5 Ideas for the Perfect Reading Playground

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You've probably got romantic notions of reading outside--lying on your stomach reading your novel, the breeze gently ruffling your hair, the sun on your back, and feeling perfectly at peace with the world. You forget about your elbows getting tired from holding your book, the breeze blowing your pages inconveniently, sweating profusely, and not feeling nearly as peaceful as you'd hoped. 

You might feel the same way about reading in the bathtub, forgetting that a piping hot bath means you're sweating and the steam makes your pages crinkle, but a lukewarm bath doesn't leave much time for reading. Things, too, are similar at the beach when a propensity to fall asleep leaves you to wake sunburned, with an untanned book-shaped area on your stomach and pages damp from sweat. #BookNerdProblems, right?

Hey, it's hard to be outdoorsy when you're a reader! Reading outside is a miniature obstacle course where you're contending with one environmental element after another. But fret not. I've got five ideas that would make the perfect reading playground. 

Hammocks

Imagine a canopy of hammocks criss-crossing every which way through a series of trees. I would want the hammocks to be at at various heights, some built for one person and others for two people. I know hammocks come in a variety of textures, but I'd want the rope ones--they're breathable, so you're less prone to sweating, you can tuck your elbows in the holes to relieve the pressure of holding up your book, and they're comfortable enough that you won't wake up in a crick should you fall asleep. 

Astroturf

And I don't mean the kind that The Brady Bunch was always mowing. I mean the super soft kind. Sure, regular old grass is great, but as any reader who's ever attempted to read outside in something other than jeans knows, it ITCHES and there are insects in there. I'd rather spend my time reading than scratching my legs and wondering if something is crawling on me. So let's just remove itchy grass and tiny insects from the equation. 

Bed Swings

I don't know about you, but my preferred reading location is in the comfort of my bed, but this becomes a problem when I decide I want to read elsewhere. I can't exactly lug my bed to the park with me. So I propose bed swings. If you haven't yet heard of this lovely home decor invention, I suggest spending more time on Pinterest. Essentially, someone got the idea to turn a bed--complete with plush mattress and cute pillows--into a swing. It's kind of like a gently rocking bassinet but for adults. What could be better than being lulled into a reading stupor than a swaying bed swing?! I can't think of anything. 

Hanging Basket Seats

For those who don't like to lie down to read and want minimal distractions, I suggest the hanging basket seat. Another fun Pinterest find, someone got the idea to create a basket big enough for a person to get inside and curl up comfortably. It's essentially a human cocoon! I prefer the more rounded basket seats because they're more private and wouldn't allow me to see as many shenanigans happening outside the cocoon. However, since they're wicker, sunlight could still creep in for ambient lighting. 

Solar-Powered Lounge Chairs

And for those who prefer e-readers, you haven't been forgotten. While most e-readers can carry a charge for months for the average reader (or just a few days for super intense readers), the fear is that the e-reader will die and you'll have nothing to read. The horror! But not to worry: these solar-powered lounge chairs allow you to enjoy the outdoors while re-charging your devices. 

Now just imagine all these things in an outdoor setting that was temperature controlled and it'd truly be perfection. I've got my fingers crossed that reading playgrounds will exist one day. Surely there are some book-lovin' architects out there! 

These 5 ideas for the perfect reading playground are a book nerd's dream. #bookbloggers