How To Create A Fun & Functional Child Playroom

Play is what being a kid is all about. By creating a fun and functional child playroom we give our kids the best foundation there is. Sure there may be other rooms in the house where your children hang out to watch TV, play on the computer or play a board game with the rest of the family but none compares to the value of having an actual child playroom.

Having a room where imagination fuels the play is where it’s at. Child playrooms are all about giving your children the space and the equipment needed to inspire play. All children need is imagination and a child playroom to be creative in.

When it comes to creating a fun and functional child playroom it’s important to consider your child’s natural tendencies. What type of play does your child enjoy the most – is it arts and crafts, building forts, dramatic play, creating tall skyscrapers out of building blocks etc.?

Get input from the whole family regarding room design and set-up. Although it’s important to accommodate current interests and activities a wise parent also plans the space for future use. This is where it’s important to include adjustable shelving and incorporate lots of flat surfaces for future projects. A 5 year old will use a playroom very different from how a 10 year old would use it.

For more ideas on designing and decorating child playrooms visit http://www.decorating-kids-rooms.net/decorating-child-play-room-decor-ideas.html

For a versatile child playroom and one that grows with your children keep the permanent elements in the room like tables, chairs and wall units basic. That’s the functional part.

The fun part comes in how you bring the room together with decorative accessories like fashionable slipcovers, wall decals, posters, and funky storage bins.

No matter their age, kids are natural magnets for stuff. Open shelving with lots of bins is often best way to go as it provides storage flexibility for now and in the future. Your shelving unit for the next few years may house a collection of storage bins filled to the brim with stuffed animals and building blocks and may later be replaced by books, board games and DVDs. As children get older many of them also like to display their collections of things. This is where open shelving comes in really handy.

If on the other hand, you prefer out of sight, out of mind storage when the kids aren’t actively using their playroom you may wish to consider armoires or storage cupboards to keep everything behind closed doors. It’s all a matter preference and what type of playroom you wish to create for your children.

Either way if you opt for open or closed storage you will want to make sure that any shelving units, storage cupboards or armoires are secured to the wall with toggle bolts and brackets.

Following are some creative ways to add a little fun to a functional child playroom space.

* In the craft area paint the chairs in different colors.

* Create a cushion floor using large multi-colored rubber puzzle pieces.

* Use a bulletin board for displaying artwork and posting special activity reminders.

* Turn baby wipe containers into great storage boxes for small craft supplies.

* For a great storage unit paint an old table and cover the sides with fabric to hide roll out storage containers of craft supplies.

* Revitalize old metal shelves with a little spray paint.

* Purchase unfinished shelves and paint them to match the room.

* To protect little fingers and bruises from hard edges consider padding your child’s toy box with quilt batting and fabric that matches the rooms décor.

* Create handy little cubbies by installing a few wooden shelving boxes here and there.

* Since kids love to play in enclosures consider purchasing a lightweight nylon tent, or making one yourself in a fabric that co-ordinates with the room. Another great idea would be to add some nylon crawl though tubes and cardboard house than can by decorated by your kids using paints or markets. Catalogues and magazines are a great source for ideas that you can adapt and craft yourself.

About The Author
Sherrie Le Masurier is an organizing consultant who helps parents organize and decorate their children's rooms. She is a member of Professional Organizers in Canada (POC) and co-owner of http://www.decorating-kids-rooms.net - Copyright

10 Tips For A Super European Vacation

Europe has always been a popular travel destination. Whether you're a seasoned traveler or planning your first trip, there are several important things to keep in mind before calling your travel agent and booking your next vacation:

1. Time of year: While "Paris in the Springtime" sounds very romantic, the truth is that you're liable to spend many days indoors, because the weather can be cold and rainy. On the other hand, the French Riviera in the springtime boasts warm temperatures, sunshine and beautiful places to visit. If you're not sure of weather patterns, check with your travel agent who can advise you on rainy seasons or other weather-related issues for traveling to a specific spot.

2. Your Budget: Decide how much you've got to spend, and don't forget to include extras like tourist attractions, getting around, souvenirs and meals (which are typically more expensive in Europe than in the states -- dinner can cost upwards of 50 Euros per person, especially in metropolitan cities). If your budget is smaller, consider visiting Eastern Europe, looking for packaged tours, or, if you're flexible, book a "last-minute" trip, which can often save you 30% or more. Check out the current exchange rate between your currency and that of the country you'll be visiting, to have a better idea of what your vacation is going to actually cost you. Whenever possible, travel during an off-peak season to save even more.

3. Your secret dreams or "someday" wishes: For most of us, taking a vacation is something we get to do only once a year, and often plan and save the whole year for. So if you have always wanted to visit somewhere or do something special -- why wait? Include it in your next vacation plans.

4. Political Climate: While most countries that rely on tourism make every effort to ensure the safety of tourists, these days it's always a good idea to keep up on the current political climate of the country you're planning to visit, especially if there have been problems in the past.

5. Your own "internal clock": If you prefer sleeping in in the mornings, and "doing your own thing" then a guided tour is probably not for you. Most guided tours start early in the morning, and you're on the go until evening. You may visit several cities in a country or countries within a specified amount of time, and you're required to stay with the group.

On the other hand, if you don't like traveling alone, you enjoy the companionship of others and getting to see as much as possible in the time you've got, a guided tour or cruise may be just the thing for you.

6. How you like to spend your time: Take a little time to think about what you like doing before planning your trip. Do you prefer the water, or the mountains? Lying on the beach, or rock-climbing? Adrenaline rushes or visiting an art museum?

