The 5 Elements Of A Perfect Kids Playroom

What makes the perfect playroom? Of course, the toys play a big part, but there are a few other elements that can also make a big difference to how enjoyable the space is. For little ones, their incredible imaginations are every bit as important as the things they play with, so a great playroom will try to tap into this and help it grow.

The myriad of ways children choose to play should be catered for; however, that doesn’t mean there needs to be a huge amount of playthings available. Remember, it’s the quality of play, not the quantity of toys that will make this space a childhood play space to remember.

Storage

Before you consider how to fill it, it’s important to get your storage options right. Big drawers, boxes, or baskets make it easy to throw stuff back into its rightful place at the end of the day, and if you make a game of it, children love to join in too. Plus, a bookshelf is a must for all those childhood classics, from Guess How Much I Love You to Harry Potter.

It’s easy for children to become overwhelmed if they see everything at once, so toy rotation makes a lot of sense. Put a selection of items out on show in easy reach of the children, and put the rest away out of sight in a closet or cabinet.

After a certain amount of time, you then pop the toys they have been playing with away and bring out a selection of different toys. Keep rotating toys like this, perhaps on a weekly basis or whatever works for you and your children, to help little ones not get distracted. It also feels a bit like Christmas every time you rotate because they’d forgotten about all the fun things hidden away and so play with them with renewed interest.

Toys

Children will spend a lot more time over open-ended toys rather than something which does everything for them. If a child can actually engage with what they are playing with, it’s much more fascinating. So forget about all those noisy flashing toys and keep it simple.

Falling into this category are classic toys such as balls, dolls, cars, building blocks (including things like Legos), and animal figures. Children are working with logic and puzzles from the very beginning, so, depending on age, include something which fulfills this interest, such as sorting and stacking toys for younger children, jigsaws, and tangram games for older age groups.

Make sure you cover imaginary play with items such as a dressing-up box and tea set or toy kitchen. Dressing up boxes don’t have to be full of mini-uniforms like firefighters or surgeons. Children will spend hours poring over a box with a couple of pairs of your old shoes, blouses, and scarves, as well as a few interesting hats. This way, they can pretend to be the real-life characters they see every day with is endless fun to little minds.

Indoor climbing frames and physical toys like a wobble board will burn off some of that endless energy that little people have. Of course, no playroom would be complete without a selection of books and a few card and board games – especially as they get older. These are great options for when you have a little spare time to get in there are play with them too. Sharing a book on your lap or playing a game with you are lovely memories for a child to keep.

Seating

Children are almost always on the floor. Sitting still on a hard chair is just not a natural place for them to be, so seating can really be kept to a minimum. Somewhere comfy to throw themselves down while they investigate an object or look through a book is almost all that’s needed, so a huge bean bag from SumoLounge would fit the bill here.

In addition to this, a child-sized simple table and chairs where youngsters can sit to do crafts or role-play a trip to a restaurant, for example, is another worthwhile addition to the space.

By having no large furniture that children can climb on and potentially fall off makes this a safe space children can explore with independence not always afforded to them, and it gives you peace of mind that they can be left to play without fear of injury.

Décor

When thinking about who you will decorate the playroom, framed pictures of characters from a favorite book or scenes from family movies will make the space seem more welcoming. Equally, scenes of changing seasons of different landscapes can offer a view outside the space they are in, sparking their imaginations.

Cushions and blankets are a nice touch for when the little ones need to take a break, as well as being great tools for den building. The bean bag chair would come in handy here too.

A selection of rugs on the floor offers different textures, as they will just love exploring with their bare feet, and don’t forget the all-important road play mats to drive their toy cars around on too.

Add just enough to make children feel at home but don’t be tempted to add too much as this can create visual “noise,” which might be distracting, taking their attention away from the important task of playing.

Entertainment

If children spend too long being entertained and not enough time entertaining themselves, they start to lose this important skill, so keeping entertainment to a minimum is best. A speaker or CD player is a nice option to play nursery rhymes and put audio books on, and you could also include a bubble machine, just for the sheer joy of it!

With a little planning and the right toys, a playroom can be the perfect spot to start learning independent play and developing a good concentration span, along with many other essential life skills.

The opportunity to make their own choices in a safe environment is essential to growing children into independent, confident adults. The importance of play should never be underestimated.