Break Options
We encourage folks to take breaks whenever they like!
If you are attending with your child, please stay with them at all times. (Stick Together!) Feel free to ask a facilitator to take a walk or chill out with you if you’re needing support.
1) Quiet Zone
This is a quiet indoor space with natural lighting. The room has comfy floor pillows, a velvet loveseat, a 13lb weighted blanket, a soft quilt and blanket, a children’s play couch, and children’s books.
Please remove shoes and don’t bring art supplies, food, or beverages here. Clean up after yourself and leave things just as you found them.
A facilitator will always be hanging out in the Quiet Zone, but we won’t approach you unless your card is green or we’re invited. We’ll just give you space and time to relax.
Let’s keep the volume low in this space so we can all decompress. Any electronic devices in use must be set to silent mode or used with headphones.
2) Playground
The playground outside the building is for folks who crave big movement, such as running, spinning, climbing and swinging. There is a slide, a swing set, a Gaga Ball area, a playhouse, a climbing wall and a rope ladder; a little ways into the woods you’ll find a wooden platform (castle? ship? fort?)
Depending on the time of day, there may be children from the community playing here. Children and parents from Haw Creek Elementary tend to play here after school, Mondays-Fridays between 2:45 and 4pm or so. Otherwise, it tends to be pretty quiet, with the occasional neighbor walking by with their dog.
3) Haw Creek Elementary Trails
Between the playground and the cemetery, there is a trail that connects our building to Haw Creek Elementary School.
You’ll pass a huge open field with 2 soccer goals and then find a trail system.
This is a quiet outdoor space, great for folks who need some low-key time outside with less people around. It’s perfect to kick a soccer ball around, go on a quiet, woodsy walk, birdwatch, or have a quick picnic.
The trail system is generally open to the public anytime outside of school hours until dusk.
4) Other
We value your autonomy! We usually have a long stretch of time blocked off on each event day to allow for flow states, fewer transitions, and taking breaks when needed. Please take breaks whenever you like!
You are welcome to go home, take a drive, or go to a favorite location, and then come back. You are also welcome to leave Happy Chaos events whenever the time feels right and not return.
Completely up to you! Take care of yourself!