The playroom is a much-coveted house dream for a lot of parents. Understandably so, even if for nothing more than to shut away the toy mess at the end of the day! However, you really don’t need a playroom to help nurture your kids’ play. Here’s why:
Children can imagine anywhere
Wouldn’t it be lovely if we could all think like children and find magic and fun pretty much anywhere? Kids are so good at using their imagination, wherever they are, and aren’t restricted by a set room layout or even space. The main thing to focus on when trying to create somewhere for your kids to play, is to create somewhere that they have permission to be themselves in, so they can relax and enjoy where their imagination takes them.
Some kids want to be closer when they play
One thing parents with playrooms often find is, they have all this space and then their children want to play in the same room as them anyway. While a playroom is a handy feature if you want to encourage your child to go off and play safely on their own, some children feel more comfortable playing nearer their parents and that’s fine! You might find your child finds it easier to go into their own world of imagination in a shared living space, where they get the sense of confidence and connection simply by being near you.
Toys often find their way out of the playroom…
As your child gets into the flow of their play, the chances are they’ll leave the playroom to continue their adventures elsewhere or show you their creations. This means a lot of the time, the toys you’d hope would stay in one place find themselves in the other ‘grown up’ spaces in the house. A playroom definitely isn’t the magic answer to never finding toys under your feet again!
Storage is more important than play space
How your children are able to access their toys is far more important than the size/style/layout of their play space. If your child has a huge playroom but their toys are piled all over the floor with little organisation, they may find it harder to get engaged in play than if they had a very small space with toys, they could easily pick from.
Outdoors is a playroom
When you want your children to have fun with plenty of space and without you having to tidy the whole house – outdoors is the perfect playroom! Whether it’s your garden, a playground, the park, a beach, woodlands – play outside has huge benefits for body and mind, with lots to learn from being in a new environment.
What your child needs most is time
If a playroom isn’t possible for your family, please don’t feel disheartened. What your child needs most of all to make the most of play, is the free time to go ahead and play without interruption or direction. Free play is so important to little minds, from all they can learn through play as well as for their mental health.
What is it about a playroom you find appealing? And do you feel more comfortable without one after reading this? Let me know at @printplaylearn on Instagram. For more home play ideas, don’t forget to have a browse of the rest of the blog too.
