How to Set Up a Playroom for Your Kids

If you have an extra room or area in your home, creating a place for your kids to play can be a great investment. Helping to foster imagination and creative play, a playroom encourages the development of valuable skills, be it social, physical, or creative. Setting up this play space is easier than you may think.

Walls: Walls are an important part of any room, and a playroom is no exception. The walls need to be colorful, inviting fun and sparking the imagination. Use paint, wallpaper, or even fabric to create a space wherein your kids will want to spend time. Think about what your kids like to do, and decorate the walls to go along with this theme. Use chalkboard paint to create a school zone on part of a wall. Painting a whole wall with chalkboard paint gives the kids a changeable canvas on which to create their masterpieces. Paint a mural on the wall to transform the room into anything your kids desire, be it a kingdom, a dinosaur world, or an underwater extravaganza.

Furniture: Place furniture in the room that will help your kids relax, as well as play. An oversized chair provides a comfy place to curl up with a book or write in a journal. If your kids like drama, consider creating a small stage or a puppet theater. For those who enjoy dressing up, be sure to hang a mirror to check their appearance. An art table can be used to create with many mediums, such as paint, clay, or paper Mache. The table should be durable with a washable top, or cover it with butcher paper for messier projects. Provide a place for projects to dry, or for those that are in-progress. A small table or bookcase will work fine, and clothesline stretched across a portion of the room is perfect for hanging paintings that need to dry.

Storage: Organization is important for any playroom in order to get the most use out of the space. Having a place for all materials allows your kids to be most productive, so take advantage of a variety of storage solutions. Use old suitcases to corral larger items, such as puppets and dress-up clothes. Store books on a low bookcase, and art supplies in an easy to reach spot. Cover metal cans with construction paper or fabric to store paintbrushes, pencils, and markers (make sure there is no sharp upper edge). Label each with its intended content to make cleanup easier (add a picture for younger kids).

These are just a few of the things to think about when creating a play space in your home. Tailor your playroom to fit the personality of your kids, using your own imagination to foster theirs!