A number of St. Louis-area indoor playgrounds and play rooms for kids have shuttered or changed hands over the past year, a result of the pandemic or owner burnout.
Honeycomb, in the Botanical Heights neighborhood, closed a year ago. Play Street Museum, an indoor children’s area in St. Charles, is looking for a buyer. And the original owners of Urban Fort Play left their McKinley Heights space, eventually selling the business. It’s slated to open under a new owner at the City Foundry next year.
Now, in Clayton, a new indoor play space TotSpot Social, is positioning itself as not only a destination for children 0-6, but also for parents. Owners Kristen and Kevin Smith say their open floor concept allows parents to see their kids the entire time, encouraging the adults to relax and socialize, too.
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The storefront, at 6451 Clayton Road, is 2,500 square feet full of colorful pastels, comfy seating and play tables full of trains, books and other toys for independent play. Small sections of the play room are dedicated to a pretend kitchen, a motor arena and a gated space for younger kids.
It opened on Thursday.
“When kids are engaged, that’s what then allows the parents to be relaxed, so they don’t have to chase them and monitor them, so that’s what we’re going for,” Kristen Smith said.
Supporters of indoor playrooms say they offer a more controlled and sanitized environment than something like an outdoor playground or museum.
TotSpot Social is equipped with diapers, personal care items, snacks, coffee and anything else a parent may need. It offers party planning services for weekend events at the space.
A large part of TotSpot Social’s business model is its partnerships with local businesses, Kristen Smith said, for things like toys, coffee and party packages complete with ice cream, balloons and banners.
The idea for TotSpot Social was born in 2023 after the Smiths had their second son. Kristen Smith said she remembers how the couple wanted to get out of the house, but found it hard to coordinate things like diapers and meals while out and about.
“St. Louis has a lot of amazing things to offer, but there’s not a ton of places where you can go and it’s an easy outing,” Kristen Smith. “We offer that.”
TotSpot Social also plans to host mom support groups and a happy hour playtime on Thursdays from 4:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.
The Smiths said they had spent over a year searching for the space, an open room in a central location with convenient parking. To start the business, the couple relied on personal capital and while Kristen Smith recently left her job to pursue TotSpot Social full time, Kevin Smith continues to work as an attorney.
Reservations are needed and two-hour open play sessions can be booked online for $15. The current capacity is 25 kids per session.
“It is, right now, about making it for our kids, but also because we want to help other adults and help other parents, so there’s a little bit more of that longevity than just the here and now,” Kristen Smith said.
Some of the notable events throughout 2024 captured by St. Louis Post-Dispatch videographer Allie Schallert.
“When kids are engaged, that’s what then allows the parents to be relaxed, so they don’t have to chase them and monitor them, so that’s what we’re going for.”
Kristen Smith,
co-owner of TotSpot Social
Hannah Wyman
Retail Reporter
