I have shared before how my toddler’s room is the smallest room in the house. The challenge has always been creating enough storage for his toys, while still having enough room to play with the toys. This past Christmas, we decided to give him a train set. Once it arrived, we realized that it was much larger than anticipated. We were left with a toy that he plays with daily, but considerably less floor space.
I knew that I had to scale down my original vision for a reading nook, and sadly I had to ignore the 37 Pinterest pins that I would model it after. One of the challenges was not having enough wall space to put all his books for his new reading nook. I decided to put away all of his bulky books in a different area of the room and instead purchase some inexpensive books that I found at World Market. They were all very thin and all the same size. I chose books with cute covers…ahem…I mean, books that he would be interested in.
I placed all these books on a small ledge that was meant for picture frames. It worked like a charm!
I purchased a chair from Pottery Barn Kids that coordinated with his room. I also placed a small pillow above the chair, that he tosses on the floor when he “reads” there instead.
I think my project worked because I immediately saw this.
And then I saw this. That little kid melts me.
Here is one last picture of the nook from far away so that you can see how tight the area is, but somehow it works!
So don’t be discouraged if your toddler’s room seems too small for a reading nook. Reading nooks feel more cozy when they are in a little corner, anyway. It’s never too early (or too late) to encourage them to read!
Do your kids have reading nooks? Are they in a corner, under a window or in a closet? Share with me your thoughts and ideas!
Also, make sure to stop by Graceful Order for more tips on how to organize your space!
-Maria
Maria Gonzalez
Maria Gonzalez is the talented blogger behind Graceful Order, where she blogs about organizing, cleaning and entertaining. She lives in sunny Florida with her husband and two boys. She's passionate about living a healthy, balanced life. A life where she is in charge of her home and not the other way around. A life with a little bit of order, and a whole lot of grace! Visit her at http://gracefulorder.com.
Tags: kids room, organizing
August 2014, Blog, contributors, Organize, Other Spaces Posted in
9 comments
9 comments on “Reading Nook for Toddlers”
Oh I LOVE this, and so would my son! I think the small space is perfect. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! I’m Glad you liked it!
This is so adorable! My son just turned 2 and got the same, exact Pottery Barn chair for his birthday! (Same colors, font… everything!) 🙂 We are contemplating moving him to our smallest bedroom (now an office) when we have baby #2 (someday), and I’ve been wondering what we’ll do with his current reading corner (which includes a large 5-shelf bookcase that will NOT be moving to his new, smaller room). This is a perfect solution! Thanks so much for the inspiration. Can’t wait to check out your blog, too!
P.S. Matthew is such a cutie! My son has moppy hair like yours. Don’t ya just love it?! 🙂
Thanks Jen! And yes, I love that hair! Haha!
Congrats on your lovely nook! I couldn’t agree with you more about creating areas to read no matter how small. We have a tiny house, but every room has a bookcase (the bathrooms even collect books!). We have several simple wooden footstools with embroidered tops that have been handed down over the years from our grannies. Over time those footstools have found their way to the bookcases and our now 9 y.o. is found throughout the day hunkered down with a book. They are great for sitting and reaching. Simple has worked very well for us and made a reader out of our girl. (I’m stealing your picture frame idea to put in the bathroom–it’ll be perfect!)
Thanks Leslie! I love catching kids reading without being told. The love of reading will help them for the rest of their lives!
Aww this is so cute and practical. Love it, thanks for sharing!
🙂 Thank you!