Little Street Maidstone the ultimate in imaginary play

by Lauren Abbott

labbott@thekmgroup.co.uk

A unique play centre which allows youngsters to immerse themselves in the world of imaginary play is opening in Kent.

Little Street says it is responding to a children's love of role play - by designing a realistic street that has little people in mind.

The play centre features a supermarket, construction site, police station, theatre, cafe, post office and medical centre among others and is designed as a scaled down version of a typical town.

Little Street construction awaits its first builders

Little Street is opening in Maidstone in the Royal Star Arcade on Monday, March 27 and is being launched by husband and wife team Shay and Hannah Elbaum.

The couple, who have two children now aged 6 and 5, saw a number of role play rooms in soft play centres abroad and decided to develop the idea in the UK.

The Maidstone miniature world is the couple's second venture - their first opened in Frimley in 2014.

Hannah explained: "With just 17 months between my own children, I experienced difficulties getting around soft play with my daughter when heavily pregnant with my son or when he was very young.

"Little Street offers single level play, so parents can still play alongside their older children, even with a newborn strapped in a carrier. We also see lots of less mobile grandparents visiting and engaging in play with their grandchildren, something they would struggle to do in a soft play environment."

Anyone for cake in the Little Street cafe?

Little Street offers four set play sessions a day to allow for clear-up periods in between in which every prop is returned to its rightful place.

Visitor numbers are also limited to avoid overcrowding and to ensure everyone playing receives the best experience.

And while Little Street can be busy in peak times, Hannah insists there are always enough activities available for the number of children attending the session.