The Village Bean

The Village Bean – 720 238th St. SE, #A, Bothell, WA 98201 (located in Country Village)

It’s all hustle and bustle at The Village Bean coffee shop located in Bothell’s Country Village.  The good kind of hustle and bustle – kids playing with puzzles, building mazes out of pipes, shunting freight cars at the train table, preparing food in the toy kitchen and more.  If there is a favorite toy among the 1-5 year old set, odds are there is one at the Village Bean.

Our first introduction to The Village Bean came via a playgroup meet-up. Amazingly, us  mom’s were able to sip lattes and chat for nearly two hours.  The 7 kids in the group stayed busy the entire time.  Plush adult-sized chairs and tables are intermingled with ‘kid tables’ making it easy to keep the kids close by while giving them their own space.  I ordered Jamin and Mya a ‘Kid’s Plate’ to share (small sandwich, apple sauce and organic carrots).  I’m glad I didn’t get two because they had no interest in eating with so many fun toys to explore.  Jamin’s favorite activity was the pipe wall; various pieces of plastic piping with magnets on one side allowing kids to create and maze of piping for whiffle balls to travel.  I made a mental note to try to recreate this activity on our refrigerator with PVC piping and marbles.  Mya wandered about between the train table, toy kitchen and eventually settled down to ‘work’ on several wooden animal puzzles.  She’s getting good them.

As we drew closer to the lunch hour, the place grew fairly busy.  The room is large enough to handle a crowd and yet small enough it was easy to keep an eye on the kids.  The staff seemed well-able to handle busy-ness, taking orders quickly at the register and bringing food out to the tables.

As our conversation began to wind down, I told the kids it was time to go.  Almost immediately Jamin says, “But mom, I’m hungry!”  He had been so occupied with playing he forgot to eat.  The kids ate their food on the way home in the car.

OTHER DESTINATIONS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

• Toys that Teach
• Bella and Max
• Country Village Train, Putt Putt Golf and Playground

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