We all want a perfect Pinterest playroom—a beautiful, well-organized play space for our kids to create, laugh, and be happy. But not many parents can justify buying 12 rattan baskets, three shelving units, and a plush ottoman all in one day. And that’s ok.

Your kids don’t care about the dollar value of their playroom decor. They care about having fun and being kids. The good news is that you don’t have to compromise your aesthetic tastes to create a playroom that’s fun and affordable. Here are some great DIY playroom ideas that make room for kids creative activities at home.

Playroom decorating ideas that don’t cost a fortune

1. Repurpose jars and bottles

From pickle jars to tiny spice bottles, wash them out and keep them. Not only to they make great storage containers for craft supplies like pens, paints, and beads—they also give the room an attractive, eclectic look. You can even turn your jars into craft projects with paint, markers, stickers, and more!

2. Up-cycle shoe boxes

Did you know that you can turn a shoebox into a beautiful storage basket in about fifteen minutes with a hot glue gun, an old pillow case, and some wrapping paper or twine? The colors, patterns, and options are nearly endless—and all of them are cheaper than buying a rattan basket.

3. DIY shelving for small spaces

Nine times out of ten, a piece of MDF and some wall fasteners are going to be cheaper than buying shelves. And they’re not hard to install, either! If you don’t already have tools on hand (screws, a level, a screwdriver), a friend or family member probably does. Try using shelves to create more storage space. Try placing shelves at low heights as an alternative to a table. It’s a great way to make room for kids activities in a small space. You can even paint them to blend with your walls—that’ll make the room look bigger.

4. Make your own wall stencils

You don’t have to be an artist to use this easy alternative to expensive wall decals. Just draw your pattern (stars, leaves, whatever your kid likes) on a piece of card stock, cut it out with an exact-o knife, and paint over the stencil. For bigger wall art, like trees and mountains, try using painter’s tape to create the outline on the wall, then paint.

5. Make comfy sitting areas on the floor

Sure, floating egg chairs and overstuffed armchairs are pretty. But if you’re like most people, you already have extra pillows and blankets on hand in a linen closet. Use these to create a super comfy “nest” in a corner of your play area. It makes a great book nook or nap spot. You can even use spare sheets to create a little tent.

6. Paint a wall with chalkboard paint

Not only does a chalkboard wall look striking, it also allows kids to create on a whim and use a huge canvas. Kids love drawing on the walls, and so do adults! A can of chalkboard paint won’t break the piggy bank, and one can will be more than enough. Check out this post for more chalkboard wall ideas.

7. Shop craft supplies from your recycling bin

Looking for affordable activities for kids? Try saving your cardboard boxes, paper towel tubes, sheets of bubble wrap, and more. Paired with tape, paint, or markers, they’re the building blocks for an amazing fort, a pirate’s spyglass, and good old fashioned creative fun. Not only do recycled craft supplies save you money, they also give your child so many more opportunities to use their imagination and create their own craft ideas during playtime.

When you put love and effort into your kids room, it shows. Saving money is just icing on the cake of imaginative play, little giggles, and your child’s growing creativity. Making your own playroom decor? Share your great ideas with the hashtag #PlayRelay on Facebook or Instagram for a chance to be featured on our blog!

New leaves are sprouting.

Pack up the heavy jackets.

The clock springs forward.

That was our springtime haiku—because the first day of spring is almost here! And it’s the perfect time for outdoor play, especially since you’re about to get an extra hour of daytime after school! (Thank you, daylight savings!)

And what better way to get your kid ready for outdoor adventures than making them a ready-to-roll adventure pack full of everything they need to have fun and stay safe in the neighborhood? No need to buy anything fancy, either. You can put this pack together using things you have around the house! Here’s what you’ll need:

Essential adventure kit supplies:

1. Small backpack (a drawstring one is fine)

2. Sunscreen

3. Bug Spray

4. Relay

5. Water Bottle

6. Snackies

7. Play kit of the day

You can keep the sunscreen and bug spray at home to apply before leaving if you want, but they’re good to have around to avoid sunburn and keep away pesky mosquitoes as the weather gets warmer. With the loop case, Relay can be clipped to their bag so it stays close when you need to reach them.

