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Christmas

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Original poster

"Giving" a play room makeover as main present

55 replies

drspouse · 17/09/2021 12:20

Now the DCs are more into games, active play (one has SEN and some sensory needs), and Lego than small world play, we are doing a makeover of the play room. We are going to get a climbing wall, swings, and a build-yourself-sofa.
I would love to have this be the DCs' Christmas present (along with some smaller stuff). Has anyone done this? How have you wangled it? They are 9 and 7 and unlikely to be going to bed early, for a start!
They are reasonably easy to fool/hide things from so we could potentially keep all the bits in separate bits of the house away from them e.g. the build-yourself-sofa could possibly fit in the attic (but then what do we do with the existing sofa...)

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Stompythedinosaur · 18/09/2021 01:44

When we made the spare room into a new bedroom for dd1 we just banned her from the room for a couple of weeks beforehand and took the handle off the door so there was no chance of sneaking in.

Fredoftheforest · 18/09/2021 07:00

Do you mind linking to the indoor swing you’ve bought? We’re aiming to get one but struggling to choose!

I think it’s a great idea. Definitely wrap the doorway!

ginsparkles · 18/09/2021 07:04

We did this last year. She knew something was happening in there but not what. At the beginning of December we put up a big tinsel barrier across the door and a sign saying elves at work. We worked during the day when she was at school to get it ready. Then put a big bow on the door on Christmas Eve. Our daughter was 8 so still believed in Santa so that made it a bit easier. Her face on Christmas morning was amazing!

RevolvingPivot · 18/09/2021 08:23

I've heard on here many times parents doing up their kids bedroom as a birthday surprise.

Yes these cost 100s with new furniture linen wallpaper accessories but it's not an exciting gift.

If you want to redecorate do it but not in the place of presents????

Also would you let them choose the toys?

I'd love an insta bedroom. In reality the colours are mixed and she has quite a bit of stuff in her room.

Original poster
drspouse · 18/09/2021 08:43

It's not an Insta bedroom. It's a play room to, er, play in.
We aren't changing the paint or anything. It's not decorating.

This is the kind of swing chaIr we are thinking of

www.amazon.com/dp/B01N5KDZVW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_imm_9X7BYNXSTZNJ1AFR6WFH?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

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Original poster
drspouse · 18/09/2021 08:44

(We are in the UK, that's just a random one I found that has good reviews).

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TinselTime21 · 18/09/2021 09:07

If you do the elf. A few days b4 the elf could barricade play room off and swy no entry. We're on a mission! Then let it reveal Xmas morning

Original poster
drspouse · 18/09/2021 09:44

We don't do the elf but we could still do something similar.

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TheSockMonster · 18/09/2021 11:34

We made over DD’s bedroom for her, at her request, for her 4th birthday. She was over the moon and asked for another bedroom makeover as her present from us for Christmas when she was about 8.

DS asked for a Minecraft themed bedroom makeover for one of his birthdays (6th or 7th I think) We found the photos the other day and he said it was one of his best presents ever.

To be fair, I go big-time overboard on these things and they looked amazing. They also contained fun things and some new toys. DD’s room for her 4th birthday had a rocking horse and I’d given her dollhouse a makeover. DS’s Minecraft bedroom had one of those IKEA spinning ‘egg’ chairs and a den with a bookcase that slid to one side to reveal a second secret den, DD’s later bedroom had a stocked dressing up cupboard and a swing (the swing was very well used and later replaced with a hanging chair - also well used).

We moved them out of their rooms during the makeover, removed the door handle and taped over the hole on the inside so they couldn’t peep through. On their birthday/Christmas day the handle was replaced and the door decorated.

Whentheydontmeanwhattheysay · 18/09/2021 11:39

@PegasusReturns

Honestly I’d think really carefully about doing this, on the face of it it sounds lovely, but no matter how you dress it up it won’t feel like a present in the same way tearing paper of a lego set will.

Your DC are quite young and are unlikely to appreciate that this is a “big” present from your perspective.

I sort of speak from experience as I did a bedroom makeover for DD years ago. It’s wasn’t for an occasion and she’d talked about how she really wanted a canopy bed and I went all out. She liked it but didn’t see it as gift for her.

