How to create a magical playroom (or play area) for your little ones

August 20, 2021

Much has been written about the power and importance of playtime, and for good reason. Play not only sparks your child’s imagination—but it’s also critical for cognitive growth, emotional development, honing physical and social skills, and more. It even offers health benefits! So, today we’ve rounded up some top tips and ideas for creating a magical playroom (or play area) for your little one(s).

Choose and clear out the room/closet/corner/area

Do you have a spare room you’ll be converting into your child’s playroom? If so: great! If not: no worries, because you can still create a wonderful play area—whether it’s in a finished attic, a corner of your living room, or even a repurposed closet.

Choose a spot that makes the most sense based on the layout of your house and your family’s needs (for instance, if one or both parents work from home, does the play space need to be nearby to the home office(s), or should it be farther away?). After you’ve chosen the location for the play area, clear it out and give it a deep clean.

Pick a theme

Or don’t. You could spend all day on Pinterest looking at photos of magazine-worthy playrooms. (And if you have the time, energy, and budget to bring these ideas to life in your own home, by all means!) But, you don’t need to go all out in order to create a playroom that your child will love.

So, where to begin? Sometimes it’s helpful to choose a theme for the play area, to help unify the design elements you’ll include. But the theme doesn’t need to be complicated. A few ideas: nature; a favorite animal(s); sun and stars; nautical; camping; sports. Or you could pick a unifying color scheme or pattern; here are 10 great paint colors you might consider. You can also go neutral, which gives you a blank slate and allows the room to grow with your child.

(And, if a jungle motif happens to strike your fancy, look back at our Tips for Designing a Jungle-themed Nursery, many of which you could also use in a playroom.)

Keep things simple and organized

Your play area is going to get a lot of use, and it will likely get messy at times. So, easy-to-clean flooring and washable rugs are your friends. Organization is also a top priority. Think: ottomans with storage inside, benches that have storage space underneath, bookshelves, bins, and baskets. Need some inspiration and product ideas? We love this list from Elle Décor of 30+ ways to hide toys and clutter in your home.

Create cozy spots to hang out

The play area should be a place that your child will love spending time. If your child is still small, our play gyms are the perfect addition to a playroom, and our boho-chic baby play mats are as stylish as they are functional. In addition to space for playing, think about adding floor pillows and blankets for a cozy reading spot—or, add an indoor teepee that’s great for napping and relaxing. As your child gets older, a small table is great for crafts, science experiments, or whatever they are into.

Decorate!

You’d probably prefer that your playroom or play area look as sophisticated as the rest of your house. So, choose furniture and accessories that are both functional and beautiful (for instance: our macramé swing and macramé toy hanging basket!).

And, an easy way to make any space magical is to add a string of white lights from the ceiling or elsewhere. You might also consider using peel-and-stick removable wallpaper or decals that let you customize (and later change) the look of the room or accent wall. Frames, magnetic strips, or clips can also be used to showcase your child’s art or other décor elements.

Creating a magical play area for your little one doesn’t require a huge budget, and it doesn’t need to be fancy. We hope you’ve found these tips helpful, and we’d love to see what you come up with!