enjoy a complimentary coffee or tea while their children play.

Olly Olly Play Café also offers an array of food and drink for both the young and the young at heart, with selections from the next door Meg's Café available. The most popular items for Olly Olly patrons are, unsurprisingly, macaroni and cheese and grilled cheese. Olly Olly also offers a variety of cookies (shaped like everything from crowns to pirate ships), crackers, juices and sodas.

"I wanted to turn this location into a play area, a fun place for children to come and involve them in imaginitive play," said owner Emi Kelsey, who has a degree in early childhood education.

Kelsey recruited Salt Lake City's Tanglewood to create large-scale custom play areas for the children, which were transported to Glencoe and reassembled by a crew of handymen. Kelsey then collected details from antique dealers, including some decor for the castle.

Kelsey noted that she loves both her interactions with the kids and with their parents. 

"During my slow times, I get to talk to the moms," Kelsey said. "There are just so many interesting people. ... I learn so much from talking to the other women who are able to come in and connect with other people."

Olly Olly Play Café also hosts children's birthday parties.

A daily pass to Olly Olly is $12 for the first child and $6 for each additional one. Five-time, 10-time and monthly passes are also available.