Does your home feel like it’s too structured or too rigid for everyone to enjoy themselves? Sometimes adults struggle to come up with ways to make their home into a more family-friendly place where everyone feels welcome and at home. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be difficult to transform your space into a place where the whole family enjoys spending time. With just a few minor changes, you can completely alter the atmosphere of your home.
If you have been wanting to make your home more kid or family-friendly, here are a few suggestions that you may want to try out today:
Pick the Right Place
Perhaps most importantly, you must choose the right apartment for your family. Consider what amenities a particular apartment has from swimming pools to gyms. When you have free activities like these right at your fingertips, your family is bound to take advantage of them more frequently. Look for apartments that have a lot of activities going on that your family can participate in.
Balance Work and Play
Kidthink, a company that specializes in mental health treatment for children ages twelve and under, emphasizes the important balance of play and structure. Children need some sort of structure to help them feel safe and secure. Of course, they also need to play to learn how to express themselves and take a break from the seriousness of everyday life. Parents should try to strike a balance between keeping their family running on a routine and incorporating play time into the day-to-day aspects of their lives.
This can look different in different families. For some with older children, it could mean scheduling a family game night. Younger children might demand more attention on a daily basis for free play with blocks or dolls. Follow your child’s lead to create the environment that is right for your home.
Let Kids Help Design
For the most part, interior decoration is decided on by the grownups. They get the final say in paint colours, furniture decisions, and throw pillows. In the end, the spaces that you have in your home were likely created by you. If you want to have a home that is more family-friendly, you can start by letting your children have some say in the overall design of the home. Let them pick out throw pillows or help make the final choice about an area rug for the living room.
If you don’t feel confident in their ability to design your major living spaces, at least allow them some say in their own private quarters. Take them shopping for wall hangings for their bedroom. Let them help pick the colour of their walls or select a comforter for their bed. They are the ones who have to see it every day and it is usually tucked away from the rest of the house. It can give them a greater feeling of control in the house, even with such small decisions.
Think Smart About Storage
When you have kids, there is no denying that you probably have a lot of stuff. Too much clutter is bad for everyone’s mental health. You are constantly tripping over items and cannot find a good way to store the things that really matter. You will need to start thinking smarter about your storage. Choose furniture pieces that pull double-duty like storage ottomans and cube bookshelves that double as entryway benches. This helps you to keep important items safe and out of sight when they aren’t being used.
Create Quiet Areas
Life is a lot of hustle and bustle – trying to get everything accomplished all at once. It’s important to remember that we all need time to chill out and relax. This goes for kids as well as adults. In order to make your home more child and family-friendly, designate certain areas of the home as spaces to just kick back and relax.
One creative solution is to design a reading nook with a bookshelf and comfortable chairs. Whether your child wants to flip through a picture book or you want to read Gone with the Wind, it should be a comfortable space that you look forward to relaxing in.
