Kids Do Not Like The Play Room - What Am I Doing Wrong?

[DancingQueen]

I know I've posted pictures before.
I've moved everything around though. I'm prepping for two babies and I really want to keep the play room as the play room so I've made my living room "quiet time room" they can read, do puzzles and watch a show in there. That is it. No toys allowed. This is where I'll have my baby stuff.
Here are the pictures of my living room the way it used to be. But all of the toys are gone. It is absolutely boring in there and empty. I haven't even put baby toys in there yet. But they want to be in there all the time and when I keep them out and make them stay in the play room they act like it is a punishment or a "time-out)


My eat-in kitchen is pretty big and is open to them to play in as well. Play room is at the end of my hall, they have that.. the hall and the kitchen where they can play freely. the "quiet time room" is blocked with a gate.
My kitchen has a long table for crafts and a shelf in the corner with all of the craft stuff and table time activities (only touched when asked for - otherwise off limits) that they use frequently. I also have my changing area in the kitchen.
Here is the table and the shelf.




I moved my old play room to another room so I could have my bedroom back (which was the old play room). Here is my OLD play room





Here is my new play room - which has all of the same things (all though I weeded a lot out and I've been rotating more toys as you all have suggested in the past.
The first picture has the old flooring (I added a rug), I took out the dora kitchen - it is now in the hallway near my kitchen to encourage play in the hallway and make more space in the play room. I also removed the small white bookshelf (since all they did was dump books) and I put my train table in the play room as well.






I will gladly take any and all suggestions. I think the paint color is dark (used to be my boys' room) but I can't change that anytime soon.
I'm toying with removing the train table since it isn't getting much use lately.
I have my toy bins which are working out good, things that move, kitchen area, dress up area and puppets.
The things that get used the most are the barbies, the trains (just not on the table), the big cars they push down the hall and back and the tea party stuff.

I hate that they feel like the play room is a punishment and I just don't know how to make it more fun - but I LOVE having my living room as quiet time room.
It is great for drop offs too. My dcks always bombard whatever kids are coming in the door and they HATE IT. So now everyone is on the other side of the gate during drop off and it gives whoever is coming in a little space to say bye to mom and dad.
I want to keep this space gated off for babies too just for their safety.
I even went so far as to not allowing my dog in there any longer and I LOVE it.

[daycare]

change takes time for everyone to accept. Is today the first time that they are now having to use the NEW playroom?

[DancingQueen]

New play room has been since 2/1
gated off "quiet time" room is 3 weeks now.

I was hoping it would get better.

[Pammie]

It's difficult to tell from the photos, but my initial reaction is that the new playroom is much darker than your old playroom - and darker than your brown/front room. Even though you say you can't change the dark blue paint soon, perhaps pulling the blinds up entirely and adding a lamp or two would brighten up the room??

I use my entire house for daycare and I know that my dc kids - end even me - tend to gravitate to the "lighter" rooms. Especially in the dreary winter/rainy months when we all crave sunlight.

I agree that removing the train table (even temporarily) would make the room seem a bit less cramped too.

In addition to some lamps, could you add a cd player - turned on low volume with some kid friendly music to entice the kids to spend more time in there?? And since you mentioned that you are using the "bin" system for your toys, maybe each morning have a different bin of toys out - that have to stay in the playroom - that the kids can explore and play with - just to get them used to using the playroom??

[DancingQueen]

great ideas!!!
keep them coming.
My overhead light broke so it only holds ONE bulb when it is supposed to hold 2
I'm fixing that this weekend in hopes that it will also help!

[AnythingsPossible]

How large is your new playroom space? it looks smaller, so maybe they feel confined? The other room also seemed brighter. Are you in the playroom with them or is it a "go play" room? I have two spaces for daycare, but our living room is where they want to be, so I now use the smaller room for storage and in the summer the older kids can use it for lego's and such. The little kids just don't enjoy the smaller room here.

[melskids]

i agree with pammie.

please dont take this wrong....

my FIRST thought was how lovely and open your living room felt,even though the brown wall is dark, its still soft and soothing in there.

and then BAM! dark playroom. the color "feels" tense to me, and clausterphobic.

i would definetley paint the room a softer color.

