Home visit: creative ideas for kids
Play is a great way for children to be creative and express themselves, as revealed by the latest IKEA Play Report. Make it easy for children to tap into their imagination and explore their personalities through fun activities.
Room to play
A children’s bedroom can open up a whole world of play. Help create a space that supports and nurtures a growing sense of curiosity, creativity and personality. Lula (5) and Anouk’s (3) shared room features colourful and inspiring decor, including wall art handmade by mum, Chloé. The large rug in the middle of the room marks out an open space for all kinds of fun and games.
The girls’ bedroom is bright, colourful and full of energy – it matches their personalities perfectly. They always bring drawings home from school, which we like to display.”
Chloé
Try role play with furry friends
When it comes to role play, imagination rules. Children love to immerse themselves in fantasy worlds and new personas, a type of freestyle play which, as the IKEA Play Report suggests, isn’t held back by direction. It doesn’t take much to begin a role play adventure, but soft toys might help kick-start it – Tiger, Pig and Rabbit make for an unlikely friendship in real life, but not in this world!
It’s nice for the girls to share a room. I always find them together after school, cuddling, jumping, playing dress up with their toys and reading each other stories.”
Chloé
Create a gallery wall to be proud of
Doodling, cutting, sticking, colouring… Kids will produce hundreds of pieces of artwork as they explore their creative side. Back your budding artists and help them to feel proud of what they’ve made with a gallery wall. Chloé and the girls put up theirs in the living room for everyone to enjoy. They even helped mount their masterpieces, as IKEA frames are made with safe perspex, instead of glass.
Get messy with summer outdoor painting
So what if your budding artist needs a bigger canvas? Going outdoors means children aren’t limited by space – and they don’t have to hold back from making a mess! Bring out materials in a handy carry box, lay down large pieces of paper on the ground and let them loose with washable paints in bright colours. Keep snacks on hand for creative fuel, then sit back and watch the young artist at work!
Learn a new skill together
Traditional loom weaving is a big trend right now. It’s an easy skill to learn and a fun way to boost children’s concentration and motor skills. Set up this child-friendly loom on any table top, and start weaving unique pieces together. You can use anything and everything, from recycled bedding torn into strips to shoelaces. Try creating a unique fabric together, which could later be turned into a bag or rug for toys!
The girls naturally express themselves creatively. Paints, crayons, cardboard, beads, tape – I think it’s important that they’re free to use these things any time they want to.”
Chloé
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.
Made by
Interior stylist: Ashlyn Gibson
Photographer: Benjamin Edwards
Follow Chloé on Instagram: @chloefleury
