5 new play places for indoor fun on Long Island

Several new and recently expanded play spaces have opened across Long Island this year, reflecting a growing demand for environments that go beyond traditional indoor playgrounds.

These locally owned spots, many launched by educators and parents, combine sensory play, enrichment classes, and modern amenities, some with full cafés, others with STEAM labs or dedicated quiet rooms, all designed to keep kids engaged and families coming back.

Schoolhouse Play & Cafe

441 Main St., Farmingdale

What began as a simple weekend class has turned into a thoughtfully curated play and learning space for young children and a welcome gathering place for their families.

The play center opened in July by former teacher Taylor Carney, a mom of two. The play space offers a mix of early childhood education and imaginative play in a space that feels equal parts classroom, playroom and coffee shop.

"I really wanted to create something I was looking for when my son was little," Carney says. "Somewhere he could learn and play and where I could connect with other parents, too."

Carney launched the concept in the back portion of her family’s Main Street property in Farmingdale, which also houses her parents' vintage store, Back in Time, and her sister’s cafe, Elise’s Niece’s Café. Parents can grab a coffee or a bite to eat while their kids explore, turning a morning outing into something for everyone.

"It’s a full-on family business," she says. "Everyone has a hand in it, and people really feel that when they walk in."

Weekly themed classes focus on early learning concepts like sequencing, storytelling and music, using hands-on materials to keep kids engaged.

"We might read a book, act out the story, then do a craft and finish with rhythm instruments — all connected to the week’s theme," Carney says. "They’re learning, but it feels like play."

The open play area includes pretend laundry and hospital stations, ride-on cars, sensory tools and busy boards, designed to mimic real-life environments at a child’s scale. Birthday parties are available, too.

"We’re creating a little world where kids feel safe and inspired, and families feel part of something special," Carney says.

• TARGET AGE 1-4 years old for classes, 9 months to 5 years old for open play
• COST $38 for a 45-minute class with 45-minutes of open play, $22 for an hour and a half open play
• MORE INFO 516-667-6993, schoolhouseplaycafe.com

Lil Steps Fun Zone

628 Middle Country Rd., Selden

This play space is more than just an indoor playground. Opened in June by Nabil Nasim and his father, Asim Nasim, the family-run space was built to fill a gap they noticed for kids 10 and under.

"There’s really nothing for that age group," Nabil says. "You have toddler playhouses and then trampoline parks for older kids. We wanted to create something just for them."

The space features a large indoor play structure with a ball pit, interactive games, a toddler area and a sensory pebble section. There are also play tables, Lego stations and two standout digital experiences. One lets children draw a picture, scan it and see it appear on a big screen. Another uses a projector to create terrain in real time as kids build or dig in a sand table.

Lil Steps also hosts birthday parties in a private room with a stage, lights and a birthday countdown on a TV screen. Families are free to come and go throughout the day during operating hours, only having to buy one day pass.

• TARGET AGE 2-10 years old
• COST $20 for a day pass, $15 for each additional sibling
• MORE INFO 631-839-6332

My Play Space

105 W. Main St., Babylon

Isaura Sanchez spent 16 years teaching special education and bilingual education in Queens before deciding to bring her classroom philosophy into a space of her own. She opened My Play Space in January, offering open play, sensory experiences and specialized classes for children and their families.

"I wanted a space where I could stay true to my philosophy," Sanchez says. "Something that blends sensory play with Reggio and Montessori influence, where the environment itself helps set kids up for success."

The layout includes a ball pit and slide, a classroom area and a separate sensory room with a chalkboard wall, fidget baskets, a sequin wall and a large beanbag chair. Toy rotations and themed sensory tables change regularly, such as a recent "garden and grill" setup with soil, worms and planting tools.

Classes begin as early as six weeks old, with baby yoga, sensory play and physical therapy-based movement sessions. Popular offerings include milestone development sessions, and puppy yoga.

Sanchez also wanted the space to emphasize bilingual education. She leads My Spanish Class, a bilingual, play-based program she created after struggling to find something similar for her daughter. "Bilingualism is very important to me and my family," she says. "We’ve created a bilingual community here, even for monolingual families."

The space also hosts pop-up events like princess visits and a Miss Rachel impersonator, as well as birthday parties and social nights for older children.

• TARGET AGE 6 weeks to 12 years old
• COST Ranges from $20 to $35 per class
• MORE INFO 917-455-4534, myplayspaceny.wixsite.com

A Latte Fun

570 E. Jericho Tpke., South Huntington; and 90 Adams Ave., Hauppauge

A Latte Fun, a family-owned play cafe that first opened in Huntington in 2020, expanded to a much larger location in Hauppauge this January.

The new space is nearly three times the size of the original and includes three separate play areas designed for children from infancy through elementary school. "We needed more space for bigger parties and for families with more than one age group," owner Teresa Gabriel says.

Gabriel, a former New York City schoolteacher, launched the business after noticing a lack of local play options when she was at home with her daughters. The original Huntington location opened just before the pandemic and briefly shut down, but loyal families returned that summer. Over time, the space grew into a popular site for classes, parties and community events.

The Hauppauge location offers climbing structures, slides, a trampoline, obstacle courses and a "doughnut slide" that sends kids down in an inflatable tube and into a foam pit. There’s also an imaginative play village with a cafe, vet office, grocery store, moving carousel and helicopter.

At the center is the cafe, which serves lattes, bakery items like cake pops, and lunch-friendly snacks including chicken nuggets. "They can totally just spend an afternoon here," Gabriel says. "The kids play, and parents can relax with coffee and not worry about leaving for food."

Classes and events will launch soon in Hauppauge, similar to those held in Huntington, including music, cooking, and STEM-based sessions.

• TARGET AGE Crawlers through 10 years old
• COST $25 per child for a two-hour session, discounts for siblings
• MORE INFO Hauppauge: 631-245-6145; Huntington Station: 631-944-3170, alattefunlongisland.com

Jetsetter Kids Club

155 W. Sunrise Hwy.,  No. 2, Lindenhurst

The play space opened in June , introducing a large-scale indoor facility that blends education, movement, and enrichment under one roof. The space was created by Long Island real estate developers Justin and June Farahan to meet what they saw as a growing need for multiage, full-service family spaces.

"The thing is, with this facility, kids come and they don’t want to leave," Justin Farahan says. "They’re excited. There are tons of activities, and they’re not getting bored."

The facility features a ninja-style obstacle course, tube and helicopter slides, indoor pools, a STEAM lab, a toddler room with padded walls, and changing weekly classes like Baby and Me yoga and Mommy and Me yoga. There’s also a cafe on-site serving healthy, GMO-free meals, snacks, and kid favorites like chicken nuggets and cake pops.

Farahan emphasized that the space was designed with both kids and parents in mind. "Moms today are dropping kids off at two, three, four, five different locations," he says. "Here, you could bring a six-month-old and a 14-year-old and see everyone from one spot."

The club also offers sensory-friendly programming and smaller weekday class sizes for children with ADHD or on the spectrum. "We’ve taken a holistic approach," Farahan says. "It’s the Ritz-Carlton for education and play."

• TARGET AGE 0-14 years old
• COST $20 per hour for the first child, 10% discount for additional children.
• MORE INFO 631-592-1500, jetsetterkidsclub.com