Is it too late for a playroom?

The kids have their own bedroom and we have an extra room in the house. For the past five years, it has been an office/guest room. However, we never ever use that room. In five years, we have used the couch-bed ONCE and there is currently no computer in there to actually make it office-worthy. Since our house is so small, I really want to make the most of the space we have.

So, we have been talking about moving some more toys in there and making it a playroom. We would get a coffee table or train table in there for legos and move a handful of their toys in there that are currently occupying the family room. Ben is obsessed with Legos and Hannah is very into coloring and art (so maybe put an easel in the there too). I would like to capitalize on this and give them the space to play on their own.

My only concern is...have we missed the boat? Are we way too late for this? Will the kids use it as a playroom when they currently play for the most part in the family room?

 

No, it's not too late. My playroom is my favorite room in the house and it contains most of the toy mess. Ryan has all his legos up there. I don't allow too much craft stuff because Sofia makes a total mess of everything including herself.

 

I wanted to chime in with what I have observed in my family. My nieces didn't have a playroom until they were 5 and 7 and to this day (they are approaching 9 and 11) that is where they go to play. Their rooms are used for studying and sleeping. All the toys, games, TV w/movies, etc. are in the playroom. I think it's a GREAT idea!! :Clap:

 

I hope not. When we move, we are finally going to have a basement again and I fully intend to put all of their toys crap down there.

 

I would suggest putting a CD player, or the like in there, so that they can have music or Audio books. I find that mine quite using the playroom as much as they got older, because of this, and once I realized that was the problem, it was easiliy solved. and now they use the room again.

T

 

Nope, I definitely don't think you are too late for a playroom, it's a great idea!! :good:

 

Not too late at all. Our finished basement is the kids' playroom. We keep as many of their toys down there as possible. That's also where they have a TV and the Wii. One of their favorite things to do is take off all the couch cushions and build forts, something I won't let them do in the living room. We have a craft area and a reading area. All the board games are down there.

 

I remember getting a playroom when I was 8 years old and my brother was 4 years old. It was a favorite place to hangout for us, as well as for all the other kids in the neighborhood.

 

Definitely not too late! We just recently (within the last 6 months or so) turned our office into a playroom. It works great and the boys love going in there to play. We don't keep toys in their room (except those stored in under-the-bed storage boxes) so this has worked out really well for us AND we got our living room back!

 

Not too late. We have most of the kids toys in the family room which at this point is more like a playroom. I painted some closet doors down there with magnetic and blackboard paint, they have shelves with toys (and boxes), the vcr and dvd player are there as well, so it really is more of a kid room than an adult room. We still go down there( by down, it is three steps down) at night, but I can shut the door if I don't want to look at it.

 

No, my guys are almost six and I would say that it has only been the last few months that they have wanted to play where we were not and they still like to play where we are much of the time, but will go upstairs and play between the rooms up there. We have a loft area, the room their beds are in and a room recently turned into a "play room". More accuratly it is where their toys live when they do not bring them out to play with. But, it is a place they will play in and a place to put the toys and close the door and a start in getting the rest of my house back! :banana:

 

Thanks for the advice! I think we are going to do it! We have a lot of work ahead of us but I am so ready to reclaim our house.

 

Definitely do it! We did it last year. About 6 mos ago we made the living room and dining room a toy free zone. If they bring toys in, we have the option to throw them away. The dining room can be used for coloring/crafts and puzzles only. It's so nice to be able to walk through the living room without stepping on Legos! They have the family room and the bedrooms for however they want to play. Toys migrate back and forth. They have a tv with dvd and the Wii in the family room too. They are welcome to come in and be with us, I'll even allow a toy or two if it's quiet and they aren't being crazy but I can send them right back out. They love to come sit with us to watch Food Network most of all! lol

 

I would definitely make one! I think what you put in it will determine its "age use".

 

We just finished our basement for this purpose. It's AWESOME!! I highly suggest converting your room to a play room. You won't regret it!

 

I think you will be very happy with your decision to designate a room as a playroom in your house. We have a playroom/loft upstairs in our home that is right next to their bedrooms. For the most part, up until recently, our twins who are 5, wanted to play downstairs and be close to mommy and daddy. That was fine but it also meant that we had toys in their rooms, their playroom and in the living room downstairs. Toys toys and more toys. Did I mention we had toys everywhere? Anyway, I have been on mission to simplify things and now we have downsized some toys and try to keep most of the toys upstairs. We keep board games and crafts in our dining room downstairs. I recently moved some shelving into the playroom and added some pictures and cute things to make it appear more "playroom" like and they are really starting to enjoy that room more and more because it is their space with all their special toys. I also think when things are more organized and simplified, they also enjoy their playroom much more.

So, I think your twins will be so excited to have special place just to play. Good luck.

 

I would totally do that if I could! And when they're older and don't really play with toys so much, it can become a craft room, TV room, whatever. My sister and I had a playroom until we were at least teenagers (when we started spending all our time either in our rooms with the doors shut or at our friends' houses :laughing: ).

 

This was my thought. Never too late as long as it's age appropriate.

 

Our playroom is my favorite room. Its bright blue with a painted enchanted tree, and all their little art projects strewn all over. I have a closet where all puzzles, artsy stuff and play doh go. they have a bucket of toys in their room. They each have one labeled so their brothers cannot touch it. Each boy is allowed to have a toy or two that is just their own. Good luck in setting it up!! :youcandoit: