Inside Denham Springs’ newest play center

One year after the birth of their third child, Lacie and Tyler Edwards noticed a gap in their community in Denham Springs. Lacie, who was home with her three children at the time, wished there was a place nearby where families could get out of their house and play.

In July, the couple decided that they would fill that gap themselves. They leased an old gym on LA-16, and construction began on The Play District. The child-size village opened last week with plenty of room for parties, field trips and playtime. 

Sponsors like Benny’s Car Wash, Carter’s Supermarket, and the Bank of Zachary helped make this village complete. The facility holds seven playhouses that mimic their real-life sponsors, so kids can engage in imaginative play at the grocery store, the bank and more. 

“It’s been just one godsend after another,” Lacie says. “The Bank of Zachary reached out to me. We were going to make a fitness center [playhouse], but coincidentally, [the bank] came by our Santa event and said, ‘Do you need somebody in that spot?’”

Beyond the village itself, The Play District has different spaces for kids of all ages, and for their parents. The facility includes a snack area, a designated toddler zone, an active play area where older kids can burn off energy, and plenty of seating for parents.

Lacie has big plans for this little village. Birthday parties and field trips are already in the works, but the owner cannot wait for bigger events to come. The hope is to hold large seasonal events around each holiday, as well as smaller “moms’ night out” events throughout the year. Lacie has already been imagining what Christmas time will look like at The Play District.

Many families have already made their way to The Play District during its opening week. Play time is divided into two-hour sessions throughout the day, and most of this week’s sessions have been fully booked.

The couple is still in awe of the support and attention their new business has already garnered. The Play District’s Facebook page reached 2,500 followers in just two days. Eighty-four kids partied at the grand opening, and local schools are already requesting field trips.

Reflecting on the project, Tyler says they have come a very long way in a short amount of time.

“It’s been chaos in the best way,” Lacie says.

The owners say support from their community is what made this place possible, and that help often came from unexpected places. Local artist The Pretty Willow painted The Play District’s signature mural, sponsors shared posts on social media, and their three children were, of course, along for the ride.

“Our family and friends have been such huge supporters throughout the process. From babysitting our kids when we have late nights of work to lending us money to get things off the ground and everything in between, we couldn’t have done it without them,” Lacie says. “A phrase that we use a lot on our socials and in our marketing is ‘it takes a village,’ and we’ve really been relying on ours the last few months.”

The Play District is located at 31568 LA-16 N, Denham Springs. It is currently open seven days a week. Check their website and social media for hours and updates.