Would you use a playroom upstairs?

[1234Rainbow]

We have a spare room upstairs that we could turn into a playroom but I don’t know if it will be a waste of time?

Currently have a 2 year old and would like another kid soon. Ideally we’d have a playroom downstairs but this isn’t possible. We have an open plan living room, dining room and kitchen diner. Toys are currently in the living room/dining room bit but getting cluttered so I’m trying to decide if it’s worth making a playroom upstairs.

I totally expect toys to still be brought downstairs and for there to still be some toys downstairs but I wondered if having a playroom to store things, rotate the toys that are downstairs, and a different play space to use as a change of scenery would be useful?

For those that have upstairs playrooms, has it been worth it?

I’ve always had a downstairs playroom, which is convenient as then they play there as well as storing stuff there too. It depends how diligent you’ll be with putting things away / are you happy to sit up there playing?

I think it would work well once your DC are old enough to be left unsupervised. Until then, make sure there’s somewhere for an adult to sit comfortably

DS has a large bedroom (kind of split in 2) with more than half the space toys/play area. It rarely gets used for more than sleep 😬 I'm hoping as he gets older (currently 5) he'll want to, but for now he just brings toys down when he wants to, and we have a basket of 'downstair toys' which he can switch around.

I wouldn't. I would carve out some play space downstairs and have the upstairs room for something else. When they're older it might be useful. Young kids want to be where you are while you're getting on with stuff around the house, and you'll want to keep an eye on them, not be stuck upstairs playing in one room.

When they are a bit older and for toy storage, yes. We have an extra upstairs lounge (it’s a guest room, but has an ensuite and sitting area with sofa and tv). My older one uses it as a hang out room and probably has from 6/7. It helps to separate them so they aren’t always fighting and she has somewhere to hang out with her friends. It would also be useful in early mornings when you are still dozing but dc want to get up. You can still listen out for them.

Yes we have one and no we don't use it but we do have 2 living rooms downstairs so that seems enough. The kids go into the 2nd living room and their toys migrate there and the playroom upstairs is rarely used 🤷‍♀️

If we had one we'd use it but I wouldn't chose to put one upstairs.
I'm a SAHM so would probs go up for a change of scenery with the kids but they wouldn't play up there without me until 4/5. Playroom downstairs works well for being able to sort food etc, do your own bits but still being with them.

We have a playroom downstairs and have a spare bedroom which was only used infrequently. From when the DC were about 5 & 3, we pushed the bed to one side to create more floor space and they had their train set up there as, once built, it could stay out for days weeks at a time and then they moved onto having Playmobil up there and, again, would create elaborate set ups which covered the whole floor.

I agree a downstairs playroom would be more convenient but options are either playroom upstairs or just toys in living room.

You can carve out an area in your living room as a play area. IKEA are great for ideas on marking out separate living areas in one room.

Furniture can be placed in a way to divide the room, and different coloured paint can be used to tie that play area together. A rug also helps as they then have a soft cosy place to play but it also clearly marks the area off. We have a Totter & Tumble playmat in place of a rug.

Yes, toys will migrate. They always do. But if the playroom is upstairs you will soon hate traipsing up and downstairs to put toys back. And it's no good at all while the kids are under 4 at least.

We had one upstairs in our previous house when DD was newborn-2. It was great! We had a sofa in there and it always felt like a completely separate space away from the TV. Always found it very calming.