I love playtime. There’s nothing like throwing a bucket of Legos onto the floor, splashing some paint on an easel, or throwing some plastic broccoli onto a plastic piece of chocolate cake, fake eating it, and then faking how delicious it is.
I really do love playtime. When I was younger, we lived modestly. My dad was a young attorney who had worked his way through law school repairing car engines on our kitchen table. We went to KMART to play with toys then came home. Sometimes things were tough, but I only know that through the stories my parents have told me. I don’t remember the tough. All I really remember was sitting on a rug, playing Barbies with my dad and watching my mom brush my Barbies’ hair, dressing them up, and pretending my shoes were barbie cars. 
My parents tell me stories about an awful rug in one of our old apartments, it was so awful, “it grew”. My dad says that it looked like they needed to “mow it”. We played on it anyway. I don’t remember the rug, but I know that the rugs became better and better as the years went by.
Did I mention that I love playtime? My parents always did such a great job of keeping the world out. We always had fun. My mother was the BEST at keeping us entertained. Dance parties in our diapers, red light-green light, painting, clay. The rug was always a happy place. It was durable enough to keep the world out.
Although toy manufacturers have completely upped their game since I was younger, playtime looks the same for my girls and I just as it did for me when I was little. Sitting on a rug durable enough to keep the nonsense out and the fun in.
When it comes to being an entertainer, I pale in comparison to the greatness that is my mother (and father, can’t leave him out). But at least I have the rug down. Lorena Canals for the win. 
They’re beautiful, elegant, and handmade with the best raw materials. Naturally made and mindful of children. That doesn’t just mean that they abide by all safety regulations. It means they know that the kids and I can make a big mess.
Remember the easels and paint? And sometimes the fake broccoli and cake, is real salami and cupcakes that Isabella and her friend Ellie hide in her play kitchen. With all of the spills, picnics, and our dog, Shark, who gets into the picnics, we needed something durable enough to keep the world out without keeping the stains in. 
I kid you not, I can throw my Lorena Canals rug into my top-loader. No dry cleaning bill, no stinky smells, no stains. Heads up, after the first wash you may notice a bunch of fibers that lift from the rug. It’s not that the rug is compromised. Those are just the loose fibers. Pull them off (or vacuum them up) and the rug looks and feels the same as new, with a fresh and clean smell.
There are so many beautiful designs to choose from, you can find a rug for ANY space. Lace Grey (pictured here) and Botanic Plants are two of my absolute favorites. There are so many options. Lorena Canals rugs are versatile and light so if you want to switch it from one room to another, you can do it with one hand. Which is great for me because I only ever have one hand to spare. As I’ve mentioned before, for the sake of little bellies and tiny knees, get a rug. If you need extra fluff, there are comfort layers you can add underneath. 
I am constantly trying to match the level of fun that my mother provided day after day. I may not have picked up on her creativity or level of energy, but at least I learned to sit with my girls, play with my girls, and to keep the world off the rug so that they can hold on to innocence and magic.
Durable rugs don’t build durable kids. Our love, interest, attention, time, and a little bit of broccoli cake is what builds durable children. The rug is simply added comfort.
Do you have a Lorena Canals? Show us and tell us what you think? If you don’t, you needed one like, yesterday.
*Thanks to Lorena Canals for providing us with this beautiful Lace Grey rug. All opinions and ramblings are my own.
*Thanks to Susan Marinello, once again, for capturing the fun so beautifully.
Leave a Reply