I’m Amelia from My Soulful Space and today I would love to help you create a beautiful play space. Especially at this time when we are at home with our children for much longer periods, creating a space that brings more serenity and calm into our home can make all the difference to our days.
There are many benefits to having a simple clutter-free play space which include:
Your child feels more relaxed and at ease
They are less distracted
They are able to focus on one activity for longer periods of time
They play independently for longer
They can be more creative and imaginative
It takes less time to keep the play space clean and tidy.
And for the parents, the benefits are that you have more time for yourself to do what you need to do during the day!
Step 1: Declutter your child’s toys
Decide if you would like to do this with your child or on your own….it can be fun to do together if your child is at the right age (very young or a bit older!) but I find that with my children who are 2 and 4 it is a bit tricky, so I try to do it when I have time by myself.
If I am feeling inspired and have the time, I will gather ALL of the toys from every area of the house and put them in a big pile in one room. If you are limited with time or that feels a little overwhelming for you, simply declutter one small area at a time eg the toy box or the art and craft box.
What toys to remove from the play space:
broken toys
ugly toys that you just don’t like looking at
Noisy and flashy toys
Toys that you have multiples of-just keep out 1 or 2 favorites
Toys that are not age-appropriate
Toys that are character related or that only have one specific use
Toys that your child simply doesn’t play with anymore (or at the moment
Toys to keep:
Beautiful toys that your child uses frequently
Toys that have multiple uses (eg blocks, dress-ups)
Toys that you love looking at
Toys that you enjoy playing with together with your child
What to do with the toys you aren’t keeping out:
Donate to charity or gift to a friend
recycle or bin if they are broken and unfixable
Gift special toys with meaning or that you are reluctant to part with to a friend’s child for a special occasion such as a birthday. Preloved gifts are great for the environment, more cost-effective and have meaning. We now tell friends that we love preloved gifts for our children’s birthdays, and the children love it too!
Store them in cupboards in your home to swap out so that the children have a chance to miss them and then enjoy them more!
Step 2: Create the space
Place like toys together and create little nooks. I like to put my daughter’s dolls and imaginary house play in one area. Arts and crafts in another area and my son’s blocks and little cars in a little spot of their own. They will both end up sharing the toys or playing separately but it’s nice to have some cohesion of where toys are placed.
Create a little reading nook and a special chair or cushion.
Tidy like toys into boxes and baskets that are easy for your child to get to and easy to clean away.
Create a mini space if you are in a small home:
If your child’s play space is shared with your lounge room space, create a little corner with a lovely rug and a couple of baskets of toys. Try to keep your child’s toys together in one area so that they can feel like they have a little special space.
Enjoy creating your child’s beautiful play space!