Cafes with Play Areas

We all know as parents how difficult it is to sit and enjoy a hot drink! So I’ve been on a mission to find the best cafes with play areas in and around Buckinghamshire. I’m not talking big soft plays as let’s be honest it’s impossible to enjoy your coffee when you’re trying to keep a look our for your own kids and there are others screaming around you. These are all lovely smaller cafes that do great coffee, tasty food and have smaller play areas – just big enough to keep them happily entertained so you can enjoy your drink whilst it’s still hot!

Connexions Cafe in Princes Risborough

This one has to be first on my list of cafes with play areas because I absolutely love it here! The café only opened last year having undergone a big refurbishment. They have a brilliant little role play area with a wooden house, car and kitchen which is full of toy food. There’s no soft play here so it’s no good for babies.

Play area: Small role play area in the corner of the café, easily visible from wherever you are sitting.

Coffee: Seriously good coffee! They even offer fancy coffee’s like Butterfly Pea Latte’s (which are blue) but I’ll be honest they didn’t really know how to make them. I think I was the first person to ever order one though lol!

Food: I can’t rate the food highly enough.  My go to brunch there is smashed avocado on sourdough with poached eggs and chorizo and it’s honestly one of the best I’ve had! They have a kids brunch menu too and Ashley loves the pancakes!

Location & parking: 9 Bell Street, Princes Risborough, HP27 0DE. Free parking outside.

For my full review and everything you need to know about the café click here.

Ockwells Cafe in Maidenhead

This is such a lovely café with the BEST brownies and cakes! It’s a dream for your little ones too as there’s a really good outdoor playground in Ockwells park as well as a soft play in the café. The soft play is a fairly big frame with two zones to accommodate different ages.

Play area: Large soft play frame in a separate room. There are plenty of tables in here and it’s easy to see them at all times from your table. They serve food and drink into this room too, so you can even enjoy your lunch in peace. You do need to book and pay to use the soft play here and it costs £3.50 for 50 minutes.

Coffee: Great coffee!

Food: The food in here is all great and they have loads of choice on the menu. Do not go here without grabbing yourself a cake by F L O U R P O W E R, they are truly epic!

Location & parking: Ockwells Road, Maidenhead SL6 3AA. Free parking in the car park outside.

Website: ockwellscafe.co.uk/soft-play

Bojangles Creative Cafe in Amersham

Whilst this is first and foremost an creative cafe for pottery painting, they also have a great little soft play out the back and the most delicious cakes!

Play area: Small soft play area for under 4’s. There are tables next to the soft play so you can enjoy your coffee whilst they play. Plus it’s free when you purchase any food or drinks from the café Wednesday to Friday and at the weekend you can book it out for private hire. It’s £15 for a one hour slot which includes 2 free drinks which is an absolute bargain!  Call them on 01494 764150 to book.

Coffee: The coffee’s here are great and they also do some very cool kids hot chocolates. Ashley had a unicorn themed one last time we were there.

Food: They have a great selection of cakes to choose from.

Location & parking: 132 White Lion Road, Little Chalfont, Bucks, HP7 9NQ

Website: bojanglescreativecafe.co.uk

Watercolour Arts & Play Cafe in Henley

This is a really beautiful café with lovely decor, velvet seats and even the play area is great to look at. Rather than loads of plastic and primary colours like you’d often find in a soft play, here you’ll find wooden play frames and pastel colours. It’s right in the centre of Henley too so perfect to combine with a look round the shops or a walk along the river.

Play area: The upstairs play area is for 1-6 year olds and has a wooden play frame, slide. ball pit and kitchen plus a load of other toys which you can get out and play with. The play area isn’t visible from all  The baby area downstairs has a big soft mat for them to lie on and play with baby toys, with brands like Little Dutch. There’s also a pikler triangle which toddlers will love. It costs £2.60 for 1-6 year olds and £1.60 for under 1’s.

Coffee: The coffee is amazing, but if you fancy something stronger they even serve wine here!

Food: They serve breakfast and lunch in the cafe and have a separate kids menu. The kids menu is brilliant and caters really well for little ones. For adults there’s a wide choice including brunch, pizzas, salads and soup. They also do loads of cakes.

Location & parking: 48 Market Pl, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 2A. There are a couple of car parks nearby, here’s the postcode for the nearest one – RG9 2AA

Read my full review – click here.

Website: watercolourcafe.co.uk

M Cafe in Marlow

This is another new café and it’s located above the Court Garden Leisure Centre. As part of the refurbishment they have added a lovely kids play area which is great for babies and toddlers. They have a large padded play mat with a some really nice Little Dutch and Liewood toys. As well as a play kitchen, tepee and road jigsaw. It’s the perfect location to go for a coffee and then a stroll along the river.

Play area: Small play area, perfect for babies and toddlers. Easily visible from wherever you’re sat, but they have several tables right next to it so you can keep a close eye on them whilst enjoying your coffee.

Coffee: Great coffee!!

Food: The menu here was a bit limited last time I went, just sandwiches, paninis, that sort of thing. But they have since installed a pizza oven and now offer a full pizza menu.

Location & parking: Court Garden Leisure Complex, 3 Pound Ln, Marlow, SL7 2AE. Parking available in pay & display car park outside.