While going outside your comfort zone and trying new things can be a great experience, spending your time doing something that bores you silly or makes you uncomfortable and unhappy just doesn't make sense. Once you know what you want to do, figure out what you'll have time to do. Many times, in an effort to get the "most bang for our buck" we tend to over plan the vacation, and end up needing a vacation from the vacation when we get home! Prioritize your list, and be willing to save some activities or attractions for another trip.

7. Use the resources that are available to make your trip special and save money:

Today's travelers have numerous options when planning their vacation. You can use the Internet to find out more about the cities or countries you want to visit, check out prices, even book your flight or hotel room. If you're visiting a place for the first time, check with a travel agent, talk to someone who's "been there, done that" on an Internet Forum, or contact local chambers or commerce or travel councils to get more information about where to go, what to see and what to do.

8. Get organized: You can use trip-planning software, or your own favorite organizing system to organize and plan your trip. Don't forget things like making sure your passport and picture ID are up-to-date, finding out if travel insurance is something you need, and how and where to exchange your money. The more organized you are in the beginning, the better vacation you'll have.

9. Pack lightly: Most of us take too much on a vacation, and end up lugging heavy suitcases and other bags along filled with items that we either don't use or don't need. When planning your trip, look at your wardrobe and pack as lightly as you can. Take only what you'll really need, and remember that if you forget or end up needing something, chances are you can get it once you reach your destination.

10. Have fun! Get organized, make your plans and expect the best. That way, once you're on your way, you'll be able to relax and enjoy yourself. But remember, there are very few "perfect" vacations, so if something does go wrong, try to relax and "go with the flow" as much as possible. Experienced travelers say that sometimes their best vacations have been the ones where the unexpected happened.

Final note: One of the most visited european spots is Venice. Here are a few tips to entice you to visit this charming city, before it sinks!

No, I don't mean that the casual tourist is in danger of seeing Venice sink into the lagoon or anything. Well, not today anyway. What I meant was that some folks with great talent aren't satisfied with simply pushing a tiny button on top of a digital camera enough times to eventually come up with a Venice Photo Essay. No, they take out the old sketchbook and apply a bunch of talented scribbles that eventually turn their bits of white paper into something that people want to pay good money for. I'm talking sketchers and painters, devotees of the ancient, fussy, and time consuming way to produce fine images.

Marion Boddy-Evans of About's Painting site is one such talented person. Her Pages from a Venice Scrapbook is an evocative peek at essential Venice--so good it's bound to make you wish you had paid attention in art class instead of stuffing all those spitballs down your milk straw and taking aim at the weird guy in the corner when the teacher wasn't looking. Shame on you.

Marion also has a photo feature on Artists in Venice. Just like the guy in the upper left, except he's painting in Lucca. Find out more of Venice Photo Essay by going to: http://goeurope.about.com/cs/venice/a/venice_pics.htm

About The Author
Dan Farrell is the owner of http://www.venetianlasvegashome.com which highlights travel saving tips and the Venetian Hotel, Las Vegas. He also offers a free newsletter, "Travel Tips You Never Thought Of".

How To Get The Best Hotel Deal

Should I book through an agent to get a hotel deal?

This really depends on where on the world you want to travel, what time of year you want to travel, and how far in advance you can book your hotel reservations. You already checked the popular travel web sites. Try checking the hotels' web sites directly. Sometimes, you can get a better deal by booking directly with a hotel than through a booking agent.

Which website to use finding hotel deals?

No one site will always have the best hotel deals. You have to check around to find the web site for the hotels you're interested in, call the 800 number and the hotel itself. A lot of deals are unique to one venue or another. Also, ask about AAA, AARP rates etc. And then check a week or two beforehand to see if anything new has popped up.

Most people do not know about hotel deals.

Everyone seems paranoid about getting the best airfares when in fact we find that the lodging costs are usually the biggest expense when we go on vacation. Maybe it’s because airline travel is much more a commodity: there's much less variation (and much less choice) among air carriers than among hotels, so it makes more sense to compare them on price.

A lot of people seem to go out of their way to $25 on an air ticket but ignore the fact that they could also save $25/day on a hotel room. The same hotel room; e.g. AARP rates are typically a 10% discount.

What service to expect from a hotel deal.

Someone paying rack rate would expect the top quality service. If you pay at a discounted rate, should you expect less?

If you get lower-quality service because of the discount, is that really a discount at all? Discount means you pay less and still get the same service, does it not?

Of cause you it does; I expect the same service in any case. Do you really think that the hotel staff carries around a printout showing which customers paid which rate? Do you get fewer peanuts on the airline flight you booked 60 days in advance, also?

What kind of room can you expect when you got a hotel deal?

What is up with the way hotels and motels assign guests their rooms? In all of our travels we've been amazed at how, when checking into nearly empty hotels/motels, we're always given the least convenient room while the rest of the property remains empty.

If you don't state a preference, then you generally get whatever the desk clerk spots first, or you get the least desirable rooms, so they can keep the better ones available for people who care enough to request them. People who get the worst rooms are often those who: 1. The check-in person think will not complain about it, 2. They got a good internet deal or other deal.

Most people make their preference known when they make their reservations if they have one. Each designation has its advantages and disadvantages; upstairs at the back is usually quietest. "Down and in" (downstairs on the non-parking-lot side) usually has easy access to the pool, and no headlights in your window. "Up and out" lets you keep an eye on your car, but again, with less headlights and slightly less noise than the "down and out" that you can park right in front of.

Final word about hotel deals.

So don’t be shy or embarrassed about getting a discount from your hotel deal. And don’t be afraid to expect the same service.

About The Author
Derek Gardner
Huge amounts of Hotel Quality Information on this website – Go there. http://www.hotel.infostairs.com/