Beckley, WV (WOAY) On June 13th, Sip and Slide Play Cafe opened on Ragland Road in Beckley, offering an indoor playground for the kids, a respite for parents, and refreshments for both.
Inspired by kid-friendly spaces she and her children enjoyed out of state, owner Ericka Jacobs saw that Beckley needed more for children.
“I have been a pediatric nurse for almost four years. I moved to North Carolina; they have a lot of facilities and stuff like this and more for kids to do in the area. Whenever we moved back, I wanted to be able to bring something for my kids as well as kids in that area to come and be able to safely play.”
For a few hours, parents can rest easy with an appropriately themed pick-me-up like a Curious George latte. Then once the kids burn off some steam, they can cool down with a frozen treat, or plenty of other snacks.
For those with sensory issues, there’s a calm sensory space and events like Lo-Fi Thursdays and Sensory Saturdays.
“We are an autism-friendly, foster-care-friendly facility. That means a lot to us… It is very important that they have a place to be able to come and play and just be themselves.”
Beyond the everyday fun, they also keep the calendar packed with special events like Kids’ Night Out, Game Night, and the Back-to-School Scavenger Hunt coming on the 22nd.
“We want parents to stay for the playgroups, but for the Kids’ Night Out and Girls’ Night Out and Guys’ Night Out and stuff like that—they are specifically for parents to drop off their kids so they can play and they can have some time to go out and do whatever they need to do, kid-free.”
Sip and Slide is located at 346 Rural Acres Drive, and their regular hours are 10 am to 6 pm, Wednesday through Saturday, and 1 pm to 6 pm on Sunday. To reserve your play slot or stay up to date with their events, visit the Sip and Slide Facebook page.
