‘Playgrounds’ to give parents the gift of time in Diamond Head

KAIMUKI—It is hard work being a parent of young children. Even harder is being the single parent of young children, or parenting without the support of extended family nearby. We live on a beautiful island with a myriad of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, but many of these activities, such as surfing and paddling, are not so easy as we balance time for our keiki. Sometimes parents just need a break to recharge, regroup, and spend some time alone or with other adults. The reality is that most Oahu families have both parents working outside the home. Given the high cost of good daycare, it becomes hard to justify recreational childcare on the weekends.

Here’s where entrepreneur and single mom Kerri Aybar comes in. Recognizing a void in affordable childcare options in East Honolulu, she came up with the concept of Playgrounds Organic Cafe. The operation will unfold in two phases. Currently, Kerri is looking for a place suitable for a cafe that will serve a dual function as both adult hangout and child center. The idea is that parents can work on their laptops, or engage in a social life, while their child is engaged in supervised play with other children on the premises. As the name suggests, the food offerings will be healthy and the atmosphere nurturing. She also plans to hold special themed events at this venue, such as single parent mixers and couples’ nights.

In the meantime, she is opening an affordable childcare option that she is simply calling “Playgrounds.” Located at Paki Park, the strip of land between Paki and Leahi in Waikiki, Playgrounds will place a strong emphasis on outdoor play. Parents can drop off their children ages two to ten from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  The cost for that six-hour block of time is $18, or $3 per hour. The idea is to make the service as affordable as possible, while maintaining a high level of quality and making it fun for the children. 

The setting will be outdoors—a cordoned off site within Paki Park set up with various stations offering crafts, outdoor games, and a bounce house. To ensure the highest level of security for the children, no adults will be allowed inside the area except for staff. The staff will be comprised of licensed day care professionals, teachers, and teenage assistants. All children will also be required to wear an official Playgrounds tee-shirt while under their supervision. Parents are also asked to provide their children with a packed lunch. A maximum of 40 children will be accepted on any given day so reservations are encouraged to guarantee a spot, though drop-ins are permitted if space permits.

For the adults, the Playgrounds Organic Cafe gives parents “the gift of time,” an opportunity to continue to pursue their interests and take care of themselves despite the heavy demands of parenthood—while keeping in mind that happy parents make better parents. For all of those parents trying to do everything right, to offer their kids the best opportunities, Playgrounds can be viewed as a safeguard against losing one’s “self” in the process. 

For more information, and to join the mailing list, please visit www.playgroundsorganiccafe.com.