Walter's playroom is easily my favorite room in our home and it was the most fun to outfit and decorate! I began creating this space when he was 6 months old. We are so blessed to be a part of a large family that gives us tons of hand-me-down toys, but we needed a place to put them all! As he got older, the toys got bigger, and a small basket in the living room was no longer able to do the job.
^^ It was essential to create a space to hold our everyday clutter. Even though Walter is just a small toddler, he accumulates a lot of baggage! We needed a space to hold his library book tote, diaper bags, coats, hats & gloves, bike helmets, shoes... you name it.
I found industrial wire storage baskets and hooks at Restoration Hardware Baby & Child that I fell in love with, however, they were too expensive. I decided to stroll through HomeGoods to find an alternative, and I found this identical wall storage unit for $30! Click here to see the resemblance!
W could have all the toys in the world, and he'd rather read a book. I'd say 80% of our day is spent flipping through books, pointing at pictures, learning new words, and then re-reading them. We are constantly making trips to the library to pick out new ones! Because this is one of his favorite things to do, I wanted to make a cozy nook for him to enjoy his books!
^^ Again, I wanted to find some wall storage for certain larger books. We keep the thick board books at his level, so he can grab them anytime he wants to read them, but the more delicate (at risk for being ripped) books we keep up high so we can help him pick them out, read them with him, and show him how to gently turn the pages.
^^ I also found these wall baskets at HomeGoods. I highly recommend browsing their organization aisles if you're looking for toy/book storage for your little one's playroom or nursery. They always have a huge variety to choose from and they're super affordable.
^^ I chose to decorate the room with black, white, and pops of color. The polka-dot rug is from Ikea - Link here!
^^ This table and chair set from Ikea was the perfect color pop to add to the room.
^^ I also wanted to dedicate one wall of this room to his artwork and things he will be learning. His current "art" consists of scribbles, but I love them all and hang them proudly! I found these educational posters in the $1 bins at Target and had them laminated!
This art wall is made from a simple curtain rod wire from Ikea. Link here.
^^ I debated creating a chalkboard wall for his room; painting one of the walls in chalkboard paint, so that he can draw on the wall directly. I was nervous that he would begin drawing on all of the walls, so I decided to keep it simple with an easel. This easel is AWESOME. One side is a chalkboard, and the other is a white dry-erase board. It also has a spool for drawing paper. This is from Ikea, link here.
^^ In deciding what toy storage to purchase for this space, it was important for it to be accessible and functional. This shelving unit is the perfect height for any baby or toddler. I chose to use storage cube bins on the bottom row of shelves so that he could easily pull them out and grab the toys inside at a young age. I left the second row of shelves open for books and larger toys. This unit and bins come in many colors and are from Ikea. Links here & here.
^^ Other than reading books and playing outside, Walter loves cooking. The moment he hears me clink pots together, turn on the oven, or open a cabinet in the kitchen, he comes RUNNING. He must help me stir the oatmeal, cut the bananas, scoop grinds into the coffee pot, and he seriously can't wait to help me unload the silverware from the dishwasher one by one (although I know this will soon change). It takes me three times as long to make dinner sometimes, but he finds so much joy in helping me.
^^ Despite "gender roles" and general gifts to give your son for Christmas, we got him a kitchen! He is absolutely obsessed with it. He spends so much time turning the oven knobs, loading the oven with waffles, and washing his hands in the sink while he makes a "wshh, shhh, wshh" water sound. We spent some time searching for the right kitchen and asked some friends for their reccommendations. We landed on this wood KidKraft Vintage Kitchen. It comes in many fun colors. Link here!
The play food is Melissa and Doug. Link here. The pots and pans and dishes on the play table are Green Toys. Link here.
^^ Our friends got W a growth chart for his first birthday, so we secured it to the wall in his playroom. I love the idea of recording his growth so we can watch him grow!
Walters playroom has become so special to my family. It's been so fun watching W grow and learn to play in this space and I know we'll be able to use it for years to come!
No comments:
Post a Comment