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Make every day a game

Why shouldn’t home be a playground? When you see it through your child’s eyes, you open up the possibility of fun for everyone. Jessica Bondesson from Children’s IKEA explains…

Make room to play

The IKEA Play Report revealed that play makes the world bigger for children and grown-ups. But play is more than toys and games, it’s a state of mind – finding fun and joy in everything we do. ‘My tip would be don’t think of play as play,’ says Jessica. ‘You could be cooking or at the grocery store and if you add some imagination to it, you’ll do it in a fun way.’

Make it easy to move about

‘Make space for movement. To encourage my kids to play more in the living room, I’d put down a mat where they could make up games and roll around. If you don’t have much space, you may have to think differently. Try board games or encourage them to read books so they can act out what they’ve read.’

Make things easy to reach

‘Encourage children to play by keeping the toys, games and books they need wherever they are. If fun things are kept where children can see them, or within their reach, they will play with them more. Make your storage work for this – hang a basket on a door, have boxes on wheels to pull from room to room, use lower shelves of cabinets in shared rooms for their things.’

Play more – make everyday life a game
Jessica Bondesson, Children’s School Manager at IKEA

Make play safe

With the right accessories, your child will happily see home as a playground. ‘You want to give children space to explore and play safely.’ Do a quick safety sweep of your room – fasten light cables to the wall and move sharp-edged furniture away. Soft furniture and textiles make great dens but check any hanging fabric that can come loose is fixed with Velcro to avoid tangles.

Make chores fun

Think differently about what makes play. ‘Everyday jobs and routines are a chance for fun when you do them together. Cooking is a great example, but so is cleaning or tidying up. Use your imagination – make up games! You could wear capes and be superheroes while you vacuum. Show your children that home is a place to play.’

Even cleaning or tidying up can be fun when you do it together and add some imagination
Jessica Bondesson, Children’s School Manager at IKEA

Make room for imagination

Helping children explore their imaginations develops language and speech. ’We have a lot of books that have characters you can also buy as toys so children can bring the stories to life by acting them out.’ Why not create a dedicated corner in the living room where your child can explore the world of books?

We love to see our customers get creative with our products. Go for it! But please note that altering or modifying IKEA products so they can no longer be re-sold or used for their original purpose, means the IKEA commercial guarantees and your right to return the products will be lost.

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