Budget Play Area
10:24 PMKids. A house with kids wouldn't be complete without some sort of scribbles on the walls. Olaf, Elsa, Simba; you name it, it's all over the place.
In the first few months, I was semangat to wipe the walls clean. After a while, I was just malas. Want to paint the walls again? No, no that would be too expensive.
Telling the kids not to scribble on the walls would be like talking TO the walls. They just won't listen. Scolding them not to do it is a terrible idea as well. It is natural for a child to pick up a pen and scribble. DO NOT prohibit them from expressing themselves. Let them loose with their imagination.
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| Looks like a fish or Godzilla maybe |
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| I never taught them about anatomy but that sure looks like a heart |
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| A unicorn entering a portal? |
So, how do you keep the walls clean and yet let the kids develop their creativity?
Create a SPECIAL SPACE for them.
As self confessed DIY (Do-It-Yourself) buff, I decided to create a play area for my two kids. Not just any play area, but an area where they can conteng the wall all they want. It cost me almost nothing as most of the stuff are recycled materials.
My budget was:
1. 1 liter of SANcora washable black paint: RM 30
2. A set of 8 chalks: RM 1.20
3. Rectangular pots: RM 5 each
4. Foam mat: RM 40 each
5. DIY shelf: Got it off my old bed frame
6. Wiring: Used my old extension cables
7. Lighting: Part of a broken IKEA table
What I want to highlight here is; IT IS REALLY CHEAP to come up with this. You just need to spend time. Get your kids to help out for hours of quality family time. It doesn't take too long as well. I spent a week to fabricate the shelf from scratch. I spent around thirty minutes every weekday making the shelf. Meanwhile, the whole painting process and fitting was done within FIVE hours.
Notice something missing in this area?
It is a strictly NO GADGETS area. No TV, no tablets. They are free to do anything EXCEPT play with gadgets. I specifically filled it up with books. I've been able to stock up on these wonderful children's book thanks to the Big Bad Wolf Book Sales. Rugi kalau tak beli. At normal price, a Disney book may cost RM 30 each, but with Big Bad Wolf, I can get them for around RM 5 - 15 each. I have a stock of books that can last a whole year.
Nowadays, the first place my kids will go to once they reach home is their little play area. Nothing makes me happier than seeing them play at a place that WE built together.
2 comments
Really appreciate the idea of yours to work out an economic play area for the children. I also had to take such decision when I ran low on funds but had to make it,
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