Services

Review: Breathing Space Café, Indooroopilly

I had been meaning to check out this spot for a while now and finally saw the opportunity today.  So we were in the car at 8:30 to be first in the door at 9am.

I really liked this café from the moment I walked in the door. I just love the clean crisp feel of the space. The fact that it’s a café in a converted house really adds to the charm of the experience. I was met by Caroline who owns and runs the Breathing Space Café. She happily explained the procedure for the Children’s child minding that they offer and helped me fill out the little bit of paperwork.

It’s not much just name, age, time in and out, any health issues and can they have their face painted. Then the kids were free to explore the toys available and interact with the other children as they came in. This is all done in a separate room that had a door that locks and parents need to buzz in order for the door to be opened from the other side.

My eldest enjoyed cutting out and decorating a paper Xmas tree then ran off to play on the enclosed backyard. Here the kids can choose from a large sandpit and digging toys to mini slides and play houses. My little guy wasn’t too keen on the whole experience and thought he was being punished by being separated from me. I have to say Caroline took it all in stride as we went in and out of the area trying to get him to feel comfortable and safe. Caroline did say it can take up to 3 or so visits before the 2 year olds get the idea. They happily take children between 1 and 6 years. There is also a playpen set up in the café area for mums of babies to use.

The service and coffee I had was excellent. I’m afraid this time I didn’t try out the menu. So I can’t comment on that other than to say I thought it seemed well balanced. There is loads of choice and you can see they care about their food by offering quality products for people with various dietary requirements. I especially love the all day breakfast. In my BC (Before Children) life I was a touring sound engineer and lived to find a good spot to have breakfast at lunchtime or later!

My only negative comment is that once you’ve signed the kids in you aren’t able to easily see them. I know there are some places where they have that glazed glass that you can see one way through.  Trying to put that in would probably ruin the cottage feel of the house/cafe though. Still I’d feel just slightly more comfortable if there was some way to peek in on them without having to knock or buzz the door.

My bill for my morning out was just under $20 and included a coffee, 2 biscuits, 3 poppers and $2 for each child for up to 2 hour play. I consider that money well spent and will be back again quite a bit next year. As I get busier I can see myself doing some work and having a bite to eat all too easy with the kids happy to play whist being fully supervised by someone else. Just as well they don’t have internet access or I’d become a permanent fixture.

It’ll be nice to have some regular Breathing Space!

Cheers

Glenys

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