There are many good reasons to have a designated playroom for your children.
It encourages them to play, learn and share together. It helps to organize toys while keeping the disorganization that usually accompanies them confined to one space. It keeps clutter and distraction out of their bedrooms, which should be reserved for sleeping.
All practicalities aside, playrooms are just fun, both to put together and to use.
Embrace your creativity (and that of your kids) to design a cheerful, vibrant area for all kinds of unstructured activities that will be the building blocks for their adult selves — but don’t tell them that, just let them have a blast.
Color it playful
Bright and fun colors and patterns set the stage for play and give the room its own vibe distinct from the rest of the house.
Wallpaper and rugs sporting bold patterns can be a gateway to learning geometry and bring life to even the darkest room.
Posters and decals can showcase superheroes, characters from cartoons or books, favorite animals, solar systems or imaginary lands and are easy to update as kids’ interests evolve.
Get them into the swing
Incorporate physical play equipment wherever you can. Hang a swing from the ceiling, snake climbing bars and rock wall footholds along the walls and install hanging rings to build up little biceps.
They may rather go outside for this kind of play but giving them another option when it’s too cold or hot out will make sure they get some exercise every day. Just make sure there’s plenty of padding on the floor so they have a soft place to land.
Cozy seating
Finding adorably pint-sized chairs is a fun hobby for parents accommodating their kids’ needs for places to read, draw, paint, do puzzles or homework and just relax in between all the playing, learning and growing they have to do.
The endless options include tiny stools hiding storage compartments, animal-shaped benches, colorful armchairs, rockers and sofas and mini-me versions of the chic styles found in your living room.
Rooms within a room
Again, there are so many directions you can go to create a sheltered play nook. Teepee-style tents and high canopies are popular ways to create a fort-like enclosure, and a playhouse can be assembled at floor level or built into a loft-style bed for a treehouse effect with added privacy and enjoyment.
