Spinoff to my own post- would it be crazy to use a dining room area as a play area?

We are moving this week and next month ttc. We are moving into a 3 bed room.

The new place has an open layout dining room (it's open but sort of separated by the shape of the walls I guess- like another room but no door).

Anyway, there is an eat-in kitchen- so I could fit a small 4 person table. I keep thinking it would be cool to make the dining area into the play area because dh and I can also hang on the couch and have visual contact with ds.

The other alternative would be the small 3rd bed room as a play area but then either one of us has to stay in there or I guess use the camera- but even with the camera it's kind of weird no? Like, hey son- go play alone in that room- I'll be watching!

Has anyone ever done that? Made the dining room the play area?

Is it unheard

Re: Spinoff to my own post- would it be crazy to use a dining room area as a play area?

my friend used her formal living room as a play area until they were old enough to move it downstairs to the finished basement. It was fine. She used her diniing room, so I'm guessing that's why she went with the living room.


My other friend used her dining room until she had the money to finish her basement. If I don't have a finished basement for a playroom, I will use the dining room for a playroom.

I prefer either of those options vs having them share a room, but that's just my preference since I don't need a formal living room or dining room. I don't entertain much other than kids!

eta for spelling

Message edited 12/21/2010 2:34:25 PM.

Re: Spinoff to my own post- would it be crazy to use a dining room area as a play area?

My dining room is the kids play area too. We have a den and they out grew it so we moved the dining room table chairs against the back wall and now they have both rooms. We hardly ever ate in there anyway so for us it was no big deal.
On xmas eve it will be a dining room again....for 1 night.

Re: Spinoff to my own post- would it be crazy to use a dining room area as a play area?

We use our Dining room as the playroom. We're in a 3BR too. I love it.

Re: Spinoff to my own post- would it be crazy to use a dining room area as a play area?

I actually just wrote this on your other post...I have a few friends who have done that and it works well. They are downstairs, which is nice for being able to watch them. They also have a lot of little storage shelves and bins (like in a classroom), which helps keep it looking neat when people are over.

Re: Spinoff to my own post- would it be crazy to use a dining room area as a play area?

Posted by debsey75

My dining room is the kids play area too. We have a den and they out grew it so we moved the dining room table chairs against the back wall and now they have both rooms. We hardly ever ate in there anyway so for us it was no big deal.
On xmas eve it will be a dining room again....for 1 night.

Re: Spinoff to my own post- would it be crazy to use a dining room area as a play area?

I would make the third room your playroom.

I want to try to keep my house as normal as possible. We have toys in our living room because that's where we mostly hang out - but my dining room (which is right off the living room) is not kid friendly at all.

I also think that kids need to learn how to play independently. You obviously won't leave him in that playroom for hours on end - but you can know that he's safe, and you can be in and out doing other things.

Re: Spinoff to my own post- would it be crazy to use a dining room area as a play area?

exactly how my cousin's house is set up...It's an open-ish floor plan, there is a doorway from the dining into the kitchen, which has an eat-in area, and wraps back around to living room, where there is a doorway back into the "dining" area

They turned the "dining" area into a playroom...and it's been great for them...a place for all their DDs' toys, and still enough living space with the eat in kitchen and the living room...

Re: Spinoff to my own post- would it be crazy to use a dining room area as a play area?

I leave DS in his room and watch him on camera, when i have to do a quick 5 minute errand. But we are in a tiny apartment, so its not really that big a deal.

I think if the room was on the other side of the house, watching him on camera would be weird, but that's just me.

I would just designate dining room playroom, sounds like a great idea to me. If I had the space I'd do just that.

Message edited 12/21/2010 2:41:36 PM.

Re: Spinoff to my own post- would it be crazy to use a dining room area as a play area?