Just had my 2 year-old daughter's birthday party here. We had been deciding between using our…read morecondo building's lounge space and an indoor playground. Play was definitely a better choice for us for a number of reasons:
1. Accommodates more people - we had 16 toddlers and at least 20 adults, yet there was enough space for everyone to get comfortable.
2. Theme, Decor, Party favors - Play staff decorated the room, provided party favors (depends on the package you get), ice, plates, utensils, cups, etc. - The devil is in the details, and I was having mini anxiety attacks trying to think of a clever theme and even-more-clever party favors to go with it. I wish I had the time to create original, imaginative favors and decorations--but I don't. They took this burden from me and did a great job.
3. Entertainment - two staffers provided entertainment, playing age-appropriate music and led some song and dance activities. I didn't have to put together a playlist, which saved me hours. My daughter and her little guests were laughing, dancing, and generally have a wonderful time.
4. Prep and cleaning - Play takes care of this for you. They even helped us consolidate my daughter's gifts into bags and wrapped up the leftover food we had brought.
5. Refreshments - (depends on package) they provided cupcakes and juice for the kids. The staff cut the cake I brought and distributed it to the guests.
What was I responsible for? I brought non-dessert food for the kids and adults, a cake, soda, and water. And my kid. That's it! It was awesome.
There are a number of indoor play spaces to choose from in Williamsburg, Greenpoint, and LIC. I think Play is most appropriate for children ages 1-3.5 (although one of our 7 year old guests still had a lot of fun), which is great. Toddlers won't get trampled by older kids like I've experienced at other play spaces with huge, complicated gym structures.
Play has a simple climbing gym and slides, as well as a "household" area with play food, kitchen, dining table, and laundry. They have tents and tunnels, as well as ride-on toys. For new walkers, there's even a "sheltered" area by the window that's a bit separated from the rest of the space where a caregiver and a child can practice walking (and falling) safely.
Ownership changed here in the last year, and the new owners are incredibly dedicated to making sure every child and parent is happy. I traded at least a dozen emails with them in the weeks before the party. When we initially came in to check out the space, they really took the time to give us a tour, answer all of our questions ---and most importantly---anticipate our needs.
I've been a mom for just two short years and have no idea what a birthday party entails. They do, and they were a huge help when I didn't even know what to ask for.
Lastly, I'm a germ phobe, and I saw the staff constantly mopping the floor by the entrance to prevent snow from being trekked in. When the crowd started dying down around nap time (around 1:00), I saw a staffer collecting the play food, presumably to wash. I liked that. There are hand sanitizer dispensers on the walls. The bathrooms were clean and well stocked, including the changing station, which had extra wipes and other things that a parent could easily forget.