'Seoul-style Kids Cafes' to Expand to 100 Locations This Year

Installation in Apartments and Religious Facilities

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 13th that it plans to expand the number of ‘Seoul-type Kids Cafes’ to 100 locations this year and establish 400 locations throughout Seoul by 2026. The core goal is to create spaces where caregivers and children can play safely, through collaboration not only between the city and autonomous districts but also with the local community.

‘Seoul-type Kids Cafes’ are public indoor playgrounds that guarantee all children the right to play without restrictions such as fine dust or weather, at an affordable price. Since opening five locations last year, they have received high praise from both parents and children.

This year, starting with the opening of the Jayang 4-dong branch in May, the first ‘municipal’ Seoul-type Kids Cafe, larger than district-run facilities, will open in August within Space Sallim in Dongjak-gu (387.15㎡). In September, a park-type Kids Cafe (Yangcheon-gu Omok Neighborhood Park branch) will open, followed by the first municipal second branch, a Kids Cafe exclusively for elementary school students (Yangcheon Hub-type Kiwoom Center branch) in October.

Seoul plans to promote the establishment of ‘Seoul-type Kids Cafes’ not only in public facilities but also in private local facilities such as apartment complexes, religious facilities, and daycare centers that are closed or scheduled to close, so that ‘Seoul-type Kids Cafes’ can be densely located within living areas close to home. To this end, the city will invest municipal funds to remodel spaces provided free of charge by the private sector into ‘Seoul-type Kids Cafes’ (up to 1.2 billion KRW) and will cooperate with autonomous districts to take responsibility for operations (operation rights may be granted after qualification verification). When installed within apartment complexes, conveniences such as priority reservation rights for residents will also be provided.

Starting this year, a ‘play care service’ will be actively supported, where qualified professional caregivers such as childcare teachers temporarily look after children. The purpose is to allow parents to briefly leave their children at the ‘Seoul-type Kids Cafe’ and take care of simple errands such as grocery shopping or hospital visits with peace of mind.

Additionally, to proactively prevent safety accidents that may occur within ‘Seoul-type Kids Cafes,’ the country’s first ‘Play Facility Risk Value Assessment’ has been established to carefully manage safety throughout the entire process from establishment to operation. In this regard, when autonomous districts and private sectors participate in the ‘Seoul-type Kids Cafe’ establishment project, installation costs will be supported up to 1.2 billion KRW for remodeling and up to 2.4 billion KRW for new construction or expansion. Operating expenses will be increased more than twofold compared to last year, supporting an average of 12.75 million KRW per month.

Kim Seon-soon, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Women and Family Policy Office, stated, “‘Seoul-type Kids Cafes’ are public indoor playgrounds that greatly reduce cost burdens while ensuring fun, safety, and care. Over 10,000 people visited last year, establishing them as neighborhood play care facilities.” She added, “This year, we will promote the establishment of more ‘Seoul-type Kids Cafes’ not only in public facilities but also in private facilities such as apartments within living areas near homes, and we will make every effort to ensure safety management.”