12 things to consider when designing spaces for Children

Have you ever had a moment of embarrassment when your child relates events at home to friends, acquaintances and sometimes total strangers?
Are you amazed by the pertinent questions your little one may have asked in a moment of silence or softly at bedtime?
Have big words and elaborate vocabulary of a little child stunned you ever?

Most of us have had one or more of the above experiences. They all show us how little children absorb information around them like a sponge!

The environment we create for them thus, is extremely vital in their growth and learning.
When we design a space for a child, these are 12 points which can help us create a positive environment for our children:

Children scale: The scale of the space, the furniture allows children accessibility and freedom of movement. The comfort of spaces around them being in tune with their own sizes , helps children to feel safe and confident in their environment.
Safety: This is the most important feature of any child’s space. The choice of materials, the arrangement of furniture and attention to detail are vital in creating a safe space. Soft surfaces, well rounded corners and non cluttered space allow for free movement and encourage open exploration for our curious littles!
Material board : Natural materials help children feel grounded and offer a soothing quality to a space. Easy to maintain finishes and non toxic materials keep both children and parents happy and at peace!
Color board : Soft subtle colors allow a soothing backdrop to the colorful toys and accessories in children’s spaces. They help in creating balance against over stimulation. Color coding activity areas in more complex spaces like schools, allow children to navigate the spaces subconsciously as they choose the activities in each area.
Lighting: Natural light is very important for creating an ambience of comfort and peace for children. In addition soft warm light as ambient lighting and white task lighting in study areas allow for optimizing the energy of the child.
Ventilation : Natural ventilation is very important for creating a healthy atmosphere in a child’s space.
Accessibility : The different equipment or supplies should be arranged at accessible heights and distances for a child to reach independently. This allows the child to feel confident and encourages exploration. Sharp items should be made inaccessible by placement at height and at a distance.
Clutter free : The spaces for children should be designed with minimum clutter. Well organized spaces with a designated space for everything allows children to stay organized and feel at ease in accessing the things they need.
Circulation: Maximum space should be left open for children to move freely and create an open ended usage of space.
Open ended Furniture : Furniture should be designed to be open ended and with multiple types of usage. As the child grows, the furniture may adapt to the growing needs of the child.
Cozy spaces : A reading corner or a music space – something specific as per the child‘s need could be incorporated to encourage the learning for the children.
Display spaces : Walls and storage may be creatively designed to display art work, trophies, certificates or even the current work lists that the child may want to keep in view. The creative displays encourage the children and embed the sense of pride in their work. These are just generic guidelines when creative a space. Each child is unique and we believe that every space designed for a child reflects their special personality.