Creating a Fun and Functional Kids Room
Creating a room where children have fun, but also get stuff done, is a tough task. But it’s also vital in teaching them that learning can be fun. By creating a playroom/study room, you’re giving them the best of both worlds and helping them establish boundaries between when they should be working and when they should be playing.
Make it fun
Put yourself in your children’s shoes. If you’re walking through a house, what sort of rooms would you be drawn to? Would you be drawn to a stark office-like space with dull colors, adult furniture, and limited space? Or would you be drawn towards a colorful room that invites them in with cozy cushions and toys/items which encourage children to investigate? Definitely the latter. If you’re making a homework station or trying to make room where kids can learn and thrive, it’s a good idea to make it seem fun and inviting, so your children associate this excitement with their own learning.
How do your kids function best?
Establish how your children learn. Do they like to sit on the floor or do they like to stand? Maybe they prefer dwelling on chairs. Are they active and like to move a lot, or are they still and settled. You can tailor the space to fit your child’s needs. If your child likes to sit on the floor and isn’t a big fan of movement, you can make a cozy space with cushions and beanbags and give them a clipboard to do their work on.
If your child thrives on movement, leave a large floor space for them to dance, crawl, and move around without any potentially hazardous obstacles. This will give them room to unwind and enjoy themselves in between learning. It should also be noted that allowing your children the freedom to move and dance is a learning experience in itself; they’re discovering how their body works and how to express themselves with movement.
Ultimately, the only person that really knows what your child needs from a room in order to function at their best is you, so take note on how they move through spaces and design the area accordingly.
Not much space?
In many households, it can be extremely difficult to dedicate spare space to your child. If you have a small home, older children, or are working from home, you probably won’t have a spare room in your house to dedicate entirely to a child’s study and play. You can dedicate a small area to your child such as a homework area in your living room. You can separate the space with a floor mat, or different colored paint to create a boundary and let your child know that this is their own space to develop in. You can buy kids desks for this area and fill it with books and other learning tools. You could also consider making an outdoor play area that’s just for them.
Creating a fun and functional room for kids is possible to do, no matter what your living conditions. Just be careful to consider your child’s needs and plan accordingly so they can develop, learn and create in a space that suits them the best.
