Play Spaces

meggyme

Now that it's started cooling off a touch here in VA and Jackie is walking, I'd like to create better indoor and outdoor play spaces for her. We have a sunroom I'm slowly cleaning out to be her playroom and I've got some plans for outside. What kind of play areas do you have for your toddlers (When did they get so big?!?!)

vintagevix2016

For now, our whole condo (minus the bathroom and kitchen) is his play area since it's a small. We usually kept it centralized to the living room and his nursery though but he can come and go as he pleases (with us trailing after him of course). We don't have an outdoor space for him but plan to when we move out of the city (soon, I hope). We'll cross that bridge when we get to it I guess. 

artlea2013

For upstairs, we have toys scattered about the loft, with a gate on the stairs and can shut doors to the bedrooms and bathroom if needed, but I rarely do. Downstairs the toys are in the living room, but open concept doesn't leave much else unless I start gating off a play area. I'm more of the mindset right now that I want him to learn invisible boundaries without having to close things off with walls or doors. Toys stay in the 'living room' area, not in the kitchen area. We don't really have much problem with that because if someone is in the kitchen, Miles often comes screaming for 'up-a' and holding out his arms so that he can see what's cooking, rather than play with toys. That kid wants to stir pots, work the salad spinner, and toss things into bowls. Anyway...

Outside is similar. I still have the Pack n Play if we need some serious containment, but otherwise I'm just trying to teach him where the end of our yard is. We live in a small subdivision so it's usually quiet enough, especially in the evenings, that I don't have to freak out too much while trying to teach him about the sidewalk boundary and to not run into the road 

adiaz132003

We have a play room and a play space in the living room.  All his toys with smaller pieces (that can be stepped on...) Are contained in the play room and the bigger toys in the living room.  

meggyme

So it's still a craft room/storage unit/play room, but this is Jackie's play space. There's not too many toys, but she has her slide and a couple balls. Eventually I'd like this to be more of a space where she can play independently, but that will take a little more clean up.

AmberLiz99

I keep my kids toys mostly in Their bedrooms, but they are free to play anywhere in or outside the house so long as they clean up after. Obviously I have to watch the one year old closely, but I try not to gate off or restrict too much (unless it's dangerous, I like them being equal contributors to the household, because it helps them learn responsibility as they get older. 

laurendiaz02

We reconfigured the panels on our baby jail so his stuff is contained and he has space to play. He has a swing set, his little red car, climbing structure, a tiny basketball hoop and water table outside. Only a few toys in his room. I can't stand toys all over so I try to contain everything. Haha. 

lm45678

We have a tiny open concept so basically our home looks like a daycare

And we have this little outdoor area as well- no pics on my phone of the inside so I'll post later 

laurendiaz02

@laurenm2123 love the rug!

lm45678

laurendiaz02 said:

@laurenm2123 love the rug!

Thank you! Bought it this summer

lm45678

This is literally right in the middle of our house- the TV stand is filled with her books and puzzles, and to the left there is a dark wood toy box. There is also a white bin with stuffed animals kind of hidden away behind a second green chair. Oh, and a toy kitchen right in our kitchen. Clearly she has too much, and clearly when we move having a playroom is #1 on our list!!!!

lm45678

So do all of Savannah's toys and this foam mat were right in the middle of our living room. Well DH decided to give up his big desk with 3 monitors and get a small desk that will go in the guest room. Which means that now this tiny little back nook of our house is all for her! (Whoever designed our house was not great with layouts- I have no idea what this space should be) I can actually get a gate to put up to keep the dogs out. I'm so excited!!! And I can see my normal run again since the foam mat isn't on top of it!

This was our weekend project and I'm so happy it's done! Now we just need to deal with the guest room...

jerseygirl9090

This is a corner in our living room. We store all her toys in the shelves and she can pull them out as she wants. Outside we keep her toys in garage and we pull them out when we bring her outside. We usually set up her bubble machine on the table and sit in lounge chairs and watch her play we have a fan out there too because we live in NC and it gets hot. My dogs have taken over the backyard lol so that's why we don't play out back