Another playroom question..

[Kerrie]

So after reading another thread about playrooms I have a few questions. We have an awesome area for a playroom. Out basement is mostly finished so we have a room about 16'x20' to work with. It has 2 supporting poles in the middle but is otherwise open. It is also where we have our computer and a couch so DH and I can enjoy the almost 10 degree temp difference in the summer! I have a reading area, a felt board on the wall, a train table, a playmat for cars, a dress up area with a huge mirror and an indoor trampoline that's about 3'x3'. The problem is that the room gets trashed in minutes I just don't know how to organize everything. I'd love to add a fort-like area but don't know how or where. I'm at a loss. Can anyone help me? I can post pictures if it would help. This room gets used so much on icky days (like today) that I really want it to be a place that DD and DS (and the DD on the way) to play and enjoy themselves.

[Ruthla]

Do you have containers for all the toys in the different areas?

I'm thinking a bookshelf in the reading area (and maybe a sofa or a pile of cushions to sit on while reading.)

A bin for the trains next to the train table, or a drawer of the train table.

A large box for the dress up clothes (one of those huge plastic bins with a secure lid is a good choice.

A bin for the cars next to the playmat.

You don't need anything next to the trampoline- except maybe something to keep the other toys away from it!

Some kind of container next to the felt board for the felt pieces.

I can't really brainstorm ideas on where to put the play fort without actually seeing the room, but near the dress up stuff might make sense- keep all the "creative play" stuff together. You know, dress up as a knight and defend the fort from the dragon (the other sibling), use the fort as a "house" for playing house, etc.

[Kerrie]

I've pretty much got all that excpet maybe the container for the felt stuff. Maybe we just have too much stuff? I've already gone through everything so many times. Once I think I got rid of almost 50% of the toys - what a difference that made!

[MyTwoAs]

We have a similar setup as you and have bins, tubs, shelves etc and have recently done a significant toy purge and we still have a similar problem. I think on our end its because my youngest (18 months) loves to empty anything...containers, tubs, drawers - you name it. Once its empty she moves on to another room.

However after the toy purge there is much less of a mess after my daughter 'decorates' than there was before.

[Amys1st]

I think you have a good thing going if the room gets trashed- that means they are having fun!


But sometimes it can get a bit crazy as I know. I recommend bins bins & more bins. Also do a toy rotation every few weeks or so. Make things disapear for a few days then bring back. Also move the layout around a few times and see what works best.