Clubhouses may not be a term you often hear nowadays, but it doesn’t mean they don’t exist. A clubhouse for a child can be any space that allows them to play with their friends away from adults. Clubhouses of the past were made with the help of their parents—a tree house, a backyard fort, or tents in the attic. If you have a semi-permanent structure as your child’s clubhouse there are three ways you can improve it.
Build a pantry system
When children play they get tired and hungry, while their diet needs to be monitored you can still supply them with small snacks like crackers and biscuits. Instead of letting them sneak cookies from your kitchen, give them a supply of snacks they can keep in their pantry. These snacks are not only meant to replenish their energy but are also featured in their pretend games.
You can build one or use an old cooler. Make it a project with the kids and design the pantry according to their imagination. You can make a treasure chest, a mini-refrigerator, or a car. You can make the pantry a learning experience as well. Teach them how to keep food away from ants and other pests, how to clean up after themselves, and manage their supply.
Add real floorboards
Instead of settling for rough wood planks for your floor, try the vinyl panels from http://www.firmfitfloor.com. While regular wood planks may seem harmless, they aren’t always smoothed out, and you can get a splinter. Even a fresh coat of paint and varnish cannot take away the possibility.
Vinyl panels are smooth; no worries about any injuries caused by the material. They are also easy to clean so that any juice box problems can be wiped away with no problem. Besides being a countermeasure for accidents, the vinyl floor feels more like a house and less like a make-shift build. It can contribute to the overall feel of the space.
Give it a fresh coat of paint.
While the paint on floorboards may not be the best idea, the walls both inside and out could use a fresh coat of paint. Stay away from neutral colors and take the opportunity to go crazy. It is not every day that your child has complete control over what they create. They will never get another opportunity to mix purple with orange or red and pink.
Do the project with your child. The creation of the fort or house may not always be child-friendly, the paint job is one part they can actively participate in. Besides the color selection, add designs. Your child can paint freehand, or you can show them how to use a stencil.
Sprucing up your child’s clubhouse is not about making it more “official” by introducing more adult elements. It is about increasing the potential of fun. Their selections may not be the most aesthetically pleasing combination, but if they find joy in them then so be it. Their young minds develop better in an environment that allows them to grow.
Image: Pixabay.com
