6 Essential Items To Include In Your Child's Playroom

Children love to be entertained and occupied every moment of the day. Not only is it a lot of fun, but it is in fact crucial in helping them to develop a variety of skills. Playing ‘dress up’ helps with language development, motor skills and communication whilst other activities, such as reading or playing number games, are more obviously educational.

The toys children play with at a young age can also be a predictor of potential talents and skills which will develop later on. Providing your children with an easel, a keyboard or a library might help them to develop into a skilled artist, musician or academic. To nurture any and every potential talent, you will need a well stocked playroom full of a variety of toys and activities.

The playroom prepares your child for school and later life. Here are six items which will help to make it a fantastic place to learn, relax and have fun.

A Miniature Table And Chairs

A small table with a couple of chairs to match is useful for so many different activities and is the first thing most parents think to include in a playroom. It provides your children with a flat surface on which they can draw, complete puzzles, play board games, practice writing and play at other arts and crafts.

If your child has started nursery or school, giving them a space which they feel is their own and somewhere they can concentrate is great practice for when they start getting homework and other projects to complete at home.

An Easel

Painting and drawing is a fantastic creative outlet for children, who can be left to work quietly on whatever project they are absorbed in. Investing in an easel means that you can relax safe in the knowledge that they aren’t painting and drawing all over the walls!

There are many available which have a chalkboard on one side and a ream of paper for painting or drawing on the other. Display their creations around the playroom to make it a colourful space in which they can take pride.

Don’t forget to invest in a wipe clean apron to limit the damage done to clothes!

Toy Storage

Proper storage and organisation is a must. Not only is it useful in ensuring that your children don’t injure themselves by tripping over the various toys that would otherwise be strewn across the room but is also helps to maintain parents’ sanity by keeping it vaguely tidy.

There are various ways to store toys, books, dressing up items and craft materials. You could opt for a toy chest, which doubles as bench seating when closed, but perhaps the easiest is shelving stacked with multiple storage bins. This way, you can easily label each box or bin and will know its contents without having to trawl through a mass of jumbled toys.

To help your kids to learn responsibility, ask them to make labels to mark what is inside each bin, or attach a picture if they are too young to read. At the end of a day’s play, ask them to help you tidy everything away in the correct place.

A Bookshelf

A miniature library within the playroom, perhaps nestled in a corner with a comfy beanbag or cushions, provides a quiet area where your child can sit and read or be read to.

Making reading a fun activity and practising it at home from a young age will be  a great help to your child when the time comes to start school. It also encourages creativity and a love of reading which may be life-long.

A Place For Make Believe

Giving your children the chance to let their imaginations run wild is essential. Not only is it lots of fun, but it also helps with the development of language, social skills and motor skills.

There are plenty of different things you can provide which will get their creative juices flowing. Create an imaginative play zone by including a kitchen set, a doctor’s uniform and kit, a doll’s house or a simple dressing up box to provide hours of entertainment.

For an easy dressing up box, simply fill a box, chest or bag with old or worn clothing-such as hats or scarves- and let your children create a whole host of ideas from very simple items of clothing.

A Sofa Or Comfy Chairs

Although playing with your children means giving them your full attention, getting involved and being down on the floor at their level, a sofa means you can be in the room with them and supervise whilst either having a rest or getting on with other things.

If you have a visitor who brings their children, you will both be able to relax on the sofa whilst sitting close by. A sofa also provides a comfortable place to sit and read with your child. Plus, a big comfy chair is fab for story time!

Cover your playroom sofa with either a throw or a slip cover to prevent permanent damage from stains and grubby fingers!

About The Author

This post was written by Loren who works at Sofasofa.co.uk. Loren is a mother of two, who works part time and loves spending time at home enjoying “play time” with her sons.

Image:  PINTOY® on Flickr