few years ago, when I was completely new to Valencia and had just started out as an English teacher for kids, someone showed me this amazing place.
I’m not a parent myself, but I have a background in Early Childhood Education and have been working with kids for over 10 years, in all different kinds of ways.
Smileland Family Club was one of the first locations where I started teaching my Sing & Swing classes.
Through the years I’ve connected with so many young families here, I’m very grateful to everyone who has shared their stories with me. It gave me a better insight into what parents need nowadays and I can honestly say that Smilleland Family Club is a great treasure for the whole family. No wonder it’s so popular!
What is a play cafe?
Maybe you’ve never heard of a play cafe before, so what exactly is it?
In Spanish, they call it a Ludo Café. Ludo is short for Ludoteca, literally translated it means: toy library. Toy libraries offer play sessions for families and age-appropriate toys for children at different stages in their development. Combine that with a cafe and you’ll get a play cafe. Whoever came up with that concept deserves free diapers for an entire year.
Unique things that make Smileland Family Club stand out
There are plenty of Ludo Cafés in the city, however, there are a couple of unique things that make Smileland Family Club stand out.
- Relaxed atmosphere:
A relaxed atmosphere is what they aim for with their slow living philosophy and the interior design reflects that. The colors are not super bright and popping, which I think is important as it can overwhelm kids.
There’s a “little village”, which is designed to make kids feel more at home.
The workshop room doesn’t have too many distractions either, which is great if you’re following or giving a workshop.
Besides that, if your kids can play alone during free playtime, you can take a little moment for yourself with a fresh cup of coffee and a sweet snack. - A bunch of different workshops:
There are a bunch of different workshops to choose from, whether you’re with a baby, toddler, or a 6-year-old. Some are held in English and some in Spanish.
There’s something for everyone: art, music, cooking, dancing, storytelling, drama, magic, and much more. You can find all workshops on their calendar.
- The possibility to make international friends:
As they offer workshops in both English and Spanish, you can meet parents from all over the world. I’ve met plenty of young families from different cultures and I’ve seen lots of new friendships blossoming, either during one of the workshops or simply during free playtime. Almost every parent I’ve met in Valencia knows of this place and some of them organize playdates for their kids.
Conclusion: you and your kids can make international friends, that’s a win-win situation if you ask me. Making friends with people from different cultures expands the mind.
- Themed birthday parties:
This is the perfect place to host birthday parties for the little ones too!
They offer themed packages, but if you have any other ideas you can definitely discuss that with the owners. They will adapt to your needs – the goal is to make it as fun and memorable as possible. If you want more information, click here to contact them.
- Menu for the sweet tooth:
If you’re a sweet tooth, then congrats: you’ve just found yourself another great excuse to visit this cafe ;-)
They don’t just offer a cup of coffee or a standard piece of cake, oh no my darling friends, they have much more to offer. Tea, smoothies, juices, milkshakes, sorbets, crepes, waffles, cakes, brownies, and whatnot. Are you drooling already? Because I am.
- Easy online system:
Through their easy online system, you can book your spot and pay directly. This goes for both workshops and free playtime. I’d advise you to do it online as it’s usually a bit cheaper than paying on the spot, it saves you some time and you won’t miss out on a possible fun time with the kiddos as it might be fully booked once you get there.
Just click on the date on the calendar, read the description, add to cart, and pay. Ya está!
Photo by luis arias on Unsplash
Prices
If you’ve become a fan, you can register as a member here. The membership allows you to get discounts on workshops, free playtime, drinks, birthday parties, and more.
The prices are as follows (in case you’re not a member, you pay €1,- more, so do keep that in mind):
- Free play (mostly 2,5 to 3 hours): €7,- for 1 child + 1 adult, 1 drink included.
- Adult only: €2,-
If you wanna join a workshop or special event, check the calendar for more information about prices, because they vary.
Location & opening hours
Address: Av. de Catalunya 8
Click here to view the opening hours,
Contact details
Website: https://smilelandclub.es/
Facebook: Smileland Family Club
Instagram: @smilelandfamilyclubvalencia
I hope discovering this great treasure brings a big smile to your face.
Un abrazo,
Stephanie
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