Gather & Grow Play Cafe

08/28/2026

Big & exciting news is coming!!

Want to be the first to know? Join our email newsletter for all the insider details, exciting updates & first looks before we share them anywhere else! 🤎

Sign up through our website!
www.gatherandgrowplaycafe.com

08/01/2026

What a special day celebrating World Breastfeeding Week at the Madison Public Library, hosted by Madison Hospital 🤍

We were so grateful to be able to meet so many incredible families from across our community!

This community right here is what it’s all about. Days like today remind us why we’re so excited to bring Gather & Grow Play Café to Athens 🤍

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth, enjoyed a cookie, signed up for our email list, and shared your kind words and encouragement with us!

We can’t wait to serve you and your family this fall!! 🌿

08/01/2026

Things are moving along!! Be sure to join our email list to get early access to founding memberships, sneak peeks, and opening information!

www.gatherandgrowplaycafe.com

07/25/2026

We just wrapped up an incredible few days in Arizona learning from some of the most inspiring play space owners in the industry!

I’m so grateful to everyone who opened their doors, shared their experiences, answered questions, and so generously poured into all of us. Thank you for being willing to share not only your successes, but also the lessons you’ve learned along the way. Your kindness and hospitality did not go unnoticed!

This trip reminded me that great businesses aren’t built on beautiful spaces alone, they’re built on serving people well. Hospitality, intentionality, and creating a place where families truly feel cared for.

I’m heading home with pages of notes, amazing ideas, a heart that’s so full, and more excitement than ever to bring Gather & Grow to our community. We still have a lot of work ahead, but I can’t wait to create a place where every family feels welcomed, known, and loved.

We’re all growing here 🤍

07/14/2026

As the sister of someone with special needs, creating a space where every child feels welcome has always been close to my heart 🤍

We’re intentionally designing our sensory room, and we’d love to learn from the families who use spaces like these every day.

Does your child love a sensory swing? Need a quiet corner to decompress? Prefer dim lighting, weighted items, fidgets, noise-canceling headphones, crash pads, or something else entirely?

Tell us what helps your child feel safe, regulated, and included. We’d be so grateful for your ideas. 🤍

06/29/2026

They say it takes a village to raise a child, but for many families today, that village can feel hard to find.

That’s why we’re creating Gather & Grow 🤍

As a mom of two young girls, I found myself wishing our community had a place like this. Together, our family decided to create it!

We didn’t just want a place for children to play—we wanted a place where parents feel seen, cared for, and connected, too!

Our café was inspired by the slower café culture we experienced while living in England during my husband’s time in the Air Force, where gathering around good food and conversation was just part of everyday life. We wanted to bring a little of that feeling home to Athens.

As the sister of someone with severe special needs, creating an inclusive space has always been deeply personal. From ADA-compliant spaces and allergy-friendly menu options to our calming sensory room, we’ve intentionally designed Gather & Grow so more families feel welcome and included!

As a homeschooling family, we know how important community is. Our hope is that Gather & Grow becomes part of your village! A place where children can play, parents can breathe, friendships can grow, and everyone feels like they belong.

We’re so glad y’all are here!! 🤍

06/22/2026

06/18/2026

At Gather & Grow, we believe food is nourishment for our bodies, comfort for our kiddos, and such an important part of caring for the people in our community!

As parents ourselves, we know how difficult it can be to find places (especially children’s spaces) that offer food made with quality ingredients and families in mind. So often, “kid food” means artificial dyes, seed oils, excessive sugar, and heavily processed options.

We wanted to create something different 🤍

Our menu is being thoughtfully built around simple, intentional ingredients with options that families can feel good about

Our food & drinks will be:
•dye-free
•seed oil-free
•peanut-free
•made with gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free options

From house-made coffee syrups and fresh baked, from scratch pastries to nourishing meals and snacks, every detail is being chosen with care & intention

Because children deserve spaces that support their wellbeing and parents deserve to feel good about what they’re serving them, too!

What are somethings you’d like to see on the menu? 🤍

06/15/2026

We’re so excited to finally share the beautiful new branding for Gather & Grow Play Café 🌱

From the beginning, we wanted our brand to feel exactly like the space we’re creating! Calm, welcoming, organic, intentional, and rooted in community!

When it came time to bring that vision to life, we chose to work with a talented local artist because supporting other small businesses is something that matters deeply to us. Every illustration was thoughtfully hand-drawn, every little detail intentionally created, and we could not be happier with how it all came together 🥹

A huge thank you to Kayleigh at Resqueue.studio for taking the ideas in my head and transforming them into something even more beautiful than I imagined. Your talent, creativity, and attention to detail have helped shape the identity of Gather & Grow in such a meaningful way.

We can’t wait for you all to see these illustrations come to life throughout the café this fall 🤍