If you have children, keeping the floors (and the rest of the house..) clean, can be a nightmare and becomes an ongoing exercise. Carpets can get grubby very quickly from little feet going in and out of the garden, not to mention making it difficult to manoeuvre push chairs and bikes and scooters, so what is the best kind of floor to have with messy and creative children?

Ideally you want something easy to clean, durable and that won’t end up getting scratched to pieces by wheels, toys, building blocks and anything else children want to throw onto it. But there are all sorts of other things to think about so here is a quick rundown on picking the right floor for kids.

Chris from IB Flooring agreed “People quite often buy flooring because it looks nice and then it turns out to be a nightmare to keep nice, especially when you have kids running about.”

1. How do I choose the right flooring?

When choosing the flooring for your home, think about where it’s going to go – is it a really busy area, like an entrance hallway or play room or kitchen, where your children spent a lot of time running around and playing with their toys, dragging in bikes and prams? If so, then you need to go for durability and practicality.

In a room where they don’t spend so much active time, like a bedroom, or a TV room, you could choose a different type of flooring and would probably be fine with a dark coloured carpet in these types of rooms.

You also need to think about safety issues and the ages of your children – if they are young toddlers, just starting to work, then avoid floors which are very slippery, and wooden flooring does tend to fall into this category. Older children are not so likely to experience this problem.

2. What types of flooring should I consider?

While an elegant hardwood floor might be durable and easy to clean, it is not going to be scratch resistant and might also be too hard for young heads when children have a tumble while playing, so probably not the best option for kids, however much you might like the look of it as parents.

Bamboo and cork flooring are very popular at the moment due to the green credentials, however, when it comes to being robust enough to handle messy and creative children these types of floors are not so likely to last under all of the daily wear and tear.

Wooden flooring and vinyl or laminate floors are the best options for areas where children are going to be spending a lot of time, coming in and out, playing and actively using the floor so look for these flooring materials in the rooms with the most family traffic. With wooden flooring you can go for engineered wood or veneer which gives you easy installation. If you are looking for less slippery floors to avoid accidents, vinyl tends to have more grip than wooden flooring.

3. 3. How will the flooring be installed?

If you are having a new floor installed and you have children, one of the things to think about is the actual physical installation – keeping children out of the way but also, depending on the type of flooring, if it is being set with glue it could involve nasty fumes.

It might be worth looking into floated flooring which doesn’t need glue or fastening and also means you can do the work yourself as well as reducing the risk to your children’s health. Floors which can be floated include plastic laminate, ceramic tiles, lino and engineered wood.

It also means the floor is very easy to replace if it did get damaged or once the kids have left home or grown out of all the scratchy toys and you can finally get the elegant wooden floor you always wanted!

Conclusion

When installing flooring for messy and creative children you need to consider several aspects including durability, safety, scratches and scuffs, and also how easy it is to clean. You need a floor that will survive daily family life without becoming a complete mess.

Opting for a floating floor will make installation quicker, easier and with no fumes, and will also allow you to change the floor very simply at a later date, perhaps once the kids have grown older, or when the floor is beyond its best and needs replacing again.

Think about the area it will be in, the installation process and also make sure it fits with the overall aesthetic of the house, so that you don’t end up with a practical floor which just looks hideous!

Choosing a plastic greenhouse makes sense when looking to replace your greenhouse glass this Summer.

Check out greenhouse glazing here, cast acrylic sheets online.

Participating and making home crafts and arts has been an output of creativity, bond, and fun, it has a wonderful benefit to the children. Little did we know but, home craft and arts contribute developmental benefits, the five developmental benefits of art and crafts to the children are:

Bilateral coordination. Arts and craft require the use of both hands together, this skill can be used in other areas of our lives, such as writing, typing and tying the shoe lace.

Fine motor coordination. To cut patterns, draw shapes, it requires the fine motor coordination. This skill can be translated to dressing and eating.

Self-regulation. Crafts need a lot of patience. This can teach your child to demonstrate self-control and patience, it promotes flexibility and exploration with one’s creativity.

Self-esteem booster. Children can find the crafts challenging, yet choose arts and crafts that are at their skill level. A sense of accomplishment and pride as the child finishes the craft. Add more and more challenges as your child continues to excel.

Bonding and fun. Your children will love to spend time with you and create different home crafts together.

Image credits: home craft ideas

In need of home crafts and arts for the Christmas season? You do not have to worry! Here are three crafts with the steps to follow.

Snow Flakes

• Trace a circle on a white construction paper
• Cut out the circle
• Fold the circle in half 3 times
• Draw shapes from the edges with a pencil
• Use scissors to cut along the designs

Cotton Ball Snowman

• Make three circles for the outline of your snow man. Fill in each circle with glue completely
• Stick cotton balls in the glue circles to form your snowman
• Use chopsticks, small tongs, or tweezers to pick up and place the cotton balls
• Be creative and give your snow man a face and accessories

Cards for friends and family

• Fold a piece of construction paper in half and decorate.
• Write your message in pencil and have your child trace
• Attach a picture of the friend or family member
• Use holiday inspired stencils and have your child trace onto the card

There are a lot of different crafts you could make for your home. If you have a spare time on a day, well probably, you could make one or more! Here are some home crafts for you.

Lovely Placemats. You might have shabby clothes in your wardrobe, why not get those, cut it out and stitch it into placemats! At least you can use it during any celebrations you’ll have at home, it’ll add to a lovely dining time.

Mason Jars. You better look for old mason jars or look for some because you’re going to make each one of these as displays in your home. You can use these jars as flower containers and decorate it to look gorgeous. You may use these as well as candle jars. Add some string on its neck part and hang it anywhere!

Whiskey Barrels. I think almost all have old barrels at home! Haven’t used it for so long? Try to repurpose your barrels at home. It’s a clever idea for you to keep a rustic item and turn it into a trendy one. Make it as a stand for decorations. Make it look like a pub table or an outdoor table. You just need a little furnish of it! It can also be a barrel trash can. Oh boy, garbage never looks so good but it will now!

We recommend Deepsouthbarrels for small whiskey barrels

and the Blog Whiskeytangoglobetrot: small whiskey barrels

Stock Tanks. It’s crazy how people have imaginative minds to create ideas for a stock tank. Try to make it as a planter in front of your house. Add some alluring plants or flowers to make it look astonishing. Sensing a hot degree weather? Why not make your stock tanks into a backyard pool to keep you cool on a hot day.

Porch Swing. Pull out your working instruments! Putting up your own porch swing can be an additional adornment on your porch and a relaxing spot.  Although it may work one’s finger to the bones, the end result will be worth it!

Wood Wine Rack. Turn your barn wood into a wine rack! It may be rustic and unsophisticated but once you remodel it, it’ll turn to an intricate one. You can add or use heavy-duty screws to hang your rack in the kitchen or dining room!

Revive an obsolete flower. Implant flowers onto a candle by sticking dried flowers to the surface, then over-dipping in clear wax. Crafting like this is a distinct one especially when the shape of a flower and/or leaves is fascinating.

Flower Napkin Rings. Fresh flowers die a little faster, why not buy a faux one on a craft store and sew it on to regular hair ties in pairs or individually and make it as napkin rings. It will help illuminate your table setting!