A playroom is a special place for your children – it allows them to play with their friends and siblings, let their imaginations run wild, and enjoy playing and learning with their toys and books. So of course you want to encourage their creativity and give them a space to get active, get inspired, and to have fun. We’ll help you get started!

Check out some of our favorite playroom themes and ideas to take your kid’s play space to the next level:

Race You to the Playroom

Image via http://houzz.com/

Does your little girl or boy love cars? Why not create a car-themed playroom for them? Create this theme using bright red paint on the walls, racecar artwork, and stack the bookshelf with books and movies about cars.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Install a racecar bed or buy car-themed sheets for mid-play naps
• Paint a racetrack on the wall using magnetic paint and add magnets to the race cars you already have
• Stack two (clean!) tires and place a wooden board or a piece of glass on top to make a nightstand table
• Hang up checkered banners or race flags

The Royal Treatment

Image via http://cimots.com/

Every proper prince or princess needs a fairytale-inspired playroom! Create a fairytale playroom with enchanting paintings or quotes, castle toys (such as fancy crowns), and of course, lots of books full of fairytale adventures!

Here are some more ideas to give your kids the royal treatment:

• Create your own princess tutu table
• Stock the closet with dress-up clothes, plastic jewelry, and crowns
• Paint the walls royal purple (we love glitter paint!)
• Design your castle with drawings, toys, and books about courageous princes and princesses

Artist Inspiration

Image via http://potterybarnkids.com 

Design a space where your budding Picasso will be able to get messy and create their masterpieces. A colorful environment will inspire your kids in their own artwork – display their creations up on the walls and make sure to keep plenty of supplies in the room.

What you’ll need to create the perfect playroom for your little artist:

• An easel with drawing paper
• Special spot reserved for your children’s award-winning drawings
• Artist tools of chalk, washable paint, crayons, and colored pencils!
• A nice big table where your kids can make their masterpiece (try this DIY kid’s play table)

Underwater Playroom

Image via http://etsy.com

Fun ocean playrooms are always in style! Create your underwater theme by painting the walls blue and adding decals or paintings of cute ocean animals and coral reefs with seaweed.

Don’t forget to accessorize:

• Brightly colored furniture
• Lots of stuffed ocean animals
• A mermaid costume for your little girl or boy
• Books about the ocean and its inhabitants

Perhaps all your current playroom needs is a little more color – try adding rugs or curtains to instantly brighten up the room, or hang large artwork on the walls!

How is your playroom decorated? Have we inspired you with these creative playrooms? Please share in the comments below!

Are you ready for some football? The Super Bowl is quickly approaching so it’s time to start getting ready for the party! Were you not able to find a babysitter? No problem! We’ll help you enjoy the big game as a family with these kid-friendly Super Bowl party ideas and tips!

Image via parentmap.com

We’re sure you’ll easily make 1st and 10 with these tips:

1. Invite their friends. Especially if your kid is an only child, let them invite a friend over. They can make crafts together and if they’re uninterested in watching the game, can go play in the other room.
2. Find healthier options. It can be easy to just pick up chips and wings for the game, but try to find healthier options. Make fruit skewers and football shaped turkey burgers.
3. Get crafty! Make fun football crafts, such as football-shaped necklaces and team flags made out of construction paper. Pick up some football stickers at the store while you’re getting groceries!
4. Decorate the house. Use your kid’s football crafts to decorate the living room and use as party favors for your gifts. They’ll love seeing their work of art displayed for everyone to see!
5. Make a game out of the game. Play I-Spy and have the kids search for objects during the game that start with a specific letter. Also, during the halftime show, have your kids get up and dance to the music!
6. Strike a pose! Create a Super Bowl party photo booth with a black and white striped background and football printout accessories. Set up a camera on a timer and take silly photos as a family.
7. Rate the commercials. Create a 1-5 numbering system for the funniest commercials. Ask your kids what they liked about each commercial and what they would have done differently to make it more entertaining.
8. Play active games! While you’re waiting for a play to be reviewed or during lengthy commercials, play crab football. Hold a soft football without using your hands and put it in the end zone by walking like a crab!
9. Test their knowledge. Teach your kids about the in and out of football and sportsmanship by testing their knowledge. Create a Super Bowl party quiz with fun facts about each team and the sport.
10. Become a cheerleader. Make or get some pom poms for your kids to cheer with during the game. Have them create their own unique cheers to push their favorite team to victory!

With these tips, your Super Bowl party is sure to score a touchdown with your whole family! We want to know, what are your plans for this year’s game? Please share in the comments below!  

Here at GeoPalz, we believe in the power of play and creativity for children. Kids can be healthy through active games and creative through holiday crafts. Wouldn’t it be great if we could combine the two?

To have creative play, we’ve compiled some active crafts to make with your kids:

Pom Pom Poppers 

Incorporate an active craft and a fun activity with pom pom poppers! They’re quick and easy to make using plastic cups, balloons, and pom poms. See how far your kids can launch the pom pom, but make sure they’re not aiming at each other

Bathtub Fishing 

Do your kids love fishing, but it’s too cold outside to go catch a fish? Bring the fishing fun inside by filling up a bathtub with blue coloring, assorted toys, and playful magnets. Your little ones have to fish for the magnets!

Marble Run Box

Reuse an old toy box to create this marble run perfect for your little tike. Choose the height and angle of the ramp for the marbles to run down by creating more cardboard panels. Decorate the box in wrapping paper or stickers to personalize it!

Trophy Awards

Incorporate a traveling family trophy to award your kids for all their fun and games! Their simple to make, you just need a toilet paper roll and two cardboard cutout award pieces. Your kids can decorate them however they like!

For more fun kid-friendly activities and crafts, visit our Creativity Unleashed Pinterest board. Try something new with your kids this weekend!

How do you make active crafts with your kids? Please share in the comments below!

‘Tis the season to decorate the tree with your kids and place cookies out for Santa. The holidays offer many wonderful things to do together as a family, including making fun crafts! Holiday crafts make a simple, but treasured gift to the grandparents and aunts and uncles in your family.

Make some of these sweet holiday crafts with your kids for a special moment they will treasure:

Handmade Snowmen Ornaments

Paint your kid’s hand white and have them grasp a Christmas ornament to make these unique snowmen ornaments. Make these every year to see how much they have grown!

Fingerprint Holiday Wreaths

Send handmade holiday cards to your friends and family! Dip your little ones thumb in green paint to make the wreath and fingertips dipped in red paint create the berries.

Snowflakes Good Enough to Eat 

All you need is toothpicks and gum drops to make this sweet ornament. Let the kids creative with the color combinations, and maybe sneak in a treat or two.

Elf Tree Forest

Make an entire elf tree forest for your kid’s Elf on the Shelf buddy! Have your kids decorate half of a paper plate and roll it into a cone shape. Attach it to a twig for the finishing touches.

For more holiday crafts, visit our Feel the Holiday Spirit Pinterest board. If you have fun crafts you make with your kids every year, we want to know about them!  Please share in the comments below.