Pros and Cons of Having a Playroom

When my roommate moved out-- leaving me, my daughter, and my partner with a wide-open bedroom-- we were left facing a huge question: what do we do with it? My options were to convert the room into an office, use it for general storage, or offer it as a playroom for my three-year-old daughter. We ultimately decided on the last option, but not without carefully considering the pros and cons of having a playroom. If you're thinking about having a playroom for your child or children, consider these factors.

1. The space might be better used.

Most Americans don't have extra rooms in their homes, simply sitting unused for months at a time. We usually expand our lives to fill the amount of space in our homes. Depending on your lifestyle, it may be a better option to use an "extra" room for another important purpose. If you work from home (which I do), it could be an office, and if you have frequent overnight guests, it can be useful as a guest room. Bear in mind that, by using it as a playroom, you are essentially eliminating your other options.

2. A playroom could sequester your child from the family. Depending on your perspective and your relationship with your children, this could be either a "pro" or a "con" of having a playroom. Most children will naturally gravitate toward the living room to play-- but, when you have a playroom, they will tend to spend less and less time near other members of the family. I personally view this as a strong downside, since I would prefer that my daughter be social than reclusive. However, it does make it easier to get alone-time as a mom.

3. Playrooms keep your house cleaner. Before we converted the "extra" room to a playroom, toys were scattered all over my living room, my daughter's room, and the hallways. My daughter's bedroom didn't have enough space to contain all her things, so toys naturally overflowed from boxes and onto the floor. Now, her room is virtually spotless, with a wide, open floor and no mess, and guests don't trip over train sets when entering the living room. I'm very happy to keep my kiddo-messes in one room, rather than scattered through all of them.

4. Playrooms grant your child autonomy and responsibility.

My daughter takes great pride in having a room that she can call her very own-- one that she can decorate, re-arrange, and climb through to her heart's content. Although children have some autonomy with their bedrooms, a playroom offers the unique opportunity for a child to make a mess as she sees fit, while bedrooms must stay reasonably clean at all times. This helps to foster a sense of responsibility and independence in kids.