We are all very affected by the environment in which we live in, and this is especially true for children. They are like little sponges soaking up everything that is around them. That is why it is really important how we design their rooms and what we put and don’t put in them. Being smart with the kids’ room will pay off in the long run, especially if we consider the fact kids grow fast and we plan a few steps ahead.
The most important thing about the kids’ room is that it should be safe, play friendly, learning friendly, comfortable, fun and have enough space. Of course, it should also reflect your children’s personalities and preferences, their likes and passions, so it is a good idea to consult with them about what kind of a room they would like to spend most of their time in. Here are a few tips for cozy and playful kids’ rooms.
Keep it bright
Humans naturally need a lot of light, and a bright room with big windows and lot of daylight will be conducive to your kids’ healthy growth and development. Avoid heavy curtains and rather choose short ones. Have good overhead lighting with additional desk and wall lamps.
Go for colourful
Paint the walls in bright colours as well, stick with light tones. Avoid saturated dark colours that can swallow up the space. Avoid heavy pinks and blues even though they are typical, avoid matching the walls with the furniture and the carpet, and definitely avoid a monochrome room. The more colours the room has, the better since they stimulate brain growth. It is best if your background is white or light grey and then you can have your green, yellow, red, blue and orange furniture, colourful cushions and rugs.
Make enough space
Kids’ need a lot of clear space on the floor to play, so the central part of the room should be free from any furniture. As far as furniture goes, stick to essentials and upgrade when you must, but adjust it to the kids’ needs. Let the furniture be your kids’ size so that they can use it. Place it strategically so that nothing is in the way and they don’t bump into things.
Keep it organized
In conjunction with making enough space, you need to teach the kids to keep their room organized and tidy from early on. It is best to get some good storage options for all kinds of things since the kids’ room can get cluttered very fast. You can get storage boxes for clothes and large toys, and bookshelves and shelves in many different shapes and sizes. Teach the kids to keep things separate, for example, puzzles and board games in one box, a collection of toys like Davey Boys Toys on one shelf, toy cars on another shelf, stuffed animals in another box and so on.
Personalize it
It is important that the kids’ have the feeling it is their own space, their home. Remember they are creating their lifelong childhood memories now and make it special for them. The best way to go about it is to ask them what they like the most and work from there. You can build the whole design around their favourite theme like superheroes, surfing, sports, animals or something else they enjoy. Adjust to their dreams and passions while staying practical. Write their name on the door or on the wall, create an alphabet shelf spelling out their name, use banners or wooden blocks. Paint a mural of their favourite cartoon scene or use wall stickers.
Make it play friendly
In addition to having enough playing space, kids need a good selection of toys. Your task is to provide different kinds of toys that would be conducive to all aspects of their growth. For example, there are toys for motor skills like balls, jump rope and hula hoop, then there are toys for cognitive skills like puzzles, memory games, Monopoly and other board games, then supplies for arts and crafts that develop creativity and imagination, and of course, books and comics that introduce them to the world of reading and storytelling.
Create a workspace
Designate a corner for their workspace. You can just set up a small desk and chair, and good lamp and a bookshelf. This will let the kids form their working habits, especially if you spend time there with them in the beginning reading to them. It can be their private cozy reading corner with a cozy armchair as well. Keep the distractions to the minimum.
Kids’ grow and change fast and you will want to keep up and re-decorate whenever they grow out of something, if only by respecting their changing tastes in toys, cartoon characters and later on other interests. Do your best to make it magical for them, they are kids only once!
