Rugs in children’s rooms and play areas can be so much more than simply ‘looking pretty’

Rugs are a versatile addition to any room; they add warmth and character in any cases, with many opting for rugs as an addition that will add a much needed slash of colour.

We are all used to seeing rugs in hall ways, or in front of fires adding a cosy element to a room. Technology and manufacturing techniques have come on leaps and bounds meaning that many people can now have rugs in any room of the house!

The purchase of some rugs need careful consideration especially when looking to add rugs in certain areas where we require them to do more than one functions. Rugs for children’s bedrooms and play areas is one such place. Seen for many years as a tripping hazard, many people are once again recognising the brilliance of a rug for children but as with all aspects of interior design, there are pros and cons to using rugs.

Style

There are so many stylish rugs to choose from that it can seem an impossible choice! There are patterns galore and rugs awash with colour but you will also find that, to a certain extent, the choice is split in three – rugs aimed at boys and those rugs aimed at girls but there are also ‘neutral’ rugs, ones.

There are shaped rugs, obviously aimed at boys such as a space rocket, tractors and more, heavily based in navy and reds, these rugs can be every little person’s dream.

For girls, there are also ‘obvious’ choices aimed at them from delightful pink castles to unicorns and flowers. Depending on your themes of course, these gender aimed rug might not fit the bill.

Don’t worry, there are many ‘neutral’ choices that will fit any colour scheme and interior design of you do not subscribe to the gender split. Brightly coloured stars or dotty rugs, along with other patterns are available and offer a whole host of colours to mix and match with your child’s bedroom or play area.

Sleeping rugs

Nurseries and other educational establishments with young children encourage them to sleep during the day to recharge their batteries for play and learning. Sleeping mats that can be hygienically wiped clean are normally used but at home, with less children to coax to sleep and rest your own sleeping rug is a great way of encouraging an impromptu nap.

Children often play on the floor and a sleeping rug can be used as a way of encouraging quiet play. Available in a range of colours and patterns, they are also fully washable – depending on the size, it can be flung in the washing machine and dried on the line for peace of mind when it comes to cleanliness and hygiene. Choosing natural fibres that are usually hypo-allergenic and softer to the touch, as well as warmer feeling too, is a great choice.

Educational rugs

We all remember the play mats from many years ago, with roads and tracks as part of the design, perfect for children to indulge in make believe play with to cars, lorries and tractors. The range is expanding all the time, with urban and country scenes, as well as others such as race tracks. Brilliant for adding an extra layer of warmth and texture to a room, some people also chose to lift the rug and use it as part of play, whilst others leave the rug down permanently in the room.

Using rugs to encourage certain aspects of play is something you can do at home too:

Many patterns and graphics of rugs can help children recognise common shapes from an early age but not just the circles, squares and triangles. Children start to learn language and numbers through the repetition of these shapes. Take a look at rugs that have the alphabet and numbers in primary colours, the bright reds, yellows and blues etc. that make them easy to see and spot.

Activity rugs are a great way of encouraging children to play imaginatively but also together. Maps with roads are great, but there are zoos, farms and jungle scenes that all encourage the creative and imaginative play that make children social characters.

And finally, children’s rugs can challenge them too! There are many rugs that include puzzles and other adventures and games for children to try. What about hopscotch or a permanent ‘noughts and crosses’ grid? Or what about whizzing around the world with play on a world map, all in a rug or maybe looking at the time and how to read a clock?

Need inspiration? There are hundreds of ideas on the web but to get you started why not take a look at some of these different ideas about styles and how to use rugs to the best effect in your children’s bedroom or play area? http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/shopping/guides/10-sources-for-stylish-kid-friendly-rugs

Teaching your children to play is something that can be fun with a range of children’s rugs!

Children’s rugs can be anything for adding warmth and texture to a room, or adding a splash of colour or they can be a source of hours of endless play and learning. So many rugs, so much choice – find a great range at www.rugretailer.co.uk. Which will you choose? 

This article was written by Chris from The Rug Retailer