By Micaela Williamson
As an active stay-at-home mom of two little girls, Natalia Arbelaez dubbed herself a “professional” playground/museum/park scout: With each passing hot, humid summer and freezing winter in Northern Virginia, she looked for the fun indoor playgrounds for her girls. They all offered shelter from the weather and fun, she said, but it was “a sea of sameness and long commutes.”
“I set out to break the mold and build the most unique playground in the DMV area,” Arbelaez said in an email. “I wanted moms and dads to be able to bring their kids to a fun, clean and super cool place that’s close to home and doesn’t break the bank. This is how BusyBees came to life.”
After months of research and planning, the team at BusyBees created a colorful space filled with unique play structures that have plenty of padding and lots of movement—expect pint-sized merry-go-rounds and jungle gyms that tilt, for example. The play space offers a vibrant indoor refuge for children under 48 inches and provides parents and caregivers with complimentary coffee, tea and Wi-Fi. The storefront is conveniently located in Falls Church with family friendly neighbors such as Target, Safeway, Chick-fil-A and Tropical Smoothie Café.
Germophobes can relax. BusyBees has a very strict cleaning routine and has partnered with eco-friendly Dapple Baby. Every three hours, staff thoroughly cleans the play structures and gets rid of germs without using harsh chemicals or leaving residues.
Besides indoor free play, BusyBees offers birthday party packages. In the future, they will also have different opportunities for families such as dance, music and language classes. They also highlight local “mompreneurs” in their database.
“Being a mompreneur myself, I understand how complicated it can be to get started. That’s why I want to offer fellow mompreneurs a platform from which they can showcase their services to our awesome audience of families,” Arbelaez said.
BusyBees is open every day for drop-in play from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. There are no enrollment or membership fees. Children under 1 are admitted free, and siblings are discounted. Plus, families are welcome to leave the premises and return the same day without any additional charge.
“At BusyBees we want to build a stronger community surrounded by motion, laughter and play!” she said.
BusyBees
6110 D Arlington Blvd.
Falls Church
202-549-1221
- Courtesy of Tiffany Brown, Mamaratzy Photography
Micaela Williamson is a coauthor of local travel guide “Kid Trips Northern Virginia,” an extraordinary resource that provides descriptions, useful information and insider tips for hundreds of local destinations. Micaela is also an award-winning blogger who enjoys supporting area businesses and scouting out family-friendly venues with her two young sons.
