How To Design a Playroom for Your Kids
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” is more than an expression. Playtime is essential for giving kids the opportunity to explore their world, their imagination, and themselves. Not only that, but it teaches them important life skills like cooperation and problem-solving. Playtime is a worthwhile investment, and what better way is there to invest than by learning how to design a playroom for your kids?
Why Make a Playroom?
Even if you acknowledge the importance of play for children, it’s easy to raise an eyebrow at the idea of setting aside an entirely separate room to dedicate to it. After all, isn’t that what a kid’s bedroom is for? But there are a plethora of reasons to invest in this space.
Less Mess
Between a mountain of toys, arts and crafts, and snacks, playtime can be messy. And even though some mess is inevitable when raising kids, constant clutter can make it hard to keep up with chores. Playrooms help keep it in one centralized spot, leaving the rest of the house cleaner.
Company Made Easy
It’s always nice when family comes over to visit. The grown-ups can catch up, and the children can go and enjoy each other’s company. When you have a playroom, company visits are less chaotic since the children have a specific place to play while their parents sit and chat. The same idea applies to playdates with neighbors or even birthday parties with friends.
Sweet Sleep
It’s natural to feel hungry when walking into the kitchen or dining room. That’s because we continuously do tasks related to food in these areas. So if kids associate playtime with their bedrooms, it may take a little more work for them to fall asleep there. Having a separate playroom will help keep the bedroom for sleep, meaning they’ll be able to nod off more easily.
Design Tips for your Children’s Playroom
Color Scheme
A child’s world is full of color—so much color, in fact, that it can be difficult to choose which colors to use. While there isn’t a wrong answer, here are a few ideas to consider if you’re having trouble deciding.
Child’s Favorite Colors
The playroom is for your child, so it only makes sense that they have a hand in its design. Using the child’s favorite color will allow them a sense of ownership over the space and give you a foundation to start making design decisions. And if you have more than one child, you can still incorporate all their favorite colors in the room’s walls, curtains, or furniture.
Pick a Theme
If you choose a theme, it usually has a color scheme that goes along with it. It also makes for a whimsical room that can inspire a child’s imagination. Here are a few theme ideas, along with a potential color scheme to go with them:
- Circus theme: red and white
- Jungle theme: Dark green, light green, and brown
- Nautical theme: Blue, red, and white
- Fairy Tale Dream: Purple, teal, and white
- Outer space: Dark blue, silver, and alien green
- Adventurer: Blue and green (Think of a world map)
Go Neutral
Neutrals aren’t typically anyone’s first thought when choosing a playroom color scheme, but there are benefits to it. Filling the room with whites and tans will maximize the natural light in the space, making it feel warm and energetic. Neutrals also make it easy to switch out the room’s furniture and décor as your children get older and outgrow their old toys.
Choose All of Them!
When you’re a child, you haven’t yet learned to “color inside the lines.” So why force yourself to stick to one or two colors? A playroom is a perfect opportunity to go wild with all the bold colors you wouldn’t be free to use in other areas of the house. Our nursery paints come in a whole rainbow’s worth of colors for you to choose from and are a perfect choice for the playroom.
Flooring
Kids tend to spend a lot more time on the floor than grown-ups do, so it’s important to keep function in mind when it comes to your playroom flooring. A plush carpet may seem like a good idea to give kids a comfy place to sit. However, these tend to soak up and hold on to dust, dirt, and errant art supplies. But hardwood may have trouble keeping up with the rough world of children’s play.
A good compromise is to choose vinyl flooring. It doesn’t trap allergens or dust like carpet does, and it’s less likely to get scuffed up than hardwood. If you still want to give your kid a comfy place to sit, add soft, plush rugs that you can shake out or throw in the washing machine.
Organization
Like we said, playtime is messy, so organizing may be the last thing you think of when it comes to a playroom. But that’s exactly why an organizational system is crucial in a playroom. It’s not to keep the room from ever getting dirty; it’s to make everything easy to clean up again. Here are some organizational tricks to make your room easier to clean for you and your kids.
Storage
When you’re a kid, cleaning up after yourself is a relatively new concept. The best way to help kids learn how to clean up after themselves is to make sure everything has a clear and designated place to go. The best way to do this is to offer a plethora of places to store things. Baskets, bins, drawers, and cubbies all make good additions to a playroom. If you take the time to label or color-code them, it will make cleaning up even quicker.
Compartmentalize
Along the same lines, you can add “stations” to different parts of the room based on different activities. A few types of stations you may have include:
- An arts and crafts table
- A reading nook
- A dress-up area
- A train table
- A game or puzzle rug
- A dollhouse or action figure corner
When designing a playroom for your kids, the benefit of designating activity “stations” is two-fold. From an organizational standpoint, it eliminates confusion about where to put things away, and it helps kids decide what they might want to play next.
Ready to take your child’s playtime to the next level? ECOS Paints is ready to equip you with everything your need to make your child’s playroom a colorful, imaginative masterpiece.
