Children's recreation center coming to Schaumburg

Young children will have a place all their own when Kids Art & Cafe - a children's recreation center - opens in Schaumburg's Marketplace Shopping Center at the northwest corner of Schaumburg and Plum Grove roads later this year.

Schaumburg trustees Tuesday approved the special use permit for an indoor playground and art classrooms to be built in the vacant 3,000-square-foot space at 710 E. Schaumburg Road.

A precise opening date was unavailable Tuesday, but village staff members expect it to be sometime this fall.

"They're anxious to be open," Schaumburg Community Planner Marisa Warneke said of new business owners Marta and Piotr Naklicka of Schaumburg.

Kids Art & Cafe will have a playground area consisting of a sliding tunnel, climbing tube, ball pool and bridge. There also will be a separate open play area and construction-themed play area.

A toddler area will have three divisions with toys pertaining to "My Kitchen," "My Store" and "My Room."

A baby area for children up to a year old will provide a small ball pool and climbing station.

Private party rooms will cater not only to birthday parties but craft classes, Polish reading and writing classes, foreign language classes and other interactive learning experiences.

The business is not a day care; however, and children must always be accompanied by their parents. Nevertheless, the facility will be inspected by the same standards as a day care facility, according to village staff.

A food preparation area will be part of the business's cafe where paninis, waffles and other small items will be served.

The business is expected to be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Birthday parties, when food will be catered in from outside, will be limited to 5 to 8 p.m. on Fridays and 12:15 to 8 p.m. on weekends.