Hello friends, I am so excited to share my new shop with you! Creating this shop has been a long journey, and something I have wanted to do for many years. Ever since having my first child over 5 years ago I have felt drawn to creating children's products. But the story of this shop starts 9 months ago, just before the world went into a major lock-down. 

I found myself searching for an embarrassing amount of time for a play tent that both my kids would love and felt like a fit for the style (and smaller size) of my apartment. I didn't like the wooden tipi tents because of their cultural appropriation and cumbersome size and construction. Most of the pop-up style play tents on the market were ugly and low-quality. And the few I did like were several hundred dollars and often in sizes that just wouldn't fit into my small space. 

Always up for a creative challenge, I decided to create my own! At first it started with just sketches for fun, but as I shared them on instagram I was blown away by the amount of love they received. I realized that there must be other parents also searching for a fun play space for their kids. So I said to myself, "let's do this!". I began searching for manufacturers and found an amazing company in China. The women that work there have been incredibly helpful throughout this whole process and I am so happy to support them. Even though I came in with a small order compared to their other much larger clients, they took me seriously from the start and have been so encouraging of my designs.

It was hard to narrow down my ideas, but I knew I wanted to start with a small collection of tents that are gender-neutral and will appeal to customers with a variety of tastes.

The Retro Play Tent was inspired by mid-century two-tone tents and the vintage camp style of the Wes Anderson film Moonlight Kingdom. The design is minimal but also whimsical with the pop of golden yellow and the starry pattern on top. This design features cute little curved windows on each side and a yellow flag on top! It was my very first sketch, and I am so happy with how it came together!

The Dot Party Play Tent is inspired by my forever love of polka dots. Polka dots are such a classic pattern that can fit into a variety of decor styles. This tent features contrasting yellow and light blue-grey trim, plus two large breathable mesh windows on both sides. I am so excited to see this tent design in your homes!

So why do I love play tents so much? I love my pop-up play tents because they are such a multi-functional toy for kids.

• They inspire imaginative play (our tent transitions from a stuffed animals bedroom to superhero headquarters and beyond)
  
  
• They provide a quiet private space for kids to spend some alone time (my 5 year old likes to use the tent to chill out if feeling overwhelmed)
  
  
• They are super safe, compact and easy to set-up and take-down
  
  
•  They are a toy that can grow with them as they do. (I look forward to seeing my son and daughter read in their tent, play house with their friends, and listen to music and sketch in their private little space.)

 

Our play tents are made from high-quality super soft fabric, non-toxic dyes, and feature breathable mesh windows and no sharp edges. You can easily bring your play tent to the park, set it up in your backyard, or in your living room! It folds down into a small bag so it is easy to take with you on a vacation or store away when not in use. 

These play tents are just the start of my shop journey, I look forward to a long future of creating quality products that inspire imaginative and creative play. I am so excited to have you along for the ride!

Shop our play tents here!
Follow us on instagram here.
Tag us when you receive your play tent with: #chelseaplaytent

xo Jess