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Colorful Circles

WELCOME

Our mission is to provide a free and safe space for children ages 0-4 to play and caregivers to connect with one another. We also provide supports for postpartum moms, educational activities and classes for babies and toddlers, as well as a fenced in play area for young ones to explore. 

Come visit our beautiful indoor play space which is full of toys, books, indoor slide, and dramatic play sections like a kitchen and house. Our space also has a large sectional couch which provides a place for parents to relax and breastfeed comfortably. We are upstairs in the church in a big, bright area that overlooks the outdoor playground.

Our awesome outdoor space that features three fenced-in playgrounds themed for different ages!  We have an infant play area, wobblers and toddlers play area, a sandbox, an open space for ride-on toys, baby swings, climbing structures, picnic tables and more! 

Hours of Operation:

Monday- 9:30am-12:30pm

Tuesday- CLOSED

Wednesday - 9:30am - 12:30pm

Thursday- 10am - 1pm (Baby Group)

Friday- 9:30am - 12:30pm

 

When you arrive we require all participants to have adult supervision and we ask that all participants sign in so that we can continue to operate as a FREE nonprofit for all! Our indoor and outdoor spaces are generously donated by Christ the King Lutheran Church! 

 

We operate solely on parent and grandparent donations managed through the Community Foundation of SW Colorado. Your donations are so helpful to us to keep our playground open and free for all!  Thanks for considering a donation!  

Colorful Circles
About

Our Story.

Kelly Tregillus, one of the co-founders, moved to Durango from San Francisco in 2016 and was disappointed to see the lack of support and space in Durango to take her, then, 9 month old daughter to meet other moms or unwind in a child friendly cafe. She also worked from home and found the change to remote work a little isolating at times, prompting her to work from coffeeshops several days a week for a change of pace. 
Not prepared to move to Durango, Kelly's daughter was not on any childcare lists, therefore, she had to patch together a nanny, mother in law and a 2 day per week childcare center to continue working. If any of those options weren't available, she had to try to work (distracted!!) and attempt to poorly supervise her daughter. That and the isolation from other parents and families lead to the concept of Durango Cafe au Play.
Liza Tregillus, the other co-founder is a mother of four, now adult, children. After moving to Durango from Chicago with her two oldest boys, then 5 and 1 years old, she missed the family daycare co-op she had led in the city. Liza quickly found her niche at the Mother's Center of Durango (now called The Family Centers Coalition) and experienced first hand how a sense of community can enhance a family's ability to thrive in Durango.
The Problem...

New and expecting parents in La Plata county have limited convenient local resources or spaces to take classes or meet new friends. There is a lack of support for families of young children and most cafes are not baby or toddler friendly.

Our indoor and outdoor facilities provide engaging play space for parents and children to meet each other and form a community. Isolation is such a big challenge across the country and we're focused on helping families make those connections.

Meet our founding team, Kelly and Liza!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet Kelly!

Kelly is a Fort Lewis Alum with a background in business development, account management and sales. She works remotely at home for a company based in San Francisco, California. Kelly is a Board Member and acting in an advisory role to the Cafe along with volunteering her time to help with cafe operations.

Meet Liza!

Liza, MSW, is a local Parent/Youth Coach and Play Therapist. Liza was previously the Director at the Family Centers Coalition of Durango where many parents were involved as peer leaders for play groups, parenting classes and other activities.

 

Liza has over 30 years of experience in health and human services and is responsible for developing the Durango Cafe au Play space and group calendar. Liza will offer training to volunteer parents interested in leading groups and coordinates cafe activities. She is also available for community resource and referral information.

 

In addition, Liza coordinates a peer mentor project for youth living with challenging health conditions (epilepsy, diabetes, autism, TBI, depression, etc). Liza leads peer support groups for their parents as well as coordinating teens and young adults that mentor others. Her passion is peer support, and she is excited that the Cafe au Play space is an incubator for connection. The cafe hosts parents of young children during the day, and older youth activities in the evenings. 

"Café au Play is exactly the community hub we needed when we had our first child. It's a fantastic space to connect with other moms and parents during those challenging early years, and it offers the best outdoor play area for summer mornings. We're so deeply grateful for this wonderful place!"

 

- Kelly Zepelin

"I really appreciate meeting other families. My kiddo loves exploring the play space and is making little friends."

 

-Micah Helton

"Before Café au Play, I didn't have any friends or really know anyone. Now for over two years I've had friends, acquaintances, support and fun activities that make me feel like I'm part of a community."

 

- Elle Anderson

Colorful Circles
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Colorful Circles
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CONTACT.

Email | durangocafeauplay@gmail.com

Facebook | www.facebook.com/durangocafeauplay

Instagram | @durangocafeauplay

Phone | 970-286-PLAY

970-286-7529

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