Keeping your children entertained at all times can be hard. They get bored easily and have a brief attention span for things. Any new toy you buy for them will be thrown away after a few minutes. So you might end up overspending on items every few days to buy one toy after another. You need to consider some other alternatives to keeping your kids engaged while ensuring that they have fun while also staying safe. One great way to do this on a budget is to upcycle your garden shed.
Every child dreams about having their own playhouse to use as a hideout or a space to hang out with their friends. But not every home has enough space for a playroom. However, you can convert your shed into a playroom and give your children their own little house. It will be close to your home so you can keep a watchful eye on them as they play. There’s no place better than converting your storage or garden shed into a safe playhouse just a few steps from your back door.
By insulating, damp-proofing, and decorating your shed, it can be transformed into anything your kids want it to be. With these simple steps, you can make that dream come true.
Check Its Position
You may want to position your garden shed in such a way that it is in a clear, unobstructed view of the main house. Keeping the playhouse close to your home’s line of view will give you peace of mind and allow you to supervise your kids while tending to your daily tasks. It will also enable you to install utilities in the shed easily, such as electrical wiring, etc.
Keeping this in mind, where you have a clear unobstructed view of the shed from your home should be the prime location for placing your shed. You can use your shed’s measurements to gauge this roughly. Also check the area to make sure that no young trees could grow to block your view.
Assess Its Structure
Your garden shed’s structure should be suitable for playing, so you must check if it is in full working order. Take a good look at the condition of the roof, floors, and walls of your shed. You need to empty your shed if it was being used for storing unused items before and then check for maintenance issues. You are looking for signs of water leaks, subsidence, or any visible damage.
Also, check if its windows and doors are working properly. You must check to see if they can be opened easily and safely by a child. If you notice any issues of this nature, you need to get them fixed before the conversion begins.
Safety Proofing
You need to take some extra precautions to ensure that the playhouse is a safe and secure space for your kids. Check if all doors and windows can be opened and closed properly, and that none of them get stuck to avoid a situation where your child could become locked in. Garden sheds are often made out of wood, and there might be splinters.
You need to sand the walls and floors to ensure all wooden fragments are removed and the surface is smoothed out, this will also help to ensure smooth paintwork. You can also add rugs or a carpet to cover the wooden walls and floors. A rug on the floor will contribute to a safer playing environment and make it a more comfortable place.
Climate-Proof It
It’s summer in Canada right now, but Alberta has a colder climate, and thus you might want to improve your shed’s isolation to keep it at a pleasant temperature. Also, add electricity, cooling, and heating to the playhouse to make sure it is livable during both hot and cold seasons. Additionally, rain can become a problem, so you need to water-proof your shed.
While most garden sheds are waterproof, they are often not humid proof, making the shed an uncomfortable place. This can be devastating for electrical appliances and some toys. You need to ensure that your shed is humidity-free by adding a heater, improving isolation, or buying a dehumidifier.
Add Decorations
You need to decorate the space and add toys and other stuff to make it into a fully functioning playhouse. The first thing you should do is paint the shed to update it and make it feel brand new for your children. Choose fun, bright colors for this purpose, and make sure to ask your kids what some of their favorite colors are too. Add some fairy lights and bunting to make it extra special.
Although you will have to tailor much of the decoration to their activities specifically, we still have compiled below some ideas to help you get you started:
- Add a blackboard wall, coloured chalk, and a rag for cleaning
- A magnetic wall for rearranging letters, words, or shapes
- Stencils showing favorite animals, shapes, and more
- Vinyl wall stickers according to your childrens’ tastes
- Bean bag chairs to sit on
- A reading corner with a fluffy rug and some alphabet cushions
- Bunting or flags to add character and colour
- Picture bunting to hang their artwork
- Colorful curtains or blinds
- Paint floor games like twister or a chessboard
- Potted plants or window boxes for green-fingered children
- Add as many books, toys, and art materials
If you don’t have a storage shed or it’s already in use, you can buy one or get it customized according to the size you want for your child’s playhouse from a portable building company in Alberta.
About Stahl Structures
Stahl Structures offers a wide range of portable storage options to its clients in Alberta. These premium storage options include modular buildings, cabins, storage sheds, garden sheds, portable workshops, offices, and more. If you have any further queries about our services, don’t hesitate to contact us.