Decorating
9 Ways to Make Your Home a Happy Space for Kids
Ward off boredom, curb clutter and keep family harmony with these little indulgences for your children
From wrangling schoolbags and finding lost shoes before dropping the kids off at school, to the last kiss at bedtime (and just one more drink of water), life with kids is an adventure. We can’t prepare for everything, but these 9 small changes can make the time spent at home with our kids a bit easier.
2. Instead of wall panelling, try a kid-height chalkboard wall
This half-height chalkboard wall makes a nice compromise when you don’t want to give over an entire wall of your home to kid-friendly scribble space. Little ones get to draw in the space they can reach, and you get to choose grown-up paint and artwork above the rail. It’s a win-win.
Brilliant ways to use chalkboard paint
This half-height chalkboard wall makes a nice compromise when you don’t want to give over an entire wall of your home to kid-friendly scribble space. Little ones get to draw in the space they can reach, and you get to choose grown-up paint and artwork above the rail. It’s a win-win.
Brilliant ways to use chalkboard paint
3. Invest in adjustable stools
Kids can’t resist twirling these metal stools to adjust the height – but beyond the fun factor, they serve a practical purpose as well. Being able to twist to raise or lower the seat means everyone, big and little, gets to sit at the just-right height. And the stools work as well at a desk or a craft table as they do in the kitchen.
Kids can’t resist twirling these metal stools to adjust the height – but beyond the fun factor, they serve a practical purpose as well. Being able to twist to raise or lower the seat means everyone, big and little, gets to sit at the just-right height. And the stools work as well at a desk or a craft table as they do in the kitchen.
4. Hang a big wall clock to keep the family running on time
Analog wall clocks can help kids get a sense of how much time they have left to play (for example, “when the big hand is on the two, it’s time to put on your shoes") without as much parental nagging. And there’s a side benefit: if you usually use your phone to check the time, having a centrally located wall clock may help curb mindless media browsing (since checking the time on your phone can easily lead to checking social media or email).
Analog wall clocks can help kids get a sense of how much time they have left to play (for example, “when the big hand is on the two, it’s time to put on your shoes") without as much parental nagging. And there’s a side benefit: if you usually use your phone to check the time, having a centrally located wall clock may help curb mindless media browsing (since checking the time on your phone can easily lead to checking social media or email).
5. Clear out a ‘scooter alley’
On rainy days, finding ways for kids to get their energy out can feel next to impossible. Enter scooter alley: a cleared-out hall or side of a room where mini vehicles have (relatively) free rein. The same space can be used for racing Matchbox cars, laying out tumbling mats or unfurling a big roll of paper for a spontaneous art project.
On rainy days, finding ways for kids to get their energy out can feel next to impossible. Enter scooter alley: a cleared-out hall or side of a room where mini vehicles have (relatively) free rein. The same space can be used for racing Matchbox cars, laying out tumbling mats or unfurling a big roll of paper for a spontaneous art project.
6. Designate a temporary art display space
Feeling swamped by the amount of art projects coming home from school? Kids are proud of their work, so it’s natural that they feel reluctant to let you toss it right away, but that doesn’t mean you must keep every watercolour and crayon drawing forever. Designate a central place to display favourite incoming artwork for a limited time. When new work comes home, choose something from the board to recycle (or upcycle into thank-you cards, gift wrap or bookmarks) and store only the most special pieces in an art portfolio.
Clever ways to display your children’s art
Feeling swamped by the amount of art projects coming home from school? Kids are proud of their work, so it’s natural that they feel reluctant to let you toss it right away, but that doesn’t mean you must keep every watercolour and crayon drawing forever. Designate a central place to display favourite incoming artwork for a limited time. When new work comes home, choose something from the board to recycle (or upcycle into thank-you cards, gift wrap or bookmarks) and store only the most special pieces in an art portfolio.
Clever ways to display your children’s art
7. Leave washable art supplies within reach
Self-serve art supplies empower kids to create – just be sure that the materials you put in the self-serve art area are ones that are always OK to use: in other words, not too messy and totally washable. Think crayons, coloured pencils and washable markers. Keep supplies that require more parental supervision (and have a higher cleanup-time potential), such as paint, glue and glitter, on a high shelf so that kids need to check in before using them.
Self-serve art supplies empower kids to create – just be sure that the materials you put in the self-serve art area are ones that are always OK to use: in other words, not too messy and totally washable. Think crayons, coloured pencils and washable markers. Keep supplies that require more parental supervision (and have a higher cleanup-time potential), such as paint, glue and glitter, on a high shelf so that kids need to check in before using them.
8. Put a little table in the living room
Stationing a play table in the living room (or whatever room your family tends to hang out in) gives little ones a designated space for putting together puzzles and Lego creations. Choose a table with built-in storage, and stash favourite toys inside for easy cleanup.
Browse kids’ playrooms
Stationing a play table in the living room (or whatever room your family tends to hang out in) gives little ones a designated space for putting together puzzles and Lego creations. Choose a table with built-in storage, and stash favourite toys inside for easy cleanup.
Browse kids’ playrooms
9. Choose carpet tiles
Life with little ones is messy: there’s really no getting around it. But while we can’t prevent the messes from happening (try as we might), we can salvage our flooring from the chaos. What’s the secret? Carpet tiles. Perfect for high-traffic and mess-prone areas, carpet tiles attach to your floor (so they’re also nonslip), and when one gets stained or damaged beyond repair, you can simply replace a square rather than the entire rug.
Tell us
If you enjoyed this story, like it, bookmark it, save the photos and share your thoughts below. Join the conversation!
More
Read more about kid’s spaces
Life with little ones is messy: there’s really no getting around it. But while we can’t prevent the messes from happening (try as we might), we can salvage our flooring from the chaos. What’s the secret? Carpet tiles. Perfect for high-traffic and mess-prone areas, carpet tiles attach to your floor (so they’re also nonslip), and when one gets stained or damaged beyond repair, you can simply replace a square rather than the entire rug.
Tell us
If you enjoyed this story, like it, bookmark it, save the photos and share your thoughts below. Join the conversation!
More
Read more about kid’s spaces
Keeping a selection of children’s books (and perhaps some drawing paper) in the dining room can help antsy kids stick it out a little longer at the dinner table. And between mealtimes, if the dining room gets more use as a play space, storing a few favourite books and games here will make cleanup time quicker and easier.