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Learning and development is so important for toddlers and babies, as this is the period of the most rapid brain development that helps with establishing fundamental skills like language, problem-solving and social interaction. Having an environment that promotes this within your home will help this development stage be even more effective, hence why creating the perfect baby room for your newborn is considered essential.
It can take months of pre-planning during the pregnancy stage to get everything ready in your baby room before you give birth. Most people wait until they find out the gender of their baby before they begin to plan the room, but you can start even earlier by incorporating neutral tones as a baseline for the baby room. Everything from the wall decor to the flooring choice to the toy selection can be integral to the design of a baby room that successfully encourages learning.
This guide will give you insight into how you can design your baby room to help your newborn learn and develop, as you lay the groundwork for their future success. Whether you’re currently pregnant or planning to have a baby in the future, make sure to continue reading.
Baby Room Decor Ideas for Learning and Development
Visual Stimulants
Having visual stimulation is so important for babies, as it’s one of the main ways to boost their brain development which can help them to learn more about their environment. It can help your baby to become more focused, as well as boost their tracking skills as a connection begins to develop between their eyes and brain. So much learning happens through the eyes at this age, so you need to ensure that your baby’s eyes are constantly stimulated.
To offer more stimulation to your newborn, you need to think about the images and colours that are used throughout the baby room. Having high contrasting colours like black and white can be very beneficial for your baby, as it helps them better differentiate between different shapes so they can focus more with their newly developing eyesight.
Adding mirrors throughout the room is also a great idea for visual stimulation, as it can teach babies about their reflection and give them something fun that they can interact with in the room. You can place small mirrors around the room or go for a whole wall mirror for maximum impact, as this will create the illusion of more space.
Natural Materials
Your baby room furniture and decor being made from natural materials can be very beneficial, as they are usually designed to be visually appealing and safe for young children. Interacting with natural materials rather than harsh plastic toys that can have sharp parts to them, plus artificially smooth plastic toys don’t offer the same sensory experience.
Wooden toys will feel a lot nicer in the hand of your baby, so they will be better stimulated. This can also be a cheaper option for you, as you can purchase wooden toys second-hand at a baby shop due to them being a great timeless baby room accessory. Having a range of fabric elements in the baby room can provide many different textures, design elements and tactile experiences for the baby that they will enjoy.
Simplicity
Having too much furniture and accessories in a baby room can overstimulate your newborn and can make it difficult for them to fully explore their surroundings. This can halt their brain development and restrict them from the important adventure aspect that they need at such an age. Instead, you should opt for a “less is more” approach to the baby room and design it with simplicity and minimalist design in mind.
A great way of achieving simplicity in your baby room decor is having smart storage solutions that help avoid clutter. Creating a small shelf with a selection of items for your baby to interact and play with can boost their learning and development, as you can switch out the items now and again to keep their minds regularly stimulated.
The inclusion of a wood or fabric play gym can be great for stimulating development while also keeping things simple in your baby room. Placing this in a corner of the room can give your baby plenty of space left over to explore, as they crawl across the floor to play with their favorite toys.
Area Separation
Having separate areas for different activities is a Montessori baby room interior design method. For example, you can incorporate a play area within your baby room that is specifically designed to encourage play and active learning. A corner of the room dedicated to sleep will also be important, as sleep is hugely important for brain development, with newborns typically needing 12–16 hours of sleep a day.
Having a floor bed in your baby’s room is the perfect solution. It gives your baby a comfortable place to sleep and nap without having any bars restricting their movement. They can also become more independent with this, as they can roll and scoot around much easier than they would if they had to sleep in a cot.
Safety
You should always make sure the interior design of your baby room is completely safe for your newborn to explore without any potential dangers being present. With personal exploration and independence being so vital for learning and development, you will want to make sure that your baby can get around safely. Having any sharp corners layered with a protective cover should be a necessity and replacing any hard toys with softer options will also be beneficial.
Installing a safety gate to the doorway of the room can keep your baby safe and give you a way to easily keep an eye on your newborn so that you know they’re all well and good. Keeping them within the area you have carefully created for their development is so crucial for their early years, as it's the place that will give them the most development.
Author Bio: Darcy Fowler
After completing a University degree in Journalism, Darcy Fowler has dedicated a lot of time to interior design, exterior design and home decor, completing multiple home design projects in the process. Darcy is determined to provide interesting and insightful content with the hope of inspiring others. She has a big ambition to establish herself in the world of home renovation and design journalism.
