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Original poster

A playroom that children actually play in? Ideas?

78 replies

sureitsgrand · 27/06/2019 07:16

Hi, we are lucky enough to have a playroom- something I would have loved as a child! But- my DS 5 doesn't play in it. What am I doing wrong?! Any simple ideas for a playroom that encourages kids to play if that makes sense. I can't take a summer of it being ignored!
The walls are plain at the moment, it's carpeted. We have lots of toys but I'm not sure they are the right ones.

He likes cars, Lego, imaginex and superheroes.

Its not a huge room.

Help?!

OP posts:
BarbarianMum · 27/06/2019 07:20

Ime the only playroom a child is happy to play in is one belonging to someone else. They are just storerooms for toys.

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 27/06/2019 07:22

Are you in it? Or expected him to play alone?

Original poster
sureitsgrand · 27/06/2019 07:23

Yes that seems to be it so far. It's usually a total mess too, it drives me mad! But I thought someone might have a magic secret I hadn't come across

OP posts:
hormonesorDHbeingadick · 27/06/2019 07:23

DD plays in her playroom all the time but I also hang out in there with her.

Original poster
sureitsgrand · 27/06/2019 07:25

I would love him to play by himself for short periods of time if I am sorting the baby or cooking dinner! Is that a pipe dream?!

OP posts:
IHeartKingThistle · 27/06/2019 07:25

Ours gets used but a) kids are older b) it has access to the garden c) it has the only other TV in the house. I'm happy with that as at least they're not shut in their bedrooms.

Maybe he's a bit young.

BertieBotts · 27/06/2019 07:25

Rotate the toys once a month, so there's always something new in there. When there is too much out at once they sort of become blind to it.

If you have the energy set up different scenarios sometimes? Like a town with cars or a superhero battle. Maybe get a few different playmats or rugs.

Focus on stuff he can do alone without input from others. Invite friends/neighbours over that he can play with.

Set up craft activities, does he have a little table and chairs?

whenimdreaming · 27/06/2019 07:27

Play for 5 mins with him in there, starting off a build or a train track.

Then leave him to it saying you need to get a few jobs done but you'll come a play again later.

Or allow one box of toys in the living room/dining room for him to bring out and play with but it must be put away when he's finished playing.

Also tidy at the end of every day!

AlaskanOilBaron · 27/06/2019 07:27

I remember this dilemma! My children had the most fantastic room when we first moved into our new house, I'm pretty obsessed with kids' room design and I went bonkers.

Alas it was in the loft of a tall, skinny Victorian and they skipped it in favour of hanging out in the kitchen with me for maybe 7 or 8 years.

BertieBotts · 27/06/2019 07:27

My DS1 was very much like this, it might be easier when the baby is mobile as he'll have some interactivity with her then.

Something like a Leappad?

Original poster
sureitsgrand · 27/06/2019 07:27

The rest of the time we are with him or he has friends around, his friends seem to like it better than him. I've just re vamped the outside toys, picked up a few extras that really seems to have helped, so wondering if I could get anything for the playroom that I don't have, or take some stuff out.

OP posts:
pinkcrocs · 27/06/2019 07:28

We got a cheap princess tent which our dd loved to just go in and a kitchen play set which all of her friends and her loved playing with. Rotating toys is a good plan too.

Tbh we got rid of our playroom at around that age but our bedrooms are big so they aren’t cooped up but as pp have said, dc like company the most so if you’re close by and keep popping in they might use it eventually.

Bogiesaremyonlyfriend · 27/06/2019 07:29

Ours gets a lot more play now we have one of those ikea cube storage units. My girls love lego so it is all set out so they can access it easily. They don't particularly play with toys unless they can see them. Also helps if it is tidy, otherwise they take toys to their rooms to play so they have more space. I dont think there is a magic solution though, particularly if he is on his own. Mine have only recently started to play without me and they are 7 and 9

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 27/06/2019 07:29

We have a playroom and it's basically now a store room for toys. I am slowly migrating the favoured toys into individual bedrooms. Eventually the room will be empty then I can take it over as my own.

Phillipa12 · 27/06/2019 07:31

My playroom gets used in the summer, but then it has bifold doors into the garden. Oh and they do play with the lego in there but only because the chest the lego is in is to heavy to move into the front room, which is were they drag everyother toy to play with.......my playroom is just a storage room for toys!

asteri76 · 27/06/2019 07:31

I am sorting out a playroom for my ds at the moment.. have bought a few marvel prints to put on the wall .. will be putting Lego boards/ strips on the wall. But it's also going to be a family snug area, so have a sofa and tv in there, and the plan is to hang out in there while Ds is awake and once he goes to bed.. We will use the lounge which will be toy and book,( how many books can one child have) free!! 😬

DCIRozHuntley · 27/06/2019 07:32

Do you do toy rotation?

We are lucky that our playroom is downstairs next to the kitchen so the children do play quite happily in there, I think an upstairs playroom would really come into its own about aged 7 as my eldest loves having somewhere to set up her Lego. She'll happily play in our garage conversion (detached, but in east shouting distance) while the little ones won't yet.

DonPablo · 27/06/2019 07:33

We have our front room as a playroom. The alcove is floor to ceiling shelves with toys in clear plastic boxes so you can see what the toys are. There's a bean bag, some giant books, plenty of space to play and a one or two toys out at a time rule and they always get put away so you can find everything next time you play. When ds was smaller we had his table and chairs in there but we've recently put the dining table in there so he sits there to draw. All of his art supplies are on a low shelf so he can help himself to pencils and paper for drawing without me having to reach a box down. He also has a toy chest for the bigger toys it things he's loving at the minute so again, I don't have to get stuff down everytime. I also have the door propped open so he's not in a room by himself if I'm not in there.

Tawdrylocalbrouhaha · 27/06/2019 07:35

He won't sit in a room on his own - he wants someone to play with, or at least watch him play. Otherwise it's not fun. Can you invite other children around? Hang out in there with the baby?

Otherwise it's a case of waiting until the baby is big enough to play with him, I'm afraid.

CastleCrasher · 27/06/2019 07:35

I rotate toys in ours, also have some toys accessible and "ready to play" eg toy kitchen is always set up with pots etc, play food is stored in baskets where it's visible. Toy shop similar setup. Dressing up toys are in a small wardrobe with no doors so they can be seen.

Biggest factor is actually going into the room myself though. If I play with them in there, they're far more likely to use it by themselves after I leave to do something else

Verily1 · 27/06/2019 07:37

He probably just wants company.

Can he go to an after school club to keep him busy / playing while you are doing dinner/baby?

DSHathawayGivesMeFannyGallops · 27/06/2019 07:37

No DC but was lucky enough to grow up with a playroom. I loved mine, it was my domain, rarely inhabited by a parent originally until we got the family pc in there.

I had: dressing up box, cuddly toys, desk with drawing supplies, (I did my homework else where, weirdly), a book shelf with all my reference/fact books (handy location for the homework I didn't do at my desk) my videos and a tv/vhs. I often had a video on but I was often doing stuff whilst it was on, rather than just sitting & watching. Once I was a bit older I had a dreamcast. Mix of Disney & educational posters on the walls.

I was fortunate to grow up in a big house, so I had good furniture in there, too. I had a sofa, arm chair & a little table. The sofa was the best bit- imaginary car, extra bed, somewhere to read, nice place to watch stuff with friends or just chat with them. Is it a room he can be social in/have space to get toys out, or is it essentially a store cupboard?

StreamsFullOfStars · 27/06/2019 07:38

I would love him to play by himself for short periods of time if I am sorting the baby or cooking dinner! Is that a pipe dream?

Yes, haha. Unless you stick an Xbox in there and make it a games room rather than a playroom...

Original poster
sureitsgrand · 27/06/2019 07:40

It's downstairs and beside the kitchen also, with double open doors, so he's not out of view. It's a mess, so will start with that I think. There is possibly a few things taking up space he doesn't use. I took out the table and chairs and put them in his room, but might put them back in. A tent/teepee is a good idea, I had a few that he dismantled but now he's older it might work!

OP posts:
bigredvase · 27/06/2019 07:40

F

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