Inside Little Lennon Play Cafe, a new kid-focused space on Lee Drive

Parents looking for a fun way to fill the last few days of summer break have a new spot to bring their kiddos, thanks to a new indoor play facility located on Lee Drive.

Little Lennon Play Cafe is now in its soft opening phase, welcoming little ones and their caregivers for indoor fun. Kids can suit up in grippy socks and head to the main play area to climb on and interact with toy sets. Parents can watch from a variety of seating areas and even grab a bite or a drink at Little Lennon’s cafe.

Scrolling through TikTok gave owner Savannah Lennon the idea for the business that would benefit families in Baton Rouge. For a couple of years, she followed small-business owners across the country as they opened play centers for young children. Those stories inspired her, but she never thought she was capable of opening her own place.

Last year, Lennon received the support and motivation she had been missing. At the time, she was a first-grade teacher. She says she loved teaching, and especially loved her students, but was ready for a change and wanted more freedom and creativity.

With that support, Lennon pushed forward with her plan and began scouting for the perfect location for her own play center. In the spring of 2026, the location that housed Cup of Joy, a play center and cafe on Lee Drive, became available. The landlord and former tenant were both overjoyed that the space would remain a play center, and the owners of Cup of Joy allowed Lennon to buy their large play structures.

As she planned the space, the former teacher imagined her students playing there. She wanted a safe place for the youngest children to play, so she used her experience with her own students to determine the recommended age range.​

“I know over half of [the students] would love it in here, and half of them would probably be a little bored,” she says. “The bored ones were the ones that were turning 7, so I went lower, and I made the age range 0 to 6.” 

​Luckily, the spot on Lee Drive had almost everything Little Lennon needed to get started. With a little repair work and a paint job, the building was refreshed. During the renovation, more toys were purchased, the cafe was set up, and Lennon brought in some special mementos from her classroom.

Another element inspired by her teaching background is a Montessori-inspired environment. Although Lennon was not a Montessori teacher, she recognized the Montessori approach to learning through imaginative play. The concept emphasizes the importance of play in helping young kids learn socially, emotionally and intellectually.

The space features toy sets that encourage this type of play, such as a kitchen set, a market stand and a food truck. Lennon says play helps young children learn to share, communicate, problem solve, and identify colors, letters, and numbers. Promoting this growth is one of Little Lennon’s core purposes, according to Lennon.

“It’s a place where there are no screens, no tablets,” she says. “You’re really just bonding with other children and using your creativity, which makes the brain stronger.”

Inside the building, there is also a designated infant area, a nursing room, plenty of seating and a cafe space.

Little Lennon’s cafe will operate during business hours and serve croissants, coffee, beverages and paninis to children and their caregivers. Right now, the selection of food and beverage flavors is limited, but the plan is to expand the menu once the soft-opening phase is over. Lennon says she wants to incorporate healthy snacks and more baked good options. Customizable dirty sodas with Dr. Pepper, Diet Dr. Pepper, Coca-Cola, Diet Coke and Sprite bases are also on the way. 

The owner’s head is filled with plans and ideas for the play center’s future. Although entrepreneurship can be challenging, Lennon says her support system helps keep her motivated as she navigates these busy beginning weeks.

Seeing children and families fill the space at the center’s first private birthday party was also a much-needed motivator, Lennon says, that made the journey worthwhile. 

“I feel like with any business owner, they always have doubts; you always have nerves, but you always have happiness too,” she says.

Little Lennon Play Cafe is located at 324 Lee Dr., Ste. C and D. It is in its soft-opening phase and is currently open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will also be open on select weekends when private birthday parties are not booked. Check its Instagram and Facebook pages for updates on hours.