School’s out for summer...and the playroom is ready!
With the last day of school quickly approaching I bet most of you (parents especially) are planning for all the summer activities ahead. Yes, there’s camp, the community pool, and weekend trips to the beach, but sometimes it helps to keep things simple with a play date. Keep reading for my tips on how to best organize a playroom space to host the best play date yet for your little one...and for you!
Source: DesignMom.com
MISSING PIECES: Sometimes the hardest part about playing a game is finding one! Two great activities (that don’t involve technology) are board games and puzzles. Of course, board games come in their own box, but often there are multiple sets of pieces: dice, game pieces/players, cards and money, to name a few. Keep reusable Stasher bags and a set of rubber bands (like these from The Container Store) stored close to board games in the playroom so any/all loose pieces can be grouped together and kept safely in their respective boxes. Similarly, with puzzles, instead of risking any pieces falling out of their box, store them in larger Stasher bags for future use...and future fun!
Source: BeautyThroughImperfection.com
STORE FOR MORE — Like puzzles and board games, arts and crafts are the perfect activity for kids to encourage a break from electronics and screen time. Unless, the play dough is hard, the paint is dry, or the markers have run out of ink. Air tight bins are an excellent way to quality control any not-so-tightly-sealed items that the little ones may have thought they were finished using. Consider these airtight storage bins from The Container Store (which come in multiple sizes!) for all the many art supplies that live in your playroom, and label them accordingly (e.g. paint supplies, markers and crayons, clay, play dough and molds, etc.) so they’re just as fresh as they were the first day your children used them. Although the photo below shows these containers stored and stacked in the garage, you can get a pretty good idea of all the ways you can organize, fill and store all the many playroom supplies in your home.
Source: TheContainerStore.com
RECHARGED AND READY — Now, we certainly want to encourage as much outdoor and off-screen play as possible, but we can’t ignore the fact that these days children are plugged in. They’ll likely be playing games or watching videos on iPads, or maybe getting some physical movement on a digital platform with something like the Wii. I recommend having a charging station in or near the playroom so the devices and controllers remain in one place, and they’re charged and ready. If you’d like to limit the use of electronics during playtime, it’s great to store these items nearby the playroom in the kitchen or hallway closet. This station is a great place for accessories like headphones or headsets to be stored, too!
Source: Creative Design Solutions
SNACK BREAK — During any play date (or any activity really) there is most likely a snack break! And rightfully so...who doesn’t love a good refuel? Snacking in the playroom is a great way to allow children to practice manners, as well as preparing, sharing, and cleaning up after themselves. Consider leaving a set of 4 plastic plates, utensils, cups and placemats in the playroom ready for when those tummies start to rumble. Whatever the snack may be, encourage the kids to take out the supplies they need, share what they have, and clean up once everything has been enjoyed!
Source: Mommy Scene
To create the playroom of yours and your kids’ dreams, you know who to call!
