by Dennis Dalman
Parents and their children ages 6 and under can now enjoy a daily break together at Nurture to Play, an indoor play space and coffee lounge that recently opened in Sartell.
The business, also dubbed the “play café,” is located at 1001 Second St. S. in a space that used to house The Pantry.
Nurture to Play, which hosted a grand opening Feb. 15, was founded by its operators, good friends Alexis Demuth and Jordan Reinke. Demuth, a Sartell resident, graduated from Sartell High School in 2012; Reinke lives in St. Cloud.
In an interview with the Newsleaders, Demuth described Nurture to Play and how it came to be.
One day about two years ago, Demuth, a licensed dietician with her own private practice called Mother Nurture, was hosting a group of mothers on the topic of post-partum depression at a mental-health center. Reinke was a member of that group, and that is how she and Demuth met.
The two women began to talk and share ideas and plans. One day in March of 2024, both agreed it would be a good idea to open a place for parents and/or caregivers to socialize in a café setting while their children could have lots of fun playing in an indoor, supervised area near the café.
They scouted around for a location and decided the space that formerly housed The Pantry would be a good place. The refurbishment of that area began in October of last year, and a “sneak peak” opening took place just before Christmas. Those who attended it – adults and especially children – had a wonderful, fun time, Demuth noted.
While the parents relax in the café area answering or sending emails or enjoying a book or with coffee and a maybe a snack while visiting with other parents, their children can have a good time playing in a number of activities in the play area.
The coffee café in Nurture to Play is operated by Second Street Coffee House, which is very near Nurture to Play, just to its west in that mini-mall bordered by Second Avenue and Pinecone Road.
“It is not a daycare center,” Demuth said, “because both the parents and their littles will be there at the same time. Nor is Nurture to Play a “drop-in” center. Instead, there are blocks of time parents can schedule ahead of time with monthly memberships with 10-punch passes.
“We created a place for a community of parents/caregivers and an imaginative place to play and be comfortable.”
In addition to fun and relaxation, Nurture to Play will offer special events and classes and workshops where parents/caregivers can learn valuable, practical tips and methods of caregiving.
Both Reinke and Demuth are parents. Reinke has a 2-year-old daughter; Demuth has one son, 3, and a daughter, 2.
To learn more about Nurture to Play, how to become a member and how to book blocks of time for visits, see its website at nurturetoplay.com.
Kids enjoy activities during a “sneak peak” mid-December at Nurture to Play, a new children’s play center in Sartell that also includes a coffee shop for the kids’ parents to socialize as their little loved ones have fun playing.
Jordan Reinke (left) and Alexis Demuth are the co-owners of a new business in Sartell dubbed Nurture to Play.