Play kit ideas for outdoor adventures

We love pretend play—it’s one of the most magical parts of being a kid! It’s easy to put together a few props to create different themed play kits. If you put the props in a gallon-sized bag, your kid can easily grab it and throw it in their adventure pack before dashing out the door. And you don’t have to break the piggy bank to put these kits together. For our imaginative kids, everyday objects and things you make yourself are amazing playtime props. Here are our top 3 favorite play kit ideas and everything you’ll need to make them.

The super-sneaky detective kit

• A magnifying glass (a toy one is fine and less breakable!)
• A notebook and pen for recording clues
• Disguises, like sunglasses and a fake mustache
• Evidence bottles (Try washing out small spice jars!)
• Tweezers (for picking up evidence like a professional)

The adventurous outdoor exploration kit

• Binoculars (real or made of cardboard tubes and tape)
• Disposable camera for snapping fantastic nature shots
• Bird, bug, or plant book (to identify the mysterious wildlife)
• Explorer’s hat and vest (optional!)
• A map of the terrain (your drawing skills are good enough, I promise!)

The notorious pirate kit

• A trusty cutlass (a foam one will do. Or a stick. Or an empty roll of wrapping paper.)
• Bandana or pirate hat (look for great sales after halloween!)
• Spyglass (try painting the cardboard tube from an empty paper towel roll!)
• Pirate Treasure (anything shiny, like plastic coins, tumbled stones, etc.)
• A treasure map (Again, your drawing skills are more than enough!)

We hope your kids have a blast this spring! And remember, when you refer your first friend to Relay, you get our on-the-go bag for free, with a drawstring bag, water bottle, and Relay sweatband. Just some food for thought. 😉

So let us know in the comments: what pretend games do your kids like to play? 

Encouraging your kids to play screen-free doesn’t mean you have to send them back to the 80’s. We live in a time of innovation, where every product—from refrigerators to wristwatches— is upping its tech game, innovating, and making products easier and more fun to use. And outdoor toys aren’t stuck in the dark ages. Razor has been integrating technology into outdoor play for almost twenty years and, like Relay, is using their technology to promote active and adventurous childhood. Curious what they’re all about? We talked to Erin Bitar at Razor about their products and the impact they’re having on kids of all ages.

So what is Razor all about?

We know wheels. Since 2000, we have been reimagining the way we move with products designed for getting around town, having fun, and enjoying the outdoors. We first transformed the scooter and turned it into a global phenomenon called The Razor A Kick Scooter. Maybe you had one. Maybe your kids or grandkids do.

We have continued to invent all types of products on wheels – launching electric scooters in 2003, then electric skateboards, hoverboards, trikes, motorbikes, to name a few.

How does Razor use modern technology to encourage active play, and what sets high tech toys apart from the classics?

We are constantly innovating our products to encourage kids to leave their screens at home and get outside. Just like innovations in computers, telecommunications, and video games, we knew that outdoor toys needed an upgrade, too! We create technology that gets kids excited about getting active alongside their friends, siblings, and families and reimagines the way people get moving.

Razor has a long history of transforming products with innovative design and cutting-edge technology. We started by giving the scooter a much-needed redesign and proceeded to not only turn old favorites into cool new products, but create entirely new outdoor toys. Advancements in technology have not only opened up our imaginations to endless possibilities of products but also inspires the imaginations of customers to think about new ways to use and have fun with our products.

How does Razor encourage less screen time for kids, and why is outdoor play so important to begin with?

We design products that use technology kids intuitively understand and want to try out. Our products encourage open-ended play—they spark kids’ curiosity and creativity, both in understanding the tech behind the toy and using it in their outdoor adventures. When kids discover open-ended play fused with new and unique technology, it’s much easier for them to forget about screen media and get active.

There are many reported benefits of active play for children as it helps with their physical and mental, and social development. Kids learn through active play and it encourages them to interact and play with other children and observe the world around them. Ultimately, active play can help create a balanced and healthy lifestyle. When kids learn to play outside from early ages, they learn how much fun and rewarding it can be. These early experiences and habits can shape the way kids have fun and enjoy spending their time. When kids play outside, it can lead to an active lifestyle through adulthood.

