If your home is quickly becoming overrun with children's toys and games, it's time to consider creating a playroom. A well-designed playroom won't just combat clutter, it will also provide your little ones with a stimulating space in which they learn and thrive. Need some inspiration? Read on for some handy tips on how to transform just about any space into a functional playroom your kids will love.
Create Designated Zones
Younger children have a hard time maintaining focus, quickly losing interest in one activity to concentrate on another. This can swiftly lead to piles of abandoned clutter, throwing a small space into disarray. A simple way to overcome this is to create dedicated activity areas within a playroom. Even a small space can be optimized with zones with a little bit of creative thinking.
To create zones, think about what activities your kids enjoy doing. If they have a passion for arts and crafts, set up a creative station stocked with all the supplies they'll need within easy reach. You can also cater to bookworms by setting up a comfy reading nook or corner. For this, all you'll need is an inexpensive bean bag and bookshelf to house all their favorite literature.
Encourage Imaginative Play
Little ones love nothing more than playing make-believe. Whether it's role-playing as a superhero or pretending to be a fairy tale princess, you can help them live out their fantasies by incorporating a dressing-up box into their playroom. If you have more space to work with, you can be a bit more ambitious and put together a dressing-up corner. A full-length mirror can be picked up relatively inexpensively, while a collapsible clothing rail or valet stand can house all their favorite outfits.
Brighten Things Up with Artwork
When designing a playroom, the space must be as stimulating as possible. Introducing artwork is therefore a must. Poster prints of their favorite characters are a good place to start. If your little ones are budding artists, you can also create a gallery wall to show off their creations with pride.
For older children, it makes sense to go with a more versatile design scheme. Stick to bold color palettes and statement walls, or introduce chunky fabrics to add texture. If you're dealing with a rather barren space with wooden flooring, an oversized rug is also worth investing in.
Create a Dedicated Study Space
If there's no space elsewhere in the home for little ones to catch up on their homework, think about incorporating a study space when designing a playroom. An unloved nook can easily be transformed into a learning hub with relatively little effort. In terms of furniture, keep things simple with a small desk and ergonomic chair.
If your playroom is lacking in storage, now's the time to incorporate some. Consider cube storage that can be adapted with drawer inserts and totes that can be used to house books, assignments, and stationery supplies. If you're particularly limited in terms of space, you can always add a fold-down desktop to these storage cabinets to free up square footage once study sessions are completed. If your child regularly requires a helping hand with their studies, it's worth investing in some breakout seating so you can sit with them while they work through their assignments.
Dual-Purpose Playrooms
If your playroom still needs to double up as a guest bedroom on occasion, think carefully about the kind of furniture you're selecting. If the room is only ever going to host younger overnight guests, a loft bed that incorporates a bunk with a desk is a good option.
However, if your budget can stretch, it may be better to go with a decent daybed. These multifunctional pieces of furniture can be used as comfortable seating solutions during the day, before being reconfigured as a comfortable bed for unexpected guests. Furthermore, most daybeds feature integrated drawer storage, allowing to keep fresh linens and bedding close to hand.
Make Life Easier with Storage
Every playroom needs plenty of storage. If you're looking to migrate games and toy clutter away from your living space, make sure there's sufficient playroom storage in space. Open storage units are a practical and budget-friendly option. Different inserts will allow you to tailor storage furniture to meet your requirements. Provided you've invested in neutral colors, these units can also serve your children for many years.
To motivate your children to pick up after themselves, make sure your storage is well organized. Introduce a labeling system to make quick work of cleaning up once play sessions are over. Failing that, a color-coding system is an accessible alternative.
Putting Together a Perfect Playroom
With a bit of initiative, you can turn just about any space into a functional playroom for kids. A spare room is ideal, but even an unused corner in a larger room can be reworked to provide little ones with a space to call their own. Creating activity zones and making use of storage are essential for maintaining order, while multifunctional furniture is ideal for spaces with limited square footage.
Author Bio: This article was written by Michael Dinneen of NannyCity. NannyCity is a leading Nanny Placement Agency with locations in both NYC & CT.
