If you ask Williamsburg mom Jenna "JD" Dosch, it's equally important for moms and dads to have a great time. Enter Little People Party, the company Dosch co-founded alongside her husband, Andy Shaw. This "pop-up tot" party, which sets up shop at The Backyard in Brooklyn, offers the chance for kiddies to run wild on the astroturf field playing games while parents kick back and socialize...with a little booze.
"The kids are just a front," Dosch jokes. After taking her children to play dates, she and other parents oftentimes found themselves needing a little get-together of their own. With Little People Party, there's a happy medium.
"There was just something missing," she says about a pre Little People Party world.
While tykes ages six months to 3 years—who require adult supervision—are enjoying themselves, Little People Party eliminates the need for an adult-only playdate following the original one for kiddies. If you can watch your children having a ball while sipping on a brew with new friends, why not? "It's wonderful to meet people I wouldn't normally meet," Dosch adds.
For those skeptics who aren't quite convinced, give it a whirl.
"When people come in for the first time, they think it's just an added bonus," Dosch says of the bar. "Then it kind of clicks for them. You just gotta try it."
Although the reception from parents in the neighborhood has been positive and moms and dads continue to grow their network of friends, this kid-friendly boozy play space is only going to operate in The Backyard until June 1. But don't fear—Little People Party has a new plan.
A summer series (which will be BYOB) will kick off in Bed Stuy on June 21 on Thursdays and Fridays from 3–6pm at Siloam Presbyterian Church (260 Jefferson Ave). The second floor of the building—which is rented out by the Park Slope United Soccer Club—pays homage to Prospect Park and outdoor fun, which is the perfect recipe for a summer play space. A soft launch will take place on Father's Day, though the times are still to be determined.
Even better? Dosch says her company will set up shop in a permanent Greenpoint location this fall—all the more reason to give this fun playdate atmosphere a try.
For more information or to stay up-to-date on the Bed-Stuy and Greenpoint openings, visit Little People Party on Facebook.
Looking for more ways to have fun in NYC? Visit these kids attractions, try your hand at the best kids bowling in the city or welcome the summer season in late May with the best strawberry picking in NY.
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