New play café business opens up in Wexford

A brand-new play café has opened its doors in Wexford, offering a unique space for local families to connect, play, and unwind….

A play café is a hybrid space that combines a café for adults with a safe, engaging play area for babies and young children.

The new addition named Toddle On Play Café is located on Whitemill Road beside Lidl.

It officially opened on September 9th, 2025, and has already been warmly welcomed by the community.

The idea for the café came from its owner, Julianne Goodliffe, who wanted to create something special for young families in the area.

After several years teaching in Scotland, Julianne returned home and noticed a clear gap in local offerings for babies and toddlers.

“After working as a primary school teacher in Scotland for several years, I moved back home about a year and a half ago and quickly realised there were very few options locally for babies and toddlers. At the time, I wasn’t in a position to teach in Ireland as I would have needed to complete a year of Irish, so I decided to use my teaching experience in a different way, by creating engaging and educational classes for little ones.”

Her first step was to start small — hosting early learning classes in local community venues. Through these experiences, she discovered that many parents felt there weren’t enough dedicated spaces for younger children to play and learn safely.

“Last year, I ran classes in Castlebridge Hall, Clonard Community Centre, and the Waterfront. Through chatting with parents, it became clear that while there are soft play areas and leisure centres, they tend to cater more for older children. That’s where the idea for a play café came from; a welcoming space where children can learn through play, and parents can relax with a cuppa and connect with others,” owner Julianne told Wexford Weekly.

Now, that idea has come to life. The café offers a range of activities including baby sensory, baby massage, Lámh (Irish sign language), and messy play sessions — all designed to support early learning and development in a relaxed environment.

“At the café, I also run classes in baby sensory, baby massage, Lámh, and messy play. My hope is that it becomes a place families love. Somewhere they can come to play, learn, and make memories together.”

With its thoughtful approach to play and community, Julianne’s new café is already shaping up to be a welcome hub for Wexford families — a place where the laughter of little ones meets the comfort of a good coffee.