If you do not have a room that can be dedicated to playtime, you have to get creative. Every child should have a safe space where they can play and be allowed to make a bit of a mess. But how do you create this space for them when you do not have that much room yourself?
Sometimes, it is best to have a designated play space that is not in their room. This way, the kids can participate in family time, and you can keep an eye on them while you work, cook or mow the lawn. Here are some ideas that will help you make a play area in your garage, kitchen, and a few other places that you probably did not think about!
The Garage
Have you thought about setting up a dedicated playroom in your garage? If not, consider doing that as soon as possible. That is especially the case if you are not using your garage that much at the moment.
Transforming your garage into a playroom comes with many benefits. First of all, keeping your garage clean is really easy. As long as you cover the floor with an epoxy coating, you should have no problems with cleaning up the mess that your kids will inevitably make.
Second of all, if your garage door is working properly, opening it whenever it is warm and sunny outside will give your kids an opportunity to play in the sun while having easy access to their toys.
If your garage door is not working properly, you should check whether the torsion springs are worn out or rusty. If that is the case, they might fail very soon, and if your children happen to be nearby when that happens, they might get injured! Considering this, think about having your torsion springs replaced by a professional as soon as possible.
The Living Room
There are a few ways in which you can make space for your kids in your living room. It may take a little bit of rearranging, but it will be worth it when you see your kids having fun while you are relaxing with a book or watching TV.
If there is a big blanket somewhere in the house, you can bring it to the living room and set up a play tent. On top of that, you can bring in a few pieces of paper, some coloring books, and crayons. Creative activities can simultaneously aid your kid with expressing themselves and keep them busy. Quite convenient, right?
The corner of the room is an often forgotten space. However, if you move the furniture around and let the kids use it as a play space, it might finally become useful. It might look a little odd at first, but it will become a part of the room after a while. You can even paint the walls around it if you want to encourage them to play there more often!
The Kitchen
Your kitchen is one of the best places to create a play area for your kids. Why is that the case? It is where you are most of the time! Unfortunately, most of us do not have enough space in there to set up a functional play area for our kids. You might have to move the furniture around a bit to make it possible.
You can set up a play tent in there if you want or just lay down a blanket in the corner of the room. That way, they will be able to play with their toys there without getting in the way when you are cooking dinner or cleaning up.
Better yet, you can even set up a basket full of puzzles or other games nearby. That way, they will be able to work on their problem-solving skills while they are waiting for dinner to be ready.
The Hallway
If your hallway is long enough for the kids to walk down without bumping into stuff on either side, it could be an ideal place for a play area for your kids. There are lots of ways that you can turn a hallway into a place where your kids can play safely without bothering anyone else in the house. Here are some great ideas that you can make use of!
If your hallway has carpeting, lay down an old blanket or rug so that it becomes soft enough for them to crawl and roll around without getting hurt. On top of that, if your hallway is long enough, consider setting up a little table and chairs there so that they have a private place where they can eat lunch or do homework.
However, make sure that your children will not be anywhere near any doors while playing. Otherwise, you might end up opening the doors and having the kids slam into them while they are running around.
Give Your Children Enough Room To Play and Learn!
As you can see, there are many places where you can set up a dedicated play area in your home. It can be the garage, the living room, the kitchen, or the hallway if it is wide enough. It all depends on what you think is going to be the safest place for your children.
While all of these options will most likely require you to move furniture and toys around, it will definitely be worth it! Most importantly, depending on which place you choose, it will let you keep an eye on your children while they are playing.
At the same time, you will be able to complete the tasks that you set out to complete, such as mowing the lawn or cooking dinner. Considering such huge benefits, get around to making a dedicated play area in your home as soon as possible!