Excited to bring free play into the modern age with your family with Relay?

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Looking to make a playroom decor statement and give your kid something fun to do on a rainy day? Get crafty with a bucket of chalkboard paint and transform the playroom or bedroom wall into a creative kid’s dream: their very own DIY chalkboard art wall. And as an added bonus, it provides all the vertical storage space you need for art supplies and inspirational materials—it even adds family ambiance to your home decor. You can supply decorations to provide a little bit of inspiration and make space to display finished artwork.

We love this idea because it not only looks amazing and is super simple to set up, but also because it is an amazing unstructured play resource. A great big chalkboard laden with fun arts and crafts supplies inspires kids to get off the iPad, the PS4, and actually create something. It’s big, full of potential for fun activities, and just screams “DRAW ON ME!” Here’s how to turn a wall in your home into a chalkboard craft station.

Painting a kids chalkboard wall

First, find your wall. It can be in your kid’s playroom, their bedroom, or even in a family area. Here’s what you’ll need before diving in.

• Chalkboard paint
• Painter’s Tape
• A tarp or drop cloth
• A paint roller and tray
• A box of regular chalk

Step 1: Prep the wall

Start with a clean wall. Dirt, grime, and scuffs will make your chalkboard difficult to draw on. Once the wall is clean, run a drop cloth the entire length of the floor. This is especially important if you have carpet. Then, use painter’s tape to block off your baseboards. Taping the cloth to your baseboards will keep any rogue paint splatters from sneaking under your drop cloth. Then block off the ceiling and the ends of the walls with painters tape. You should end up with nice, straight lines.

Step 2: Paint the wall

Now you can start painting. Using a roller and tray, use “W” motions to coat the wall evenly in chalkboard paint. Most brands recommend 2-3 coats of paint, so this might take a while. Make sure to let each coat sit for 12-24 hours before painting over it.

Step 3: Prime the wall

After all the paint is on and all the coats are dry, you’ll need to prime the wall (with chalk, not wall primer!) If you’ve painted a large area of wall, you’ll need 5-6 pieces of regular white chalk. Just cover the entire wall with chalk dust by using the side of the chalk stick. Once the entire wall is covered, wipe it down with a dry paper towel. Think of it as rubbing chalk into the paint. If you skip priming the wall, you’re more likely to see ghosts of drawings past stick around after you try to erase them.

Decoration ideas for your chalkboard wall

So now you’ve got a blank chalkboard. Why stop there? Add utility and interest to your wall by putting in vertical storage and decor. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Shelving (we used stick-on shelves)
• Stick-on wall hooks
• Twine
• Clothespins
• Picture frames
• Tiny Buckets
• Regular and colorful chalk
• Markers and crayons
• Construction paper
• Any other art supplies you want!

Step 4: Set up your vertical storage

We only put one shelf on our chalkboard wall, but like all DIY projects, there are no rules or “right way” to do things. The more shelves you have, the more books and fun crafty things you can store. Whether you choose stick-on shelves or something more heavy-duty, place your shelves and attach them to the wall.

Shelves can hold books on drawing, origami, and other creative topics. They can hold construction paper, toys, and all sorts of materials. When kids have access to supplies and a huge canvas, they can stretch their creative muscles whenever inspiration strikes. And when they have a wide variety of creative materials and colors to choose from, they can keep trying new things. No two drawings are the same, and every new project will be a new adventure for your child.

When placing your shelf, (or shelves!) think about your child’s height and whether they’ll be able to reach their supplies. Paper, books, and less messy supplies can sit at easy reaching height. Depending on your child’s age and maturity level, you might decide to store paint, glue, and other messy supplies higher up so you can regulate when and where the mess happens. It’s worth keeping in mind that through your kid’s creative use of chairs and other furniture, this may not be a foolproof strategy.

Simple supplies like colorful chalk, crayons, and markers can be stored in the buckets,  at easy grab-and-go height. We placed our buckets on wall hooks right below the shelf. The beauty of the buckets is in their portability. Maybe your child wants to draw with crayons in the kitchen, in the