Stuck for ideas on where to let your little ones play? Whether you have twins, or a couple of kindergarten-age children, you need to have a place at home where they can be kids and have fun. That place should be safe, protected, bright and happy. If that doesn’t sound like your garage, you might need to rethink things. It can actually be one of the best makeovers you ever do.
Why the Garage?
Why turn the garage into a playroom? Actually, there are quite a few reasons you might consider this. Maybe your back yard isn’t fenced in. Perhaps you’re concerned about privacy, or access to your yard by neighbors or older children in the neighborhood. Maybe your area experiences a lot of cold weather and your little ones need someplace warmer. Whichever the case might be, the garage is a great option, and it can be surprisingly simple to turn it from a junk storage area to a safe haven for your children.
The First Order of Business
Before you can do anything else, you’ll need to clean out the garage. Find someplace else to store your boxes of Christmas decorations, or your unwanted clothing. If your garage has been used to store vehicles, there’s a chance that oil or gasoline has leaked onto the floor as well, so you’ll need to clean it well with a detergent made specifically for that task.
Next Up
The next thing you’re going to need to do is paint. You can find a number of different concrete paint options on the market. A trip to your local hardware store can give you access to a surprising number of choices. One that you might consider is Behr Premium Concrete and Garage Floor paint, as it is designed specifically for this purpose and won’t bubble, peel or crack. You can also paint over it with a brighter color paint. If the walls are unfinished and are not made of concrete, you’ll need to go ahead and finish them out with insulation and sheetrock, and then paint them.
Weather Proof Your Garage
You do need to pay special consideration to weather proofing your garage. That starts with the garage door. It should be something similar to the Cambridge, and have a good R value (the Cambridge has an R‑16 thermal resistance rating). The rest of the garage should be weatherproof, too. If you have concrete walls, you’ll want to consider adding a heating system so that your little ones can enjoy the playroom during the winter. Make sure that it’s safe for them, though, with no exposed burners or heating elements, and that they cannot access the controls on their own.
Safety
If your garage door is automatic, make sure you unplug the garage door opener. You should also make sure that the door stays locked, and that the children cannot unlock and open the door.
Add Beauty and Color
While you can do a lot with paint, there’s more that can be done to brighten up the new playroom. Puzzle mats provide cushioning on the floor, but are also fun and can be bright and colorful. You can also add wall stickers to brighten up the playroom. You’ll find themes to fit just about any age range or interests out there, particularly on Amazon and at Michaels.
Make Sure You Have Storage
You’ll need a place for your children to store all their toys. A couple of toy boxes can work, but you can also add cubbies, cupboards and other furniture. IKEA is a great source of affordable storage systems, but there are other retailers out there. It’s also worth considering the addition of a couple of tables or desks where your kids can sit to color or to do crafts, or build with blocks if they want.
What do you think of this garage transformation? Have a suggestion you’d like to add? Did we miss something? Mention it in the comments. And make sure you share this post with your family and friends so they can share in the inspiration.
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