How do I get the children to use the playroom?

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I have three children aged 4, 7 and 9. The downstairs bit of our house has a large kitchen living area with a big dining table and a sofa plus the actual kitchen. Then a separate living room, a bathroom and then another room off the kitchen/living room which is supposed to be a playroom.

But the children never play in it!

I've tried various things- having all the Lego out in there. Having the scalextric on the floor. A big table. Then no table so huge floor space. Comfy seating. But they always end up back in the living space - toys everywhere and the dining table constantly covered in stuff. I spend so much time nagging them to tidy, or get everything back in the playroom ready for dinner, or just doing it all myself - I feel there MUST be a better way of doing it.

Any ideas?

Does any family have a well-used playroom and if so, what attracts the kids to use it?

Mine migrate still but use it more and more at 8 and 5. In the meantime you can make sure everything goes back to the playroom before lunch and dinner, for example.

We have also gotten a dog this year and put a baby gate on the playroom to keep her out - the physical barrier has also kept them in more although they can of course open it. You might see if you could create some kind of subtle barrier eg with a sofa in the traffic route

Yes I had/have this problem. Initially I solved it by putting a TV in there. But once the novelty wore off, that were back to the living room and kitchen. I know it's because they want to be where me or their dad are and now I've just accepted it and am just greatful for all the downstairs toy storage space. Were moving soon and the living room and playroom is open plan, not sure if this will be worse or better!

Our playroom is a storage room.

Our playroom was a room off the kitchen and DS nearly always played in there but I could see him and talk to him from the kitchen if I was busy cooking or ironing. When I wasn't doing chores then I would be in there with him - we had a sofa in there.

Ours is more of a storage room.

There was a phase of having a sofa in there but it's a cold room next to the front door and really needs stripping out and starting again to make it an enjoyable space and there's other priorities (plus it was previously used as a bedroom so it's a waste to dtich the built in cupboards while we still have toys.

Long term it will be more of a "den" for gaming but we're not there yet.

I gained a playroom when I was 7 at the top of the house and I loved being up there in my own fantasy world on my own.

A sturdy lock on the playroom door?

Gutted. We've just bought a house and the thing I'm most excited about is the playroom. They're never going to use it??? My mum warned me this would happen.

Mine used the playroom loads, but it was just off the kitchen and had a telly in it.
Now we've moved and the playroom is upstairs - it's got a TV and a switch. The quickest way to get my DC in there is to say Homework time or ask for some help with chores .

Mine use the playroom when we're in the playroom or if I set up an elaborate game/Lego for them. Like PPs, the DC want to be with us, not in the playroom. We have a comfy sofa in the playroom and a tv/Alexa for music, so we use it as a second lounge.

In the evenings, DH & I use the 'adult' lounge which has no toys/mess/empty cups etc. It's great. The playroom has shedloads of storage so it's easy to put it all away

The idea of a playroom is a fantasy imo

In real life, kids use the whole house (as adults do)

You were just very optimistic to think their stuff could be contained

My parents set up a "snug" for me as a teenager - it was a lovely idea - but I hated it as they decorated it to what they imagined was a teenager's style and I felt like I HAD to be in there rather than in my bedroom (I loved my bedroom still love going back to stay in there). So don't bank on them wanting their own space (other than their bedrooms) when they're older either.

Mine worked really well, it is off the lounge with double doors that open the space up. So they could play in there and feel like they were with me if I was in the lounge.
Train tracks ran out of the playroom, through the lounge, hall and back in to the playroom.
Lego went on the playroom floor.
Jigsaws, colouring etc came into the lounge on the coffee table.
Everything went back into the playroom in the evening and the doors were shut.
DC's were about 6 and 3 when I had it done (extension). It progressed to a games room / playroom when they got older. Its now my study (WFH), although still has a sofa, TV & Wii which they'll come & play (18 & 14).

They'll play wherever you are

They want to be where you are.

This! Playrooms should be storage rooms or play while a parent sits near room.

I think I'm going to go with better storage and at least have it as an organised useful space - even if phenomenally underused!

I have an office elsewhere in the house so don't need the room for something else. Maybe if one day one of them takes up a noisy musical instrument, the room will be used!

Sit on there and say you want some quiet time. Guaranteed to work.

Sneak in with a book and a coffee and close the door. They will be using it within 3 minutes.

You need shelves with removable storage boxes so they can be taken out and put back easily.

They do just want to be near you and have some of your attention.

Reminds me of a kid I used to know. Went round to his house to play once. They had a playroom with every toy imaginable. We had alot of toys but this boy had about 4 times what we had.

We were like "wow!" So jealous of what he had. Then he showed us the metal bar that his dad beat him with when he was naughty. He was about 6 years old.

We were less jealous then. We got smacked and we're in fear of ring smacked and our mum used to just whack us wherever she could...leg, head, arms, bum but nothing like that kid had. He used to bully other kids.

Sorry, didn't mean to derail the thread. Just will never forget how amazing that room was and then the shock as he was so matter of fact when he showed us the metal bar!

Ours just brought their toys into the living room. Now the room is a second living room/snug and the 12 year old has brought his xbox in and set up lights all around the ceiling. Can't get him out of there now!

Always thought a playroom was a waste of a room 🤷‍♀️

We moved to a bigger house, DC have their own spacious bedrooms and a playroom that they share. They would much rather cram into to smallish living room with DH and I, along with various puzzles, toys etc etc and the TV is always their TV. I kind of think it won't be like this forever and I'll miss their chaos and company soon enough.

We changed our dining room into a playroom when DD was about 1. We don't have any open plan areas here.

Its a lovely room but is basically glorified toy storage! DD (now 3.5) will only play in there for an extended length of time if I am playing in there with her. She knows not to bring toys all over the house so it does keep everywhere tidy.

I should say she is actually allowed outside of the playroom! If I'm not in there shes usually 'helping' me with some jobs and talking to me constantly.