Any parent with at least one child will agree that having a play room is essential to raising a child. Often these rooms end up being in a central area, like the family room, which would otherwise have been used for other things. Toys end up being scattered about for all to see and you find yourself walking through a mine field of Legos and toy tea sets hoping like mad that you won’t impale your foot. While this situation is not the end of the world, many parents do wish that a more closed off space was available. If you have an unused basement your days of stepping on toys may be nearer an end than you thought.

Often neglected and forgotten, except when boxes need storing, basements are hidden jewel. With a touch of cleaning and remodeling, the basement can be turned into the perfect out-of-the-way play area for your children. Here are some helpful ways you can turn your basement into a play land for your children.

Paint- Paint up the room with bright colors. You can even go so far as to paint sceneries on the walls. For an extra measure of fun, seek out chalkboard paint. This special paint, when dry, turns into a chalk board. Finley your kids can write on the wall without getting in trouble.

Storage- Create kid sized storage cubbies and shelves. Shelves and cubbies placed along the walls will make it easy for your children to find the toys they want to play with. Clean up will also be easier if everything has its proper place. Pull out baskets or bins that fit into the cubbies are great for smaller toys like figurines and cars.

Heat- Make sure your basement is safely heated. From my experience, kids don’t like to play in rooms that are too cold. So even if you have a perfect play room your kids may not like it if there is too little heat.

Furniture- Provide kid friendly/sized furniture items. A little set of tables and chairs will be especially appreciated for coloring, painting, playing with clay or whatever. Bean bag chairs and old arm chairs will also help to make a cozy space. A note of caution: don’t put nice furniture down with the kids; try to find old used pieces that you are unattached to.