Stephanie Davis for the Camera

Jennifer Lederle, of Louisville, left, cuts up a piece of pizza for daughter Sophia Lederle, 2, at Play Grounds Cafe in Boulder. The cafe on north Broadway gives parents a place to take their children to play as they enjoy coffee, lunch, and the company of other parents.

Parents and sitters, sit back and relax. Play Grounds Modern Cafe and Indoor Play Space in north Boulder is making play dates the new coffee breaks.

The cafe at 4550 Broadway has been open since November. It features an 800-square-foot indoor play space for children and offers an extensive menu of healthy and affordable items. There is room for kids to play in the tree house or stack blocks in the "construction zone" while guardians can relish in their own amusement of coffee and a book, or lunch with a laptop and free wireless Internet.

Kenny Foster, 38, and Kari Swenson, 36, are the husband-and-wife team behind the establishment. With 4-year-old daughter Ayla and 1-month-old son Jack, they said they just wanted to create something that they themselves would enjoy as parents.

"We wanted a place where we could go with our children and not get funny stares," Foster said. "A place where we could relax and have a cafe experience."

The daily entrance fee ranges from $2.50 to $4.50 per child (free for adults and kids 7 and older), but monthly and annual memberships are available for returning guests.

"We've got a ton of regulars. A lot will buy a membership, which is a good value if they come often," Foster said.

Play Grounds is not a day care, but allows children to be supervised by parents from the cafe as they enjoy the "playSpace" designed for the cafe by Kurt Simmerman, of Boulder-based Sawhorse Studio. The space is made out of all-natural wood materials with water-based finishing, but its simplicity allows for kids to play using their imaginations.

Maria Joesaar, 36, visits Play Grounds at least twice a week with her two kids, 3-year-old daughter Sofia and 19-month-old son Max.

"It's one of the few places where my kids can really have fun, while I can sit and have a nice cup of tea or coffee," Joesaar said. "They are totally distracted and having a good time."

Joesaar said she likes Play Grounds because she feels her kids are safe, and it's easier to watch them than when they are outside in an open area.

"At Play Grounds I can see everything," Joesaar said. "I can see wherever they are and if they need assistance."

Employee and barista Katie Wells said traditional toys, including a train table and a play kitchen, encourage children to role play. The space also includes a soft toy area and a library with bean bags to keep toddlers and kids physically and mentally engaged.

Wells said Play Grounds is a space that is inviting to both children and adults.

"The kids have the freedom to go out and eat and have nice things to drink, but not feel like they have to sit still." Wells said. "Parents can sit and eat while kids can run off and play."

The cafe offers breakfast, lunch and dinner with sandwiches, burgers, pizzas and salads, and sells beer and wine in the evenings. The kids' menu is unique and accommodating with a "tasting plate" of bite-sized portions of healthy and energizing foods, as well as many kid-favorite entrees.

"For kids they have really healthy options that satisfy their sweet tooth without loading them with sugar," Joesaar said. "There are smaller portions for kids so you don't feel like you are wasting your money."

The cafe carries many local products, including Conscious Coffees and Bhakti and 3rd Street Chai. Play Grounds provides compostable coffee cups as well as composting and recycling bins for staff and customers.

Hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes are abundant, and the bathrooms are equipped with changing tables, as well as special children's toilets and step stools to reach the sinks.

"The kids are going to have a fun time exploring our play space and being creative with our different toys," Foster said. "Adults can expect (their kids to play) in a safe and clean environment."

The employees at Play Grounds are not childcare specialists, but they will help out any customer who is struggling to balance a latte, book and diaper bag with a little one tugging on their shorts.

"Everyone who works here really likes kids," Wells said. "Kenny and Kari always hire people that can see when people need help. We have to go that step further."

Foster said Play Grounds is not like other fast-paced coffee shops, and that sense of urgency is replaced with customers who are happy to sit for a while and not rush.

Special events are held in Play Ground's lounge, with Story Time every Tuesday at 11 a.m., and Craft Space every Thursday at 10:30 a.m.. Regular entrance fees cover the events, and are run with parent participation. Play groups for new parents are also frequent, as are Spanish classes, infant massage and acupuncture clinics. Registration information is available on the Play Grounds Web site.

"Friday Evening Dinner and Music" is a frequent event at Play Grounds and features local musicians. The dinner menu is offered, and music usually starts around 6 p.m.

"It's an evening out for adults and their children where they can relax after the work week," Foster said. "It's been great. We have people in, they kick back and have a glass of wine and the kids are running around."

This Friday, Play Grounds hosts Scott Martin and jazz band Sundays at Vic's.

Foster said Play Grounds is looking to expand in Boulder and surrounding communities in the next 12 to 18 months.

"Everyone loves it," Foster continued. "So far, so great."