The laudatory social vision and wonderful design aesthetic makes Rec Room Creative a welcome addition to the Burlingame downtown, with the potential to be a truly valuable resource to the community. Stop by to get your LOL on.
A Space for Playing and Creating
Rec Room Creative is a fun, beautiful new addition to downtown Burlingame that fills a need for an indoor play space in style. This spacious, impeccably furnished center filled with toys, books, art materials, and pretend play spaces will seem like heaven to any kid. Rec Room Creative welcome littles aged six and under to play, explore, create, and basically exercise their imaginations in a myriad of fun ways.
LOL = Love Out Loud
Owner and Chief Big Kid Jen Quan combines the concept of a play space with an inspiring social mission. Giving back to the community is one of Jen’s core passions and her philosophy is embodied in “LOL”, or Love Out Loud, which is spelled out on the Rec Room Creative wall. Rec Room Creative supports several local nonprofits, as detailed on their page, and also encourages kids to learn the importance of helping others through simple, small actions. Recently guests in the Rec Room were invited to make cards that were then given to the local fire station. Most all of the toys in the space and products for sale are from socially minded companies. Rec Room Creative effortlessly combines having fun with helping others.
Multiple Ways to Be Creative
The airy front room hosts a large table that serves as the hub for creative projects at Rec Room Creative. Kids are welcome to use the materials provided to create whatever they like – Jen believes strongly in the joy of open-ended creation – and there are often guided craft sessions as well.
The far wall of the front room is hung with an amazing, custom made LED board. If you remember the Lite Brite toy of your childhood, this is the updated version: a board studded with LEDS that kids can turn to cycle through a rainbow of colors. Kids (and grownups) can spend hours making elaborate images on this board. A puppet theater and reading corner round out this inviting room.
The modern, playful aesthetic of the space extends to a closet full of dress-up outfits you can literally step through, Narnia-style, to the adjoining room. Kids will surely love going through this “secret” doorway.
Plenty of Pretend Play Options
Through the closet (or for a more conventional route, around the corner of the front room), is the cozy second room, cleverly fitted out as a kitchen and a doctor’s office. The gorgeous kitchen set is custom made and filled with drawers of play food and dishes so kids can play grocery store, cafe, or maybe even food truck. Beyond is a doctor’s office setup, with a play scale, doctor’s charts and tools, baby dolls, and even an genuine x-ray viewer. There’s plenty of material for serious pretend play here.
Playroom Paradise
The back room is essentially a glorious playroom paradise, with everything a kid needs to stay occupied for hours: dollhouse, car racetrack, play tent (complete with pretend campfire), mailbox, magnetic board, and tons more. All of the toys throughout Rec Room Creative are high-quality brands and are also available for purchase. So while littles get their playtime on, parents can get ideas for the next birthday. There is plenty of space for kids to spread out and run around, and all the toys are cleaned daily: everywhere throughout Rec Room Creative looks spotlessly clean and lovingly maintained.
Currently you can drop into Rec Room Creative during open hours and purchase a Play Pass for unlimited play throughout the day, although they may limit numbers during peak hours. Memberships will be offered soon. Although the place is intended for kids six and under, older siblings are invited to act as “junior creatives” by helping guide art activities or reading at storytime, for example. The space can be booked for parties, and Jen intends to host more community events in the future, including the Turnbull Community Festival on May 21st.
Rec Room Creative
1419 Chapin Ave, Suite 101
Burlingame, CA 94010
650-993-9097
Hours: Tues – Sun 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., closed Mondays
Online: recroomcreative.com
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