Whether you have a dedicated room in your house to use as your children's play area or they play in their bedrooms, I've put together 7 seven things to help make these spaces as functional as possible! Plus I've included some amazing playroom inspiration!!

1. Storage
No playroom is complete without at least 10,000 baskets! How else can you quickly clean up before company arrives?! PLUS one of my son's favorite things to do is taking said baskets and dumping out all his toys-- so they also double as a fun activity! :) In addition to baskets, cube organizers are a great way to store and even categorize toys.

2. Comfortable Flooring
This is something that didn't even occur to me before I had Nathan. Obviously before kids learn how to walk, they're crawling everywhere-- and as the parent you're usually sitting on the floor near them. Luckily, we couldn't replace our playroom floor with hardwood like I wanted and we instead got a new and super cushioned carpet! I'm never worried when Nathan tumbles over or slips when he's trying to climb up something that's not meant for climbing! If you don't have wall to wall carpeting, an area rug with a thick rug pad will definitely do the trick!

3. Display for Kids Artwork
I love when kids artwork is hung up, it's always so colorful and creative! You can hang it up by clothespins on a string, or frame it as part of a gallery wall!

4. Table + Chairs
Nathan isn't quite big enough for this one yet, but once he is I definitely plan to get a set! Every kid needs a dedicated space to sit and color or do crafts.

5. Cozy Reading Nook
I definitely want to encourage Nathan to love books-- and making a comfortable spot in his playroom where he can sit and read will hopefully do the trick. I love the idea of a comfortable chair/bean bag in a corner with a bookshelf or floating shelves he can reach. Kids books usually also have fun illustrations on the covers-- so displaying them on floating shelves also makes for great wall art!

6. Hideaway Spot
What little kid wouldn't love a little getaway spot where they can put their favorite toys and let the imagination run wild?! I would've loved my own little play tee-pee growing up! These days, there are plenty of tee-pee and play tent options available! I've even seen little pop up food trucks-- so cute!

7. Dress-up Clothes
I remember I always loved dressing up in different costumes when I was little! I want to keep a rack of different costumes-- doctor, fire fighter, chef, etc..-- that Nathan can easily access so he can play pretend whenever he wants to! I love seeing fun tutus and tiaras in little girls' playrooms!

I think the most important things to remember when designing a play area are to: keep it comfortable + safe, have practical storage that is easy to access, and have fun with it! Baby/ kids areas should feel fun and whimsical- and it should definitely be a place that helps foster their imagination!