The Glebe Cafe in Ashley Green

This outdoor cafe opened it’s doors at the end of last year and has quickly become a big hit! The cafe has a large terrace overlooking a brand new playground so it’s the perfect spot to sit and enjoy a coffee and cake whilst your little one plays.

Play area: The playground is completely enclosed and there’s loads to entertain younger and older kids. There’s a big and small play frame, obstacle course, swings, a musical sensory area, a ride on tractor and much more. It’s easy to see the play area from wherever your sat on the terrace.

Coffee: You’ll get a great coffee here!

Food: They serve snacks like sausage rolls, mini quiches and kids picnic boxes as well as loads of delicious cakes. The food is all locally made and seriously good!

Location & parking: Glebe Cafe, behind Ashley Green Memorial Hall, HP5 3PN. There’s a free car park onsite.

Website: instagram.com/theglebecafe

The Cafe at Dorney Court in Dorney

Located within Crocus at Dorney garden centre, this café has a brilliant outdoor play area. Dorney itself is a really lovely area to go for a walk and Dorney Lake is the perfect spot for a bike or scooter ride so you can combine these with the café. Dorney Court itself has now reopened and is also a lovely place to have a walk round. Remember you can get 2 for 1 entry if you have a Gardeners World 2 for 1 card.

Play area: There’s a huge double story play house in the playground as well as an adventure playground for 5-12 year olds (although my 3 year old was fine on some of it). There are lots of picnic benches down closer to the playground so you can enjoy your food or a drink down there whilst they play.

Coffee: The coffee is excellent here!

Food: Even without the playground this is a favourite spot of mine to come for lunch. The food is very good! As well as a great adults menu they also do kids lunch boxes. They are open for breakfast and lunch.

Location & parking: Crocus at Dorney Court, Court Lane, Dorney, SL4 6QP. There’s free parking onsite.

Website: crocus.co.uk/dorney-court/cafe/

The Atrium Cafe in Hazelmere

This is a lovely new cafe in Holy Trinity Church and whilst it doesn’t have a play area they give all the kids a box of toys to play with which was more than enough to keep Ashley entertained whilst I enjoyed a coffee and cake.

Play area: No dedicated play area but all children are given a box of toys with books, soft toys, cars, etc. During the school holidays they often run extra activities like playing kids movies too.

Coffee: The Coffee’s here are amazing!!

Food: The food menu is limited but the if it’s a coffee and cake you’re looking for then this is the place for you. The cake’s are extremely good here! They also do things like soup, cheese scones and toasted tea cakes.

Location & parking: Holy Trinity Church, Hazlemere, HP15 7PZ. Free car park onsite.

The Jelly Lounge in Windsor

Whilst this one is closer to a big soft play I wanted to include it in my cafes with play areas guide because the cafe here is lovely. It’s also still fairly easy to keep an eye on your little ones playing from the comfort of your seat. Like Ockwells Cafe the soft play is out the back and you have to book and pay for it.

Play area: The soft play frame here is one of the most stylish you’ll come across. It will keep your little one entertained for hours! They also have a separate room for babies to play in which is filled with toys.

Coffee: They do excellent coffee’s.

Food: I’ve not managed to eat here yet but the menu looks brilliant and it’s regularly voted as a top family friendly restaurant. You can view the menus here.

Location & parking: 29 William Street, Windsor, SL4 1BB. There’s no parking here but it’s only a few minutes walk from the Victoria Street multi-story car park.

Website: thejellylounge.co.uk/

The following cafes with play areas I haven’t been to yet but are on my list to visit and all look great!

Make Believe Bus Cafe in Berkhamstead – A few followers have recommended this café to me and it looks great! The cafe is inside a bus with both indoor and outdoor seating. Outside they have a kids sandpit area to play in.

Your Cafe in the Park in Aston Clinton – You can book a 2 hour slot in their soft play for just £3. The small soft play in the café is suitable for under 5’s.

Fennygrove Farm in Bracknell – This farm shop café has a lovely little tractor themed outdoor play area. Plus there are animals in the fields nearby that you can go and see.

BB’s Play Cafe in Chorleywood – There are two play areas here, a small enclosed section for 0-2 year olds and a small soft play frame for 2-5 year olds. They also do things like decorate your own cookies here.

Robyn’s Nest Cafe in Warfield – They have just bought back their play area which is perfect for under 5’s, it has plenty of toys and role play items. I’ve visited here before but only when they just had the outdoor area open, but the food was great. It’s been on my list to visit again and do their children’s afternoon tea which is very cute and inexpensive.

Tree House Cafe in Windsor – This is another church cafe with a great play area full of toys and roll play.

D:two in Henley – A church which is home to the family centre soft play (open 9.15 – 11.30am weekdays) and the community cafe and book shop (open 10am – 2pm weekdays).

Lakeside in Datchet – soft play cafe for pre-schoolers and babies.

Dobbies Garden Centre in Aylesbury – you’ll find a soft play area next to the cafe. The main play area is for 3-8 year olds and there’s also a separate baby area for 0-2 year olds.

Maidenhead Aquatics in St Albans – not only can your little ones have a look round the fish here but there’s also a cafe and soft play!

Paint & Play in Ruislip – They have a small soft play area, a dressing up rack, chalk board wall and play corner. It’s been designed so you can see your children from wherever you are sat.

Are there any good cafes with play areas that I’ve missed? Let me know in the comments.