I’d be more inclined to get them some smaller presents for Christmas and then do the playroom in January. This would have the added benefit of you being able to get them out of the house before the big reveal

I agree. When they go to school and classmates ask what they got for Christmas all their friends will be reeling off the toys that Father Christmas left them and they will say their playroom got decorated.
Aroundtheworldin80moves · 18/09/2021 11:44

Or they could say they got a climbing wall... every child i know would find that amazing!

TrifleCat · 18/09/2021 11:47

Could you make it into a treasure hunt with little bits to open along the way ?

My DS is 11, he has ASD and he spends hours on his swing, albeit ours is in the garden , he would love an indoor one !

GrandmaSteglitszch · 18/09/2021 11:54

I’m assuming like me everything is from Santa and not from yourselves?

Seriously, why do people do this? It's nuts.
(Missing the point, soz)

Looktotheright · 18/09/2021 12:02

Would the children like to be involved in picking things for a new play room rather than as a main present (if finances allow)? It is one of their spaces and they may want to put in ideas - though you have final say. If you are painting or getting cushions would it be fun for them choosing colours?

Original poster
drspouse · 18/09/2021 15:50

We aren't painting, getting cushions, or changing the decor... Please read.

So they'd get a play sofa, a climbing wall and two swings.
I think they'd like to choose more toys for it but I don't know that they'd choose practical stuff (e.g. there are great frames for hanging upside down from but I don't think we'd fit one in). But we can easily ask what else they'd like.

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ginsparkles · 18/09/2021 15:54

When we did it for our daughter she did have presents, some were set up in the room so we didn't have to do set up in a stress on Christmas morning, she went straight in and there were giant gift tags on things. We also wrapped a few smaller related items up for her too. She wasn't disappointed, she was delighted with her new den. It was her favourite present.

Cloudbaser · 18/09/2021 15:58

My dc wouldn't thank you for a sofa as a present but maybe mine are different. Thry see decor as something that is needed rather than a gift.

Original poster
drspouse · 18/09/2021 16:11

@Cloudbaser

My dc wouldn't thank you for a sofa as a present but maybe mine are different. Thry see decor as something that is needed rather than a gift.
It's an enormous set of building blocks that can make a sofa. If you want. Or not. Or a den. Or a castle. Or...
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ShoesEverywhere · 18/09/2021 16:17

We have a gorilla gym (which is a swing that can be changed to rings, a ladder, climbing rope etc) and it is used daily. Your kids will love it! Also I'm looking at that sofa now: has yours arrived yet?

StickyThighs · 18/09/2021 16:28

Fab! Did similar for DC’s playroom before DC2 came along! They both LOVED it and still do!

Original poster
drspouse · 18/09/2021 18:35

Can you attach a gorilla gym to the ceiling or just to the door?

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Abraxan · 18/09/2021 18:47

When they go to school and classmates ask what they got for Christmas all their friends will be reeling off the toys that Father Christmas left them and they will say their playroom got decorated.

Or they say they got a climbing wall, a swing, a den/sofa kit, some new toys, etc - which is true. These are all new play things they are receiving within the playroom.

And depending on the school it really wouldn't matter. We have children who get tons right down to children who don't celebrate so have no presents. No one cares.

itsgettingwierd · 18/09/2021 19:26

I like the idea of locking the door and saying there's a problem for the few weeks to sort it.

Then out wrapping paper over the door and they can open it it that by bursting through!

October2020 · 18/09/2021 19:33

This is a fabulous idea. I'd make a huge thing out of locking it from 1st December. You could even do an advent calendar of clues - one handhold from the wall, one piece of softplay sofa etc to build up suspense. Some could be wordy clues e.g. I have two ropes and wood that's thin, I'm fun to play on, I'm a....... .

Anyone who tells kids everything is from santa are insane! But you could definitely say santa helped if that's your thing.

noscoobydoodle · 18/09/2021 19:46

My kids would love this! The swings on their own would be a main present in this house. Could you wrap up the swings to open (with ceiling hooks or whatever in place ready to hang them on)? My kids usually fixate on some random stocking filler present like a yo-yo or scented pencil to tell their friends about regardless of what their main presents were anyway!