Whether you have a whole room or a corner nook, designating a space for your child’s toys and playthings can help the house stay organized and give your child a specific place to play.
When planning your space, consider safety first. Ensure all outlets are covered, toys are not placed at a height that could cause injury from eager toddlers trying to grab the toy on their own and tripping hazards are eliminated. Once your safety check is done, now comes the fun part! We’ve got some ideas to make your play area great for your kids and your home!
1. Bins – Keep things tidy and out of sight by placing toys in large, fabric bins!
2. Bookshelves or Hanging Racks – Make optimal use of space by organizing onto bookshelves or hanging racks for items that you’ll use together. Make sure bookshelves are anchored to the wall for safety.
3. Washable Rugs – Accidents happen! It’s easier to get apple juice out of the rug if you can throw it in the washer.
4. Chalkboard, Whiteboard and/or Easel – Great for the budding artist to create masterpieces (and easily clean up)! These also work well for children who like to play “school” and teach a class full of stuffed animals.
Giggle Tip: Use washable markers and paints, chalk or water paint sheets for peace of mind and easy clean up!
5. Tents – Tents allow children the opportunity to explore and play pretend in a safe space. If you have room to leave the tent assembled, you can also store toys inside.
6. Storage Benches – These provide a dual function: a place to sit as well as a place to store toys and games. Bonus: they usually look pretty too!
7. Ball Pit – Ball pits are endless fun for children. A delightful sensory experience, you can also create additional games like hiding toys in the balls and having your children search for them.
8. Craft Table – Craft tables are a must if you have space. This allows children a designated space to do messy crafts as well as more advanced projects like building block towers.
9. Play Kitchen – Teach children how to prepare food, put groceries away or serve the family a pretend dinner.
10. Train Table – Train tables are hours of fun as children build new tracks, attach new train cars and zoom along the path.
11. Interlocking Floor and/or Puzzle Pieces – Foam flooring with interlocking pieces is an excellent way to protect your home’s flooring while also being fun for kids to construct. Some sets include alphabet square puzzle pieces, encouraging children to learn how shapes fit together as well as working on letter or number recognition.
12. Cushions or Bean Bags – Plush furnishings are a safe and fun option for seating in a play space. Plus, they are easily moved to different locations!
Giggle Tip:
• Always supervise kids in the playroom.
• Make sure to remove all small items that could potentially be a choking hazard.
• Anchor bookshelves and anything that they can climb to a wall.
• Playroom clean up time is a great learning opportunity.
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