What: The Backyard
Where: 19, East Topsia Road; next to PC Chandra Gardens
Timings: 11am to 7pm
Pricing: Rs 1,000 per child
For city dwellers the idea of playing in nature often seems a far-fetched one as more often than not they’re relegated to their concrete jungle. Bringing in a glimmer of hope to this idea of playing in nature is The Backyard, a 20,000 sq ft indoor and outdoor play area that encourages the idea of kids being one with nature when it comes to play. With a café, and couple of different zones, this new entrant in the kids’ entertainment scenario in the city is an immersive experience. The Telegraph gets you the deets.
THE ZONES
The Tree House
We’ve read about so many of these in Enid Blyton’s books and to see one come alive felt so good. Done up in vibrant green and yellow, the tree house not only has a rope climb and slides, but also has a cosy reading nook where kids can chill and have a good read.
Indoor Play Area
The indoor play area is based on the principles of open-ended play. Kids can come in and learn a lot through play. All toys for this area have been sourced from India-based manufacturers to stay in tune with the idea of buying and eating local as far as possible. The indoor play area has movable elements and transforms into a workshop zone when needed.
“We came up with this idea when the country went into lockdown. Our kids used to love the open space and we wanted to extend that to kids in the city as well. So much in our lives is currently digital that we thought of this as a digital unwind destination. Each and every space has been personally designed by us, along with inputs from our interior designer friend Kaushik Saha. We’ve sourced items ranging from wooden benches to even cutlery from various parts of the country so as to give a platform to Indian artisans. For the café too, our vision was to keep it healthy as well as locally sourced. In fact, most the herbs used are grown in our own kitchen garden,” chimed Sinaya Azhar Khan and Imran Ahmed Khan, entrepreneurs and husband and wife duo behind the space.
The Pet Zone
The pet area houses two cocker spaniels called Bruno and Sprinkle. While Bruno loves to laze, Sprinkle is a fave football teammate to most kids.
That apart, there are two cats named Ivy and Muffin along with a rabbit enclosure where kids get to see them up close and also witness them being fed. All the animals at The Backyard were adopted during the first wave of Covid lockdown.
Outdoor play area
The outdoor area has a sandpit, swings and slides, a mud kitchen as well as a music wall where kids can clang and bang different elements to create their own music and sound.
The Café
Done in shades of blush along with netural tones is the café at The Backyard. The menu is a mix of items for kids as well as their parents along with a range of beverages. You can choose to dine in or eat out on one of the wooden benches while you watch your child play.
The Telegraph tried a host of items from the menu and here’s getting you a taste:
Superseed Flatbread Pizza: A pizza with dough made with the goodness of super seeds topped with BBQ pulled chicken and feta cream. @Rs 450-plus
Thai Soba Noodles and Street Style Satay: This cold soba noodle salad is served with a peanut and chilli sauce made in-house and is available in vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian options. @Rs 375-plus for tofu andRs 400-plus for the chicken variant
Pan Grilled Kolkata Bhetki: Fish cooked in citrus chimichuri dressing served with a hearty pea coulis and butter garlic runner beans. Health in every bite, we say. @Rs 675-plus
Millet, Chocolate Peanut Butter and Banana Crepe: This ragi crepe is a yummy alternative to conventional pancakes and the hit from the in-house peanut butter sauce takes it a notch higher. @Rs 250-plus
Mixed Berry Smoothie: A looker of a drink, this packs in the goodness of yogurt and fresh seasonal berries in each sip. @Rs 300-plus
Pictures: B. Halder