Playspaces Beyond the Playroom
Working in playrooms has become one of my favorite jobs! Not only do I get to play with -ahem- organize toys all day, but I get to arrange spaces for little minds to learn and explore. While I am always one to create multiple zones within a single room, all playrooms have limitations. In an indoor setting, you typically won’t find a crab digging in the sand, or see two chipmunks chasing each other by your feet. If you can, I am the wrong professional blog to be reading.
Outdoor time is not only life changing and beneficial for children, but in a world where parents are endlessly overstimulated with being constantly accessible by our friends, family, colleagues, etc, it is so easy to lose our grounding. Unplugged outdoor time changes our brain chemistry, reduces anxiety, increases serotonin, and sets you in the present.
As a mom myself, I am always looking for ways to get outside and enjoy the incredible Seacoast, NH and Southern Maine area where I am so lucky to live. In January, I came across an incredible resource for parents looking to get outdoors, but wanting to make sure areas were kid friendly. My Maine Bees is exactly the resource parents need to be able to get the benefits of the outdoors, but being able to plan what to pack, where to park, and every detail in between. I have been so lucky to get to know Rachel since discovering her blog, and our kids have even adventured together! I have her here on the blog today to tell me a bit about how she came to be an expert on bringing littles to the great outdoors.
Hey! I’m Rachel and I’m obsessed with Maine, specifically the beaches of Maine, and I love taking my kids to the beach! I have three young boys with a lot of energy, so we have to get outside. When my oldest was under 2 years old, we didn’t go out much because it felt overwhelming and scary. As soon as I had my second and even my third, the amount of stuff we had suddenly became overwhelming and getting outside was our escape from the mess.
I quickly realized that I was always escaping our house and escaping the mess, so I knew that I needed to organize my house to make our environment more relaxing. I started simplifying our toys and donating a lot that just did not have a place in our home. I also built a few built in’s and painted them a very calming color that helped our space feel less busy. Once I did all of that, our home felt more manageable and our adventures outdoors became more fun! The kids can now get all of their energy out in a beautiful place that I also enjoy AND I can come home to a house I feel comfortable in.
I go to the beach with my kids multiple times a week because the ocean instantly calms the chaos. I have really enjoyed creating my blog, mymainebees.com, centered around our trips to the ocean and taking my kids outside! In January of this year I met Emily, a professional organizer, and she complimented me on my house. I instantly knew we’d be friends and we started hanging out every single week on our days off! She helped me organize some lingering toys that did not have a good place when we were hanging out. We also worked together to help our other close friend organize and decorate her master bedroom. Getting outside is SO important, especially when you have kids, but having a calm space that you are excited to come home to is just as important.
