As a mom or a parent, you want your home to be just the way you like it. But, at the same time, the practical realities of having children also plays a role. You know that you have to work around them as well.

The good news is that this is perfectly possible if you have the right approach. You just need to know what you’re doing.

That’s where this guide comes in handy. It looks at some of the practical steps you need to take to add a kids' space to your home. Here’s what to do:

Look At How Much Space You Have Right Now

You’ll want to start by looking at how much space you have right now in your home. Get out a tape measure and then start taking note of the dimensions.

Once you have these in place, you’re in a much better position to know where everything is going to go. You need space for things like windows, outlets, and traffic as it moves through the room. You also need to think about where the lighting is going to go, and whether the room is physically large enough for your children. Teenagers need a lot more space than younger kids.

Define The Zone With Boundaries

Next, you’ll want to think about how you’re going to define the boundaries of the zone. You want to make sure that kids stuff stays where it belongs.

One of the best ways to do this is literally with items that function as boundaries, especially if you have an open-plan home. You can do this with screens, bookshelves and curtain rods.

When you do this, it creates a physical separation of the space. This is good for you and your children at the same time. Just make sure you paint the walls the right colors and demarcate the boundaries that way.

Prioritize Safety

Of course, if you’re going to create a room for children, you want to ensure that it’s as safe as possible. You don’t want kids getting hurt. Remember, children can be a lot more active in rooms than adults.

Therefore, start with the basics, like securing dressers and shelving. Make sure you fix these to the walls so that they are securely in place.

Also, add guards and corner covers if there are any exposed edges. These reduce the risk of injury further, especially if children are going to be running around in the room (and likely to knock into things).

Lastly, you could also explore different flooring options. Upgrading the floors with foam means that kids are much less likely to hurt themselves if they happen to fall over. Softer landings are generally a good policy to reduce crying.

Build Storage

After that, you want to think about building more storage into the room. If you need somewhere to keep games for a group of kids, make sure you have enough space.

Clear plastic tubs are the obvious choice if you have a lot of toys. However, chests are usually the best option since they have a lot of room inside and a lid that’s easier to secure into place.

Building cabinets and other storage options into the walls is also an option. These enable you to really make the most of the room you have available.

Create An Activity Station

As you probably already know, kids love to always be doing something. Therefore, consider providing them with an activity station they can use.

One option is to give them a reading nook if they’re old enough. This gives them a special designated space they can use to explore their favorite novels or short stories.

You could also create an art zone. These are fun for creative kids who want to paint and make things out of clay. Just make sure you add a splash mat so cleaning up afterward is easier.

Finally, you could add a science station in your kid’s playroom. These are handy when you have a child who is obsessed with the natural world and wants to learn as much about it as possible.

Add Flexible Lighting

If you can add flexible lighting to your kids’ area, that’s also helpful and practical. Children need to be able to see what they’re doing when playing and embarking on various projects.

Don’t be afraid to add things like dimmers and smart controls. A lot of children really enjoy learning about these features and using them to make their play experiences even better. Plus, they’re usually safe and designed with kids in mind, so there’s no need to worry about things like electrocutions.

Blackout curtains are also handy if kids are going to be sleeping in the space, especially in the middle of the day. You want to block out as much sunlight as you can.

Add Something Personal

Of course, any kids’ space should feel a little bit personal to them. You want to give them as much ownership as you can.

Start by talking to them about the colors and patterns they want. Then, think about the bases and accents.

If your kids seem unimpressed by this type of conversation, show them pictures of options and get them to point at what they like. Provide them with a magazine of examples or get your interior designer to come up with a bunch of concepts for them.

Maintain The Space

Lastly, think about how you’re going to maintain the space. What schedule do you need to put in place to ensure that it continues to function as you’d like?

Usually, playrooms and bedrooms will need changing every couple of years as your child grows. Their interests are unlikely to stay the same long-term.

If you can perform an annual audit, that’s also a good idea. This way, you can check in to see what’s working and what needs to change.

So there you have it: how you can add a kids’ room to your home with all the accessories it needs to thrive.