Now that spring cleaning is well underway, take a good look at the playroom and locate the toys that the kids no longer play with. As a parent, it can be frustrating to see toys that cost good money be forgotten about. Why are they being ignored? In some cases, are they simply not getting played with because they are inconveniently located. Certain toys can take a lot of extra space, and it’s a hassle to drag out all the pieces only to clean it all up a few hours later. Give toys new life by making them mobile and more kid-friendly.
Dollhouses
Dolls are important in helping children develop social skills, and they boast more diversity than ever before. One problem is that a lot of stuff seems to come with them. If Barbie and her dream house are taking over, give her a mobile home. Mount locking caster wheels on the bottom of the dollhouse, reinforcing with plywood as needed. The locking wheels add security for safe play so that no fingers or toes get squished. Cleanup is as easy as unlocking the wheels, loading up all the bits and pieces inside, and rolling it away.
Cars and Tracks
Encourage good driving habits early on by having the little racer park their cars. Mount a sheet of plywood on locking caster wheels short enough to fit under the child’s bed. Let them use it as a place to set up tracks, but also the place to store their cars. Have them arrange the cars neatly on the board every day after playing with them. When they’re all cleaned up the whole setup can be slid under the bed and out of sight.
Books
Attaching locking caster wheels to the bottom of wooden crates is a quick, simple solution for book storage. Crates are cheap, sturdy and are able to sustain a lot of weight. The wheels also make them convenient for quick cleanup. Encourage little ones to fill up their crate every day with books they want to read, but to roll books back to the shelf that they are finished with.
Being creative with the way that the playroom is set up makes flow and functionality work better together. Give kids the freedom to stretch their imaginations with mobile storage solutions. The toys that were once forgotten about can be seen as almost new again with the right placement in a room.