JMO

[DancingQueen]

You won't hurt my feelings I promise - I wouldn't ask for in put if I couldn't take it.. LOL

The new play room is a tiny bit smaller. maybe by a couple of sq ft. Not much though.
The other problem is that all the sun comes in the old play room side of the house and the front of hte house is pretty shaded.
that's it
I've GOT to find a way to paint it
I'm convinced it will make a ton of difference.

the playroom is a go-play room. I spend my time.. 70% in the kitchen area and 30% in the play room.
the kitchen is also pretty bright.

The living room would make a great play room - but it is also a small room and I'd lose my family's living room if I made it the play room. It is the room you walk into when you come in my front door and I just would really like to keep some sense of "home" and that living room is the room my family spends the most time in off daycare hours.

[cheerfuldom]

Not sure what your day is like but perhaps they are just bored. Do you have enough variety where the meals, snacks, outdoor time or activities break up the "play room time"? Is there any way you can fit a small climber or other active option in your playroom? One of the best things I ever did was put a climber/slide indoors. Sometimes they really need that freedom to just get all the energy out. If you don't have that option, you might figure out a way to have more activity and energy in general throughout the day. My kids love our hopscotch rug for instance.

[Meeko]

Not sure what your day is like but perhaps they are just bored. Do you have enough variety where the meals, snacks, outdoor time or activities break up the "play room time"? Is there any way you can fit a small climber or other active option in your playroom? One of the best things I ever did was put a climber/slide indoors. Sometimes they really need that freedom to just get all the energy out. If you don't have that option, you might figure out a way to have more activity and energy in general throughout the day. My kids love our hopscotch rug for instance.

Best thing I ever did was bring our "log cabin" and slide indoors. In the summer they would complain it got too hot and the wasps declared war on us. In the winter it was buried in snow.

Now they play with it every day and can climb and stretch. When we go outside we take the balls, parachute etc.
My front room is now our "outside " room. The cabin, slide and picnic tables. My mural is half done! We have sky and grass so far! Trees, bears, bunnies, bees, butterflies and birds and flowers are next! (I'm just a big kid...!)

[SilverSabre25]

I definitely agree that its' really dark and dreary in there. When you paint, I might even go for painting the walls white or a very light pastel to help brighten it up. (Don't forget that you're going to need to prime first, too, to effectively cover up that dark color).

I definitely think you need to find a way to make it less cramped, too--maybe take out that easy chair and/or the footstool?

It looks like you've got older kids (preschool age, maybe)--have you tried asking them what they don't like about the room and what they would like to see changed?

[missnikki]

If you can't paint it, can you put up some fabric-wrapped cardboard or corkboard panels(like bulletin boards) or something in a light fabric? Something to cut the intense paint color? Also, How about curtains instead of blinds, and pillows or that blue chair visible from the door to soften up and make it feel more warm and cozy and inviting?

[Country Kids]

What about this-switching the two rooms? Paint the playroom a happy color and then make it a get away for your family! I have friends that have done that and the families have loved it and we considered it for our family and maystill do that. That way the daycare children don't have to go through my livingroom and my family is tucked away from all the daycare traffic. What I use the family room that I converted into a schoolroom when I started childcare 14 years ago. It is off my kitchen into the back of the house. I've been thinking of switching it with the livingroom which is at the front of the house so everyone doesn't have to come all the way through my home. Still toying with the idea just need to do it!

[JenNJ]

I would paint the upper half a nce light baby blue to lighten things up. If the paint on the bottom is in good condition, leave it.

Remove the blinds all together. No need for them in a playroom.

Remove the table and chairs set. Not needed in a playroom. They do crafts and table activities at the dining table, correct?

I also think all the kid sized furniture is cluttering the room, and do you really want them sitting while playing? The relaxation room is the living room now, so if they need to rest, they can go there.

Other than that, I would put low, happy music on constantly and hang some of their art in there.

[countrymom]

paint the walls, but not beige or yellow (because yellow is hard to get the exact color)
get rid of the blinds and hang fun curtains, you'll be amazed by the amount of light

look at other peoples rooms, what do they have on their walls
I have a tv in my room but mine also is my own childrens play room
how about a fish tank
picture frame with art work made by the kids
shelving unit so you can get some of the toys off the ground
the rug, something needs to be done with it, maybe put it in a corner for a reading corner