My son, Rafa, recently suffered a severe allergic attack. Until we know what caused it, he can’t go to nursery, so I’ve been watching him 24/7.
The thing is, he isn’t sick and he needs to play. He needs to socialise with other kids and he needs to run off his energy.
In a moment of desperation when we all needed to get out of the house quickly, we rocked up at one of our fave play cafes, Babarrun, to find it was closed! Permanently!
But the good news is that Babarrun has set up shop in another locale. Phew.
While the ethos has remained the same, the premises are much better. There’s still a focus on recycled materials, wooden toys and care for the environment, but now there’s more room to run around.
There’s plenty of space to explore. There are ladders to climb, bridges to cross, corners to hideaway…
But the best thing about Babarrun is the layout. I hung out in the cafe, while keeping an eye wherever Rafa wandered.
It comes with plenty of sockets to charge your phone or laptop, and overlooks the main central play area in front, and the outdoor playground to its right.
The menu claims to be natural and healthy and while it isn’t unhealthy as such, don’t go expecting organic tropical salads. But for a coffee or a quick snack for the kids – a simple omelette or chicken and chips, it’s perfect.
And bonus points to the staff for offering me water while I was breastfeeding.
Now, the second best thing about this place? The garden.
Artificial grass means kids don’t get too muddy, and there’s plenty of space to run around. There’s a trampoline that’s been sunken into the ground so it’s much safer for little ones. And hoorah, there’s outdoor seating too.
Back indoors, there’s also a little annex room for smaller tots, where mums can grab a coffee close by.
There are classes on offer too – science, ballet, parent and child yoga, and general playgroups. While we were there, a class of one year olds seemed to be enjoying a lot of messy play.
Rafa was initially furious that he didn’t get to go to nursery with his older brother. Since we’ve been going to Babarrun, suddenly he seems a lot more accepting.
Need to know:
Parking isn’t the easiest. I generally sneak a spot outside a shop on Nueva Costanera.
Entry is for children up to age seven only and is charged at $5,900 per child.
‘Play With Me’ classes are available for one to three year olds and take place from 8.30am to 12.30pm. Classes are led by a qualified supervisor with a maximum of twelve children. Parents can choose the days which suit them best and are priced as follows per month: five day plan: $190,000 CLP, three day plan $150,000, two day plan $120,000. An initial sign up fee of $50,000 is also charged to cover the cost of materials. There is no minimum sign up period.
For more details about yoga, science and art workshops, including timetables, visit the Babarrun website.
Babarrun also organises birthday parties. For more information email contacto@babarrun.cl
Address: Aurelio Gonzalez 3330, Vitacura. Open everyday, except public holidays, from 10.00 to 19.00 hours. Tel. 2322 44457 www.babarrun.cl
