Creating a playroom that both you and your children will love.
Creating a playroom for your child is a great way to eliminate toy clutter, give your child a space of his or her own, and encourage bonding.
By letting your child help make some of the decisions you give him a sense of ownership and pride. Your child’s feelings of self worth are also validated by your willingness to accept his opinions and choices. You get a little insight into your child’s preferences and how he thinks.
Your first consideration will be where to put the playroom. Children don't need a large room, in fact they often like secret cubbyholes or little out of the way places. Think about unused space in your home and how that can be exploited. Do you have room under the stairs? A large, unused closet? Attic space? Any of these areas can creatively be turned into very special hideaways for your child.
No matter where you decide to put the playroom, it’s got to be fun. This is where your child’s personal taste comes into play. Generally loud colors and bright fabrics help give this room a personality that can match your child’s exuberance. Go with a theme if it fits. Sports fans, princess devotees, pirate masters; the more outlandish the more fun it will be for their little imaginations. This will also help you transform out of the way playrooms into magical, child-sized niches.
With fun comes function. The bigger the room the more function you’ll get out of it, but even small places can be adapted to fit future fads. Try to give the kids some space to explore and grow. Select furniture that fits your child and pieces that aren’t so large that little ones cannot move them out of the way for more active games. Take advantage of floor space by using padding or stain resistant carpeting.
Storage becomes more important the smaller your child’s playroom is as you want to take advantage of as much floor space as possible. Take full advantage of wall space and create cabinets, bookshelves, desks and other storage solutions that cover an entire wall. Let storage bins serve double duty. Use empty cubes for storage and fit them with padded lids for seating. A large empty bin, or several pushed together, can form a workstation and when covered with chalkboard paint it becomes even more fun and functional.
And finally, safety. This almost goes without saying but it’s important that your children feel and are safe in their playroom. Rounded edges are best, but rubber guards or foam padding can be used. Shelving units must be properly secured to the wall. Outlets need covers, etc. Think carefully about the hazards that might exist and do whatever you can to encourage safe play.
The perfect playroom has equal amounts of fun and function. It becomes a place where your child can explore her imagination and learn while also developing a sense of independence. A safe playroom also gives the rest of the family a little well deserved peace and quiet.
