You may not have an extra room in the house to create a dedicated play space for your grandchildren. And if you’re a long-distance grandparent, you probably don't want to keep their toys in the middle of your living room between visits. But by following our five simple tips, you can create a transitional play area that can be unleashed — and then stashed away — when needed.
1. Making the Space
Start by finding or purchasing a bin you can use to store the children's toys. Your grown child's old toy chest, if you still have it around, would be ideal. You can also purchase a plastic crate or a low-cost set of stackable drawers at Staples, Home Depot, Target, or other, ahem, big-box outlets. The crate or drawers can either snuggle into the corner of a room, or hide under a bed or in a closet. If you stack drawers or boxes vertically, “you can even put a cloth over them so it looks like a table when the kids are not there,” says Dana H. Korey, founder of Away With Clutter.
2. A Label of Love
Kids just don't love a game or toy unless it has dozens of small pieces. Keep your grandchildren's games sorted by using different drawers to store like objects — say, one for puzzles (you can save on space by putting pieces in plastic freezer bags instead of their boxes), one for costumes, one for dolls and action figures, and one for games. Then label each drawer, or, if your grandchildren are preschool age or younger, take pictures of the objects that go in each drawer or box and tape them to the front. "That way you teach the kids where and how to put things away,” says Korey. It's a strategy nursery-school teachers have used for years — it not only keeps things uncluttered, but it teaches the kids how to sort.
3. Fill 'em Up
Fill your crate or drawers with items that give you the “most bang for the buck,” suggests Alicia Rockmore, CEO of organizational company Buttoned Up, Inc. For an arts & crafts drawer, you might include crayons, markers, color pencils, construction paper, glue sticks, stickers, and scissors. Adding classic board games to the mix is another great way to ensure that you and the kids will have something to do during quality time together. Consider family favorites like Sorry!, Battleship, Scrabble (or Scrabble Junior), Boggle, or checkers, all widely available in stores. And always have decks of cards on hand.
4. If It Folds, You're Sold
Toys that fold up neatly — and take up little space — are ideal. The Hannah Montana Rock Star Dance Mat, for example, folds flat for easy storage. Many princess, fairy, superhero, and other children's costumes also tend to be made of durable material that can be stuffed into a drawer with no worries.
5. Something Special
It's important to make grandchildren comfortable by stocking up on some of their favorite toys or supplies. It's also important to make your own space special by offering some games or toys they can find only with you. Check in with the parents to find out what the kids don’t already have but have been angling for. It could be something relatively messy, such as glitter glue, Play-Doh, or slime — or something classic like Hot Wheels cars or Lincoln Logs. “Whatever is special that will create memories with you," Rockmore says, "you should stock up on and use with them. You will make great memories they — and you — will cherish.”
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