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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be confused about playrooms?

234 replies

Wowsostormy · 21/02/2022 11:19

I just don't get how they work in the home. I get it more if your child is old enough to play unsupervised, but if they're young you surely have to just be in the playroom with them, in which case why not just have toys in the living room? Because you're probably not in the living room much, so isn't the playroom then basically your living room anyway?

And a child old enough to play unattended could surely play in their room instead anyway?

Explain this to me!

YABU - playrooms are great for X reason I haven't grasped

YANBU - pointless room which may as well be the living room

OP posts:
SecondhandTable · 21/02/2022 12:18

We don't have a play room per se, but our dining room is basically a play room just with a small dining table in it. We don't really keep any toys in the living room and we don't allow messy activities in there like art of any kind. It does mean spending a lot of time in the dining room for play (or at least it did before I had DC2, now I hardly get to play with DC1 but that's another story...), but I didn't mind that. It means we have somewhere to sit visitors and for us to sit in peace in the evening that isn't full of toys and mess. If I had a third reception room I would definitely have a proper dining room as one, living room as one and a lovely kid-friendly playroom as the third but alas no chance of that happening anytime soon!

littledrummergirl · 21/02/2022 12:18

When mine were small they shared a bedroom and we used a second bedroom as a playroom. The bedrooms were clutter free with no distractions other than books to keep them awake, it was clear that bedtime was for relaxing and sleeping.
The playroom was a tip but they were able to leave tracks out, etc and we could close the door on it.
The living room was a grown up space for relaxing.
It worked well for us.

SecondhandTable · 21/02/2022 12:19

Oh I should have said too that DC1 is only just really old enough to play alone in her room (3.5) and her room is very small, so there's not much space for toy storage or playing.

Cherryblossoms85 · 21/02/2022 12:20

I originally put all the toys into the dining room because I hated them all littered all over the living room when I just wnted to relax in the evening. It's pointless. They bring all their favourites through anyway, leave random lego littered all over the house, and have completely destroyed the dining room. Also gives way too much scope for them to amass an insanely large toy collection. Mostly just makes me want to torch the whole room.

Aweefatcat · 21/02/2022 12:22

We have a playroom. I absolutely love it! It means DSs toys are out the way and the lounge is tidy. There are pocket doors between the two rooms which when DS was small the rooms were open to each other all day and we literally kicked toys into the playroom and closed the door at night. We have a sofa in the playroom too which is really good for sitting in there while DS is playing

To be confused about playrooms?
To be confused about playrooms?
To be confused about playrooms?
BrieAndChilli · 21/02/2022 12:25

We have always had a conservatory.

When they were younger it was somewhere to house all the toys, and things could be left on the floor that they were building /playing with. It was off the lounge so very often they over spilled into the lounge - especially as that was where the tv was! But at the end of the days toys could be sling back into the conservatory/playroom.
It also then housed the guinea pig cage when they were a bit older.
Now we have moved house the new conservatory has a sofa with a 2nd tv and all the games consoles plus a multi game table that folds away but has table football/pool/air hockey etc
Now they are older and we have moved house

lalafam · 21/02/2022 12:25

Love our playroom, it is a must with multiple children. All of their many toys go in there and stay in there. the living room is toy free and keeps my sanity!!

stuntbubbles · 21/02/2022 12:27

Because DD is a rascal and a whirlwind and I like her to have a messy, creative space and freedom to do all sorts. Then when she’s in bed I want to sit down with a glass of wine in a nice, grown-up room that isn’t covered in stickers and experiments and Lego and mess.

ShallWeTalkAboutBruno · 21/02/2022 12:29

We have a playroom. I wouldn’t be without it.
It houses all the crafts, Lego, toys etc in a large Kallax unit. It has DS’s big train set in. It has a small table and chairs for them to craft at. It has shelves with all the ‘made’ Lego sets on like DD’s Hedwig, which she doesn’t want the 3 year old interfering with. I don’t want all that stuff in my living room.
Maybe because there are 3 of them (8, 6 and 3) but they often play in there without me having to be there with them.

BrieAndChilli · 21/02/2022 12:29

Also because a lot of toys were ‘shared’ between the 3 kids it meant they didn’t have to go into each other’s bedrooms.
Easier to keep an eye on them than if they are upstairs.
Keeps lounge clear of toys in the evening/when people over
Easier to have food storage and display systems for the toys.
Floor area can have a train set set up or Lego put that doesn’t need to be ‘tidied away’ at the end of the day

Monopolyiscrap · 21/02/2022 12:30

It basically means families can have the old fashioned idea of a Victorian parlour.
So they have a playroom aka a family living room that can be messy. And a room for "best" aka adult living room that stays tidy.
It is a very old fashioned idea simply renamed.

LowlandLucky · 21/02/2022 12:30

If you turn your dining room into a playroom where do you eat ?

ShallWeTalkAboutBruno · 21/02/2022 12:31

Also because a lot of toys were ‘shared’ between the 3 kids it meant they didn’t have to go into each other’s bedrooms

And this ^. The girls have loads of shared toys, Sylvanian families etc, that would be tricky to split between bedrooms (and they’d just drag it all into each other’s room when they wanted to play with it anyway).

RedToothBrush · 21/02/2022 12:32

Its a containment field for mess.

DH has the smallest room in the house for his bedroom - deliberately. It means his toys can't go in there.

We had endless battles with him 'playing' past bedtime when he was small (still are!). The solution is not to have toys in his room. And I don't want them taking over our space either. So playroom.

Monopolyiscrap · 21/02/2022 12:32

@LowlandLucky

If you turn your dining room into a playroom where do you eat ?
Loads of people no longer eat at tables but in front of the TV with a plate on their knees. Sales of dining tables have plummeted.
ShallWeTalkAboutBruno · 21/02/2022 12:33

@LowlandLucky

If you turn your dining room into a playroom where do you eat ?
We have a large dining kitchen plus a separate dining room. We eat in the kitchen.
BertieBotts · 21/02/2022 12:34

If you have multiple children with their own rooms for privacy, the playroom is a larger space where they can play.

DH hates DC leaving train sets etc on the floor as he trips over it in the night when they have a nightmare.

You can supervise from an adjacent room, that tends to work if the setup is good.

Never had a playroom but it's not that hard to see the appeal.

If you turn your dining room into a playroom where do you eat ?

Where do you think people eat if they have neither?

SilverDoe · 21/02/2022 12:35

I think children should be able to play unsupervised though. If it's a child proofed room on the same floor you're on, I don't know why you'd be so precious about letting them play out of site in a dedicated room for a few minutes. Most children young enough to need more supervision would be running in and out anyway.

FWIW I made my downstairs into a play room for the DC and they never used it so we gave them the biggest room and now their bedroom houses all their toys as well. It's very cosy and as it's the biggest room it's right next to the living room in our house. I now have downstairs as an office which is great but in principle would have been happy for them to have the space.

I don't like toys in the family room because that's where we hang out most. They are more than welcome to play in the rest of the house. Kids don't need helicoptering even my 2 year old can play in the room unsupervised for small periods (though as an anxious personI do check on him more than is probably necessary).

The caveat is space obviously needs to be child proofed to the youngest child so we don't have things like crafts or lego freely or other small toys accessible, the older kids would need to ask specifically for those and be supervised. But it's a small price to pay for having the kids' stuff contained mostly to one area!

Bringsexyback · 21/02/2022 12:36

I found that they became the place the toys went to die once it was in the playroom that was it you might as well give it away and get rid of it

SilverDoe · 21/02/2022 12:37

And also as with everything it depends on the children. Lots of people don't like toys in the bedroom as posted here but we put everything away (their room is full of ikea toy units) and it's never really been a problem and mine are very little (6 4 and 2).

JustAnotherUserinParadise · 21/02/2022 12:39

@RedToothBrush I hope that's a typo! Otherwise you and your DH have a weird relationship...

gogohm · 21/02/2022 12:40

Mine became the tv/PlayStation room as they got older, meant they could entertain friends

Bootothegoose · 21/02/2022 12:42

It’s not a room specific for toys it’s just a second reception room we use with the children. I like having our playroom because it’s connected to the kitchen so I can always keep an eye on them.

Once they’re in bed, DH will usually tidy one room, I will tidy the other (aka Chuck the toys in the relevant boxes) and then just go and chill in the lounge. If we don’t clean or don’t have time or whatever it’s just nice to shut the door on. It’s also lovely if we have guests knowing I’m not madly cleaning and tidying toys always to get it somewhat presentable.

Phormiumjester · 21/02/2022 12:42

You are being U to be "confused" . People do things differently. That's not confusing at all. Just because it's not your way, doesn't make it wrong nor confusing.

HeyEwe · 21/02/2022 12:43

For us the toys live in the playroom (we have enough to fill a large room) but the children can bring toys into the livingroom to play with but they go away in there. Bedrooms are for sleeping in so we only have books in bedrooms and minimal toys. I can open the double doors into the playroom so it's pretty much just open plan from the living room, it's great. I love to shut the toys away at night, I wouldn't buy a house without a room for toys.

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