Disclosure – this is a collaborative post.
Starting a new family is one of the greatest joys life can offer – but as a parent yourself, no one needs to tell you that twice! Wondrous as bringing new life into the world can be, the practical side of raising a child can often get in the way – as can their tendency for play. Rather than letting your little one run riot in every room, containing their play to a single dedicated room can keep your house liveable for everyone, and also provide the perfect environment for your child to learn and grow.
A dedicated playroom might seem like a bit of an outlay space-wise, especially when space is at such a premium nowadays. However, a small sacrifice of space can lead to major improvements not only to your child’s development but also your quality of life. Here are some simple ways you could approach bringing the ideal playroom to life, including tips for getting your child involved in the process.
Storage
Storage is perhaps the most important part of a functioning playroom, from the parent’s perspective at the very least. We’ve all been there: rushing around before a busy day of work and nearly twisting your ankle on a stray matchbox car, or idly standing on the Lego piece from hell barefoot after a shower. Creating useful and accessible storage makes these sorry events more or less a thing of the past and can also be an excellent place for your child to learn to tidy after themselves.
Chances are your kid’s new playroom will be going in an otherwise unused part of your house, – and many of these have awkward angles that make storage difficult. But you can kill two birds with one stone, by using fitted wardrobes for awkward ceiling angles; not only do you squeeze storage in, but you can also customise the storage so it’s accessible for even the youngest of your children. Now they can easily get at their toy boxes and dress-up clothes, and have no excuse for not putting them away either!
Flooring
Flooring might not have been top of your list when thinking about a playroom but is crucial from a safety perspective. Hardwood flooring and rugs can make for a nasty accident when kids are unsupervised! Think about investing in a jigsaw foam flooring, for a bouncy, non-slip solution to laminate or hardwood; alternatively, short-pile twist carpets are hard-wearing and easy to clean in the event of a spill!
Decorating and Accessorising
This is, thankfully, the easiest bit of getting a playroom ready! Decorating is something your children can get involved in, whether helping to choose a colour scheme or placing paint handprints along the wall for a truly unique décor. Keeping it DIY means you and your children can really imbue their place space with a sense of their personality – and this bleeds through to the things you populate the space with. You could build a reading tepee with your kids or erect a DIY hammock in the corner. At every point, you can encourage learning as well as play, by suggesting a library corner or painting the ABCs along the walls of their play area.
Disclosure – this is a collaborative post.
