When your child is old enough to have their own room, simply putting a bed into that room and painting it a nice colour isn’t going to be enough. The child’s bedroom is much more important than that, and it needs to be designed with the child in mind. This is, after all, where they are going to spend at least some time learning, growing, and obtaining life skills, and it not only needs to be functional, but comfortable too. 

Although this might seem like an impossible task, there are some simple tips you can follow to help you design the very best bedroom for your child that will cater to all their needs. Read on to find out what they are. 

Keep It Simple

As with so many things in life, keeping your child’s bedroom simple is the best thing you can do. The old adage of less is more is definitely true when it comes to a room like this, as it’s so easy to get carried away and fill it with things that are unnecessary and just take up space. Simple décor and minimal furniture mean that there will be plenty of space to play and learn; too much of either means that the space is limited and after all your hard work, your child won’t want to spend too much time in the room because it’s uncomfortable and they can’t use their toys in the way they want to. 

Open floor space can be achieved in even the smallest of rooms, especially if you invest in a bed that is raised from the ground and that gives you space underneath for storage, or even a wardrobe or desk which, although it may not be of much use now, when your child starts school it will be ideal. 

Focus On Play 

Children learn through play, so if you’re worried about making a room that is all about playing, you don’t need to be. You can rest assured that if you take your time to design a room that focuses on play, your child will benefit from it. 

You know your child best, so you can determine just what is going to be necessary within the room. For some it will be a train or puzzle table, for others, it will be a wardrobe specifically for dressing up clothes. Still more will want a mat on the floor for cars or even space to throw a ball or perhaps a whole wall painted with blackboard paint. The more playful elements you can add to the room the better, and since you can even buy beds that have integrated slides these days, there really is no reason not to make this not just a bedroom but a playroom too. 

Have Room For Books

Toys and games are important in bringing forth a child’s imagination, and in helping with their fine motor skills, but you must also ensure there is enough space for books. Books are just as important, and being around books from a young age will help your child as they get older too. 

Having a wide range of books available for your child to pick from, even if they can’t yet read but simply like to look through the pictures, will give them an understanding and an appreciation of the written word, and it won’t be strange to them when they are asked to read when they are at school. You can pick the right books by looking at reading benchmarks by age, giving you an insight into what is going to be best, depending on the age of your child. 

The routine of a bedtime story is something that should be started as early as possible, and encouraging your child to read independently is crucial too. Having books in their room and giving them free rein to pick the stories they want is all part of this. 

Double Up On Storage 

Children have a lot of stuff. From books and games to toys and clothes (which are always having to be exchanged for different sizes), it can seem as though there is never going to be enough storage for what you need. When you also need to ensure there is space for playing and that the room is uncluttered so that it’s not only a comfortable space to be in, but it’s easy to clean and tidy too, it can feel like an impossibility. 

This is where it is useful to double up on storage, giving you much more space than you might have initially thought you would have. Storage that fits under the bed is ideal, and even beds that originally came without it can benefit from separately bought drawers added at a later date (just remember to measure first, to make sure they’ll fit). You can also fit a chest of drawers into a wardrobe since children’s clothes won’t hang down low and the space would be wasted otherwise. Anywhere that can do double duty as storage and furniture is a great buy as well. 

Play With Colour 

Adults and children may well vary greatly over their idea of the best use of colour. Children will most likely want to have as many bright colours as possibly vying for space which, although it might sound fun, will actually look pretty terrible. Adults, on the other hand, will often want to have much more muted tones, often in standard cream with a hint of pink or blue, and although that might be more in keeping with the rest of the house, it’s also rather dull for the child.  

There is a way you can compromise that will allow you to change up the colour aspect as and when needed (your little one might be all about bright pink or green at the moment, but as they get older this can change) and keep the room looking great. Instead of worrying about the walls, incorporate the colours into the accessories. Lampshades, curtains, bedding, rugs… anything that can be removed and exchanged for something in a different colour when needed is the ideal candidate for playing with some nice, bright colours to set the room’s décor off perfectly. 

A Quiet Space 

Do you ever just want to have some time to yourself in peace and quiet in a comfortable space just for you? If you feel like this, you can guarantee that your child will as well. After all, growing up is a hard job, and learning new things every day is challenging and tiring. This is why adding a quiet area to their room is important, and it should be away from their bed because, as we all know, children are notoriously difficult about getting into bed, and if you want them to relax and chill out for a while, they’ll need somewhere to do it that doesn’t remind them of nighttime.  

One idea you can try to include in the room is a corner nook. It doesn’t have to be fancy; just some cushions on the floor and some kind of covering like a teepee or den would be fine. If you or they prefer not to have any kind of cover, you can simply set up the space so that there is a barrier between it and the rest of the room (something like some short book hammocks, for example). If your child needs a space to go to just be by themselves and gather their thoughts, this is perfect; they will feel safe and secure, and they won’t have to get into bed to do it. 

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