Nicole Allemann saw a need in her community and decided to fill it, opening an indoor playroom and family support center in downtown De Soto.
Back to Play, 200 S. Main St., opened April 22 as a nonprofit with about 2,500 square feet of play area.
“Becoming a stay-at-home parent was a challenge and then the pandemic happened, so safe, clean places to take your kiddos that were open on a regular basis were far and few between,” said Allemann, who has two young children: Lydia, 3, and Louise, who turns 2 this month.
She said children need constant attention and stimulation.
“They love to play; they love to explore,” she said. “It was kind of a combination of how can we support that in kids in southern Jefferson County while also having a space for (families) to not be overwhelmed, overstimulated and overcharged?”
Allemann, 30, of Dittmer is Back to Play’s founder and director. She also is a social worker with experience in youth mental and behavioral health, foster care case management and early childhood education.
She said there aren’t many places to take foster children for visits or in between appointments.
“Aside from the McDonald’s PlayPlace or a park, there weren’t very many safe places. And when I say safe, I mean like everybody can just kind of sit down and play without having to worry about choking hazards or (a child) running off somewhere not safe,” Allemann said.
She said sometimes foster parents need a place to go to unwind while children play.
“There’s a ton of foster parents who just need relief and there’s not very much respite care,” Allemann said. “If they’re not able to get a respite provider for a day and they just need a break, they can bring their kiddos up here for half the price. And foster parents can chill out. They can eat lunch, they can work. They can zone out on their phone, and the kiddos have something to keep them preoccupied.”
The playroom offers a “caregiver space” with seating, Wi-Fi and a full view of the play area. If they choose, caregivers may sit and relax or get work done while children play, she said.
The playroom is divided into two areas – one with a slide, a fort, different kinds of swings, a play kitchen, a tiny ball pit, a dollhouse and a reading area, and another area where children can take part in creative play, like drawing, painting or playing with water or Legos. There’s a sensory bin and a play dirt table that has a little bit of dirt.
Eventually, there will be a music area in the very back of the room, Allemann said.
“We do have a mission statement: It’s to help children thrive through their natural desire to play,” she said. “So, our mission is to create a space that is open for exploration for kids of any age, and any capabilities. And it’s kind of that safe space to be messy and free and creative. And parents don’t have to stress about it. That’s our ultimate goal.”
Costs for play vary.
For children 6 months to 2 years, the cost is $5 for the day. The cost is $10 for the first child older than 2 and $8 for additional siblings older than 2. There’s a $5 discounted rate for foster and adoptive youth (with copy of placement letter or most recent court order). With a valid ID, the EMS/police/military discount is $8. Applications for reduced fees for families with low incomes are available online.
Back to Play is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.
For more information, go to backtoplaymo.com, the organization’s Facebook page or call 636-789-8354.
Back to Play has an 11-member board of directors that helps oversee the nonprofit organization, Allemann said.
She said the support the community has shown the organization has been astounding.
“We’ve had many donations,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of local businesses come forward and help. We did have a basket auction here, and we had over 20 baskets donated, which was fantastic.”
Allemann said a few parents at the open house asked if the center could be used as a birthday party venue, and while she had not considered that before, she decided it was a good idea. So, beginning this month, the center will be for that purpose, too.
Families may rent the back room for three hours on Saturdays for $125-$175, depending on the size of the party.
“And we’re trying to help parents out with birthday decor because they’re already footing the costs for a party and food and stuff,” she said. “We’re hoping to provide just like a community decorations bin where they can use whatever they want. And we’ve had a lot of families donate to that. We’ve had a local boutique offer to give a free T-shirt for the birthday kiddo every time we have one scheduled.”
Other plans are in the works for Back to Play.
Allemann said she plans to add a music therapy program this summer, and there will be an organized play activity once a month.
She said she hopes to create a monthly homeschool group for children and families to connect and find support.
Alleman said eventually the organization will have the office space renovated so it can be subleased to tenants who are focused on youth counseling, therapeutic visitation, educational support or similar fields.
She said she hopes to have her husband, Chris, a paramedic for Joachim-Plattin Ambulance District, teach CPR and first aid courses to educate parents, family members, foster parents and professionals.
Allemann said she and the board have other programs they hope to start over the next five years, including parent education courses for biological parents working toward reunification in foster care services; support groups for single parents, for those who are neurodiverse and for those in post-partum recovery; therapy pets for the playroom; and regulated referrals with partnering Jefferson County nonprofits.
Back to Play accepts donations online. It also needs donations of paper towels, unscented baby wipes, individually wrapped snacks, cases of bottled water, kitchen size trash bags, scrap paper, and disposable coffee cups.