My son not only has a bedroom designated for sleeping, dressing, reading and cuddling with his stuffed animals, but he also has a playroom and while I may have never understood before having a child the importance of these two distinct spaces, it has turned out to be one of the best things for everyone in our house.
Whether you have a spare bedroom, an attic or basement, your child needs a place to call their own to explore and grow. A playroom must be safe, fun and cozy. Once you have chosen your perfect spot, the décor can be a lot of fun. The first thing is to make sure the room is secured and child safe.
If your child is old enough, be sure to get their input on the décor. This will help them feel ownership of their space and maybe even encourage them to help keep it tidy (yeah, right!).
A themed playroom might be fun for a while, but chances are your child will outgrow Thomas the Train or Dora the Explorer soon. Sticking to primary colors or a basic overall sports theme, for example might be better than a specific theme or character.
Depending on the size of the room, the colors should be bright and fun. If it is a smaller space, the colors really need to be light and cool colors that will reflect the light. Added lighting will help make the space look larger and cheerier A large playroom can tolerate the darker colors, but keep it colorful and happy.
Here are some other must-haves or things to consider:
- Add fun, colorful rugs. Children spend a lot of time playing on the floor and no one likes to sit on a hard surface for very long. Rugs help add a pop of color as well as comfort.
IKEA, $29.99 - Click on image for more information.
- Wall décor. Consider posters and paintings of your child’s favorite action heroes or bedtime story characters. Framing your child’s own artwork would give your playroom a nice personalized touch. Displaying a map of the solar system or alphabet would be not only educational, but interactive, too.
Land of Nod Get It Out of Your Solar System, $129.00 - Click on image for more information.
- Bean bags and/or tike-sized furniture. Your little ones are going to need a place to sit and perhaps an activity table, too.
Lands' End Junior Bean Bag Cover, $49.00 - Click on image for more information.
- Storage. Particularly for small toys, storage is essential and an organizer like this one, with 12 different bins of varying sizes is perfect for keeping an assortment of small toys grouped together (think blocks, crayons, toy trucks and cars, etc.).
Whitmor 12-Bin Organizer Amazon.com, $55.50 - Click on image for more information.
The perfect playroom has equal amounts of fun and function. It becomes a place where your child can explore his or 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.
