Macayla Rodriguez and her family moved to Dansville two years ago after falling in love with the area during a honeymoon in Letchworth.
“We were back in Rhode Island for about two days before our house was on the market to come move here,” Rodriguez recalled. “This whole area is just beautiful. It offers so much and you can really enjoy life without having to travel outside the state.”
One thing was missing close to their new home, though. After welcoming a daughter, Rodriguez concluded the area could use a dedicated play space for kids, a venue equipped to host everything from playdates to birthday parties.
That idea became a reality Wednesday with the debut of Tots Town at 3 Ossian St. in Dansville.
Tots Town made its debut Wednesday at 3 Ossian St. in Dansville, offering a venue for playdates and birthday parties.
Tots Town is designed around inspiring young minds to use their imaginations through play, craft and sensory experiences.
“I love the idea of sensory play, imaginative play and play that actually encourages growth for the kids,” said Rodriguez. “That’s how we geared the kind of toys we were going to bring into the space and what we were going to do for entertainment.
“We have a little bit of everything that gets the imaginative play going, the sensory play going, activity play, soft play – anything your kid likes that’s not really overstimulating was our goal.”
A view of one of the play areas at Tots Town, located at 3 Ossian St. in Dansville.
Tots Town features a track for tricycles, bounce toys and RC cars. A soft play area has a ball pit, climbing equipment and sensory toys, while there are also areas for crafts and reading. The play area boasts a miniature kitchen, shopping mart and salon, along with toys, sensory bins and more.
Tots Town is designed for kids from six months to six years old, although older children are allowed to join the fun as long as they’re maintaining a safe environment for the younger kids, Rodriguez said.
Adult supervision by a parent or guardian is required at all times. Tots Town is “pay to play” at $15 per child and adult. Additional people in a group are $5. Open play hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday.
A view of one of the play areas at Tots Town, located at 3 Ossian St. in Dansville.
Tots Town can be rented for private parties in three-hour blocks on the weekends. Tots Town will also host special crafting sessions, activities and holiday-themed events.
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Rodriguez is hoping the business provides some flexibility for parents, and offers a taste of special venues like the Strong National Museum of Play closer to home for local families.
“I didn’t like that we didn’t have anything for kids,” she said. “We have the local YMCA, which is great, but Tots Town is at the parent’s convenience. We also enjoy going to museums with our daughter, but we wanted to be able to do something to help her grow without the travel and costs and being surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of people. This is a happy medium in a rural environment.”
This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Tots Town opens in Dansville, hosting playdates, birthday parties