If you’re fortunate enough to have a playroom for your children, or just a small space dedicated to play, here are five simple ways to create an eco-friendly playroom. Having a room specifically for your children to play in might not be something every house offers up, but if you can make it work, either by taking a spare bedroom or sectioning off an area of a larger room, it can be a huge help.
No more will you find toys and crayons and Playdoh in every crevice throughout the house; instead, everything will be contained, and even if the room or space itself is often messy (which it will be), you can close the door and not think about it while you enjoy the comforts of the rest of your home. Plus the children will love it; a room or space just for them where they can find all their favourite toys and books and games? It’s a paradise for little ones.
Yet to create an eco-friendly playroom you will have to start with the basics, and put a little bit of thought into the design. Get this right, and this room can serve you and your family well for many years as both a functional and healthy space. Read on to find out how to get started with your eco-friendly playroom.
Eco-friendly Playroom Decor Tips
Easy To Clean Eco-Flooring
With the best will in the world, children knock things over (a lot). They won’t mean to, but they will knock over cups and upturn plates and as for paint and modelling clay, well it’s going to end up on the floor. This is why you must install easy to clean flooring in the playroom. Carpeting might look attractive, and it might match the aesthetic of the rest of the house, but it will get filthy, and then not only will it not look good, but it can be a health hazard too.
Easy to clean eco-flooring means something like linoleum, you can get linoleum like the ones from Forbo, that are 97% natural raw materials and totally CO2 neutral . As long as you can quickly mop up any spills and wipe up any grime regularly, it’s ideal. To make things more homely, why not add a rug? Although this might get messy too, rugs are easier to clean than whole carpets, and some cotton rugs can even be put in the washing machine.
Eco-friendly Paint
You’ll want to paint the walls in an eco-friendly paint, so your family are not breathing in any unwanted toxins. Frenchic Paint has no hidden nasties (ALL the ingredients are written on the can). They create all-natural, eco-friendly paint that requires no stirring, shaking or the addition of water. They don’t add VOC’s, toxins or solvents and it has virtually no smell, so great for painting a children’s playroom!
Upcycled Table And Chairs
A lot of the time, children will be playing on the floor, especially if they have some large train tracks or dolls houses to enjoy there. But sometimes they’ll want to sit up at a proper table, such as when they’re playing a game, making art, or doing a puzzle. The table could even be a useful spot to serve lunch.
There are a few environmentally friendly options when it comes to picking the right table and chair set for your playroom. Probably one of the best options is to scour pre-loved websites for existing sets that are in good condition. You could try up-cycle an old wooden table with eco-friendly chalk paint. Maybe can buy smaller versions of the real thing, ideal for very little children who won’t need your help getting on and off the chairs and won’t hurt themselves if they fall off. You could choose sustainably-sourced wooden furniture that will get used again, for example oak dining tables that you will use long after the children have grown up.
Sustainable Storage Baskets
Finally, even though we said it was okay to have the playroom messier than the rest of the house, that doesn’t mean no tidying should be done at all, and tidying the playroom is a great way for the children to start learning about household chores.
To make it easier, invest in some sustainable storage baskets. You can have one for games, one for soft toys, one for crafting materials, and so on. Label them and teach the kids where everything goes so they can tidy their own room.
Hopefully these simple tips will help you to decorate your children’s playroom or designated play space in a way that is healthy for your family and the planet. Simple sustainable product switches can make a huge impact on saving our precious planet.
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
– Margaret Mead
