08/20/2023
Meet the CEO of Busy Bean Play Cafe, Shannan Conner. Shannan is a wife, mom of two and full-time Speech-Language Pathologist and Rehabilitation Supervisor. She created Busy Bean Play Cafe to merge her love for education and motherhood, while meeting the need for an educational space for children to play and parents to connect in the Liberty, Missouri area, she says.
“I’ve always wanted to own my own business,” Shannan says. “I am always up for a challenge, and I knew that this was not only something I could take on, but something I could be very successful at.”
The Busy Bean Play Cafe and Event Center is a montessori-based community for children and parents to explore, connect and build relationships that foster learning and growth. Current neuroscience research supports active and dramatic play stations, so parents can relax knowing their kids are engaging with material that is not only fun and entertaining, but also serves an educational purpose. Children six months to six years old are invited to play while parents grab a coffee and peruse montessori-inspired toys at the gift shop.
Creating the Busy Bean Play Cafe has also allowed Shannan to show her children that in addition to being their mom, she’s everything she can be and that she’s meant to be, she says.
“I want them to look up to me and say, ‘that’s my mom. I am so proud of her,’” Shannan says. “I also want them to know they can accomplish anything they set their minds to.”
Children can also participate in weekly music therapy sessions, hosted by a licensed music therapist. Music therapy enhances children’s cognitive, emotional and social skills while providing a creative outlet for communicating and processing feelings, making it a tool for addressing developmental challenges and promoting overall growth.
“We have lots of ideas that we hope to bring to life,” Shannan says. “We want [the Busy Bean Play Cafe] to become a staple in the community where parents can get out of the house, connect with others and provide educational experiences and opportunities for their children.”
Schedule your play at Busy Bean Play Cafe.
By: Mary Salatino
Mary Salatino is a full-time copywriter, freelance journalist with the Lee’s Summit Journal and owner of Mary Rosina Photography. Connect with her to spotlight your business, capture your headshots and more.
