How to Design an Amazing Fun, Functional Kids Playroom at Home 11 tips

Playing is the best pastime for your kids; it’s also a crucial bonding time for the whole family. As parents or caregivers, you can transform any free space at home and design a playroom. Your kids will be able to explore, get creative, and learn at the same time. Remember, when designing a playroom, it’s crucial to step in the shoes of your kids. We have created a guide that shows you how to create an exciting and functional kids playroom at home that your children and your whole family will love for many years to come. 

Safety First

Before you start setting up your kids playroom, make sure the space is clean, ventilated and safe. Think of using non-toxic building materials and removing undesirable insects and other pests. This should be handled by a licensed pest professional such as https://www.pestcontrolexperts.com/local/new-mexico/.

Involve Your Children In The Process

While it’s true you will have the final say about the playroom’s design; it’s important to let your children provide some of their ideas before you set up their new dream playroom. Ask them what’s their favorite subject in school or what are the hobbies that they love the most. From furniture and toys to kids’ entertainment, sit down with them and make a list of all the most important things.

When you brainstorm together, you’ll make sure that the final result is something you and your family will all enjoy and love. Make sure you design a space that’s “evergreen” and one that will grow and adapt as your family grows and your children transform from kids into teenagers. It is the best way to make the most out of a playroom and keep it functional and useful for a long time. 

Make A Thematic Playroom

Choosing a theme for your new playroom can be fun and exciting, but keep in mind that specific themes or decorations might not be appealing to your children as they become older. Try to stick with themes centered around their favorite activities and hobbies rather than characters from cartoons or comics. Dress up the room with personalized details such as these from Neon signs UK. Here are some tips to help you decide upon the perfect theme for your child’s playroom: 

Kids playroom at home: Theater / Dance

Add a small spotlight stage to the room where your children can practice their performance skills. Stock the room with different costumes so your kids can play dress-up and do a little bit of theater right at home. If your child likes to dance, install a large wall mirror. Bring in a stereo system or a record player so they can enjoy their favorite plays while they sing and dance to music.

Turn Up The Volume

Fill the playroom with various instruments like a small drum set, a keyboard, and a guitar. Stock your child’s playroom with sheet music if they’re skilled at playing the piano or other instruments, so they always can acquire new skills. Display some music-themed décor in the room like oversized music notes, framed sheet music, or artwork of images like people or animals singing and playing instruments. 

Get Artsy

Set up a craft table where your child can paint, draw, and work on a variety of arts and crafts projects. Stock the playroom with watercolor and finger paints, an easel, paint brushes, scissors, glue, and construction paper. Create a place where your kids can display their art, for example, a gallery or an oversized album.

Stay Active

Decorate the kids playroom with items that display your child’s favorite sports like a framed picture of a baseball field, a hockey stick hung on the wall, or a picture of their favorite sports player. If you’re feeling brave, install a ceiling-mounted cargo climbing net so your child can play and let off some steam indoors. Bring in some books about sports so your kids can read about their favorite games and learn whenever they’re not on the playing field.

Game Room

From playing cards to board games, you can easily make your child’s playroom a fun game room by stocking it with a variety of games depending on their age group. Paint a tabletop in a checkerboard design so the kids can play a game of checkers or chess anytime they want. Maybe you want to make a DIY Snakes and Ladders board as well. If you have space (and the budget), bring in a large game like a foosball table, table hockey or ping pong table to serve as the room’s focal point. 

Fittings

Once you’ve chosen a theme, it’s time to pick out some furniture for your kid’s playroom. Here are a few tips to help you get started and ensure that this room is functional and fun to use:

Stick with neutral furniture that’s not too bulky or colorful. The more neutral the furniture is, the better the odds are that your child will grow with it instead of out of it. 

Choose furniture that will last for a long time and easy to clean. Aim for multifunctional furniture that includes storage space for all the games, for example, an Ottoman or storage bench.

It’s important to ensure that the entire family feels welcome in this room as well as want to spend time in the playroom. While kid’s furniture is excellent for little ones, consider bringing in a full-size couch, TV with a game console and table so your older children and the adults will feel comfortable in this space, too.

To add a pop of color, bring in some rugs, paintings, plants, curtains, and décor to fill the room with bright and cheerful hues. Leave the wall color neutral so it’s easy to adapt the room as your child grows.

Make sure that this space has flooring that’s easy to clean and maintain. Linoleum and vinyl are both good options, and they don’t require a lot of maintenance to keep them looking new. Protect the floors (and your child’s knees and elbows) of your kids playroom at home with some soft, machine-washable area rugs or special soft padding. 

Storage Space

Your child must have fun in their playroom, but it’s also important that this part of your home stays clean and organized. With the right storage setup, you can keep everything neat, tidy, and in its place.

Use Mason jars with a lid to store and organize small craft items like buttons, beads, and spools of thread. Repurpose old jars for the kitchen, paint them to give them a new life and bring them in the playroom. Cubbies are perfect for larger toys and games, and you can easily put them on a shelf or stash them under furniture. Baskets and storage bins work well as a catch-all to toss stuffed animals and other toys in one place. Add a storage bench or ottoman, as we mentioned before, so the kids have a place to hide their shoes, board games, and other medium-sized items.

Make sure your playroom has at least one bookshelf for reading material, sheet music, or art supplies.

Create Different Zones

To make the most of your kids playroom, break it up into different zones. Each zone can be designated for a variety of activities your child enjoys. Put a small desk in one corner of the room for homework, and place shelving with art supplies and a craft table on the opposite side, same as you would do in school or kindergarten. Keep kid’s toys, games, and accessories in constant rotation so that there’s always something new for them to enjoy. As your children grow older they will outgrow some toys as well, thus, donate them to a local nonprofit organization or your school. 

Get Creative

There are many fantastic add-ons you can bring into the playroom to make it more functional and fun to use. Here are some creative ideas to help you get started:

Add a swing. Hang a swing from the ceiling of the playroom so your child can swing as they listen to music or watch television. Make sure the swing is anchored securely and has plenty of free space around, and that you’re always nearby whenever they use it.

Add a snooze corner. Naptime is particularly important for younger children, so create a “snooze corner” with a comfy mat, cot, or sleeping bag along with a blanket and some pillows so they can take a nap after playtime.

Create a dress-up corner. Use a clothing rack to hang costumes and accessories in the playroom and add a free standing mirror in the corner of the room so your kids can have fun playing dress-up. The mirror will come in handy for face painting as well.

Add a slide. Bring a sturdy, small slide into the playroom for your younger children. If you really want to go all out, install a tube-style slide that will whisk your child from one floor to the next for a great entrance.

Create a chalkboard wall. Paint one wall with black chalkboard paint or bring in a chalkboard similar to the ones you can find in classrooms so your children can sketch and doodle to their heart’s content. 

Make a slime station. Playing with slime is lots of fun, but it’s also messy. Make a special “slime station” with all of the supplies and walls and flooring surrounding it that is easy to clean, so your child can have some sticky, colorful fun.

Creating a kids playroom does not have to be an expensive joy, and it can be used to bring the whole family together. There are plenty of ways to DIY and get creative by using items you already have lying around your home, transforming them and bringing them in one place. This will also help to organize your kid’s stuff. The key is to make sure that you’re having fun while you plan and decorate the playroom, as well as that you involve your children in the process. Use our kid’s playroom ideas as inspirational tips to help you create the perfect space. When it’s finished, all the neighborhood kids will want to come over and play at your house.

By Andrea Lozoya. This article about how to design the best kids playroom at home was originally published at Porch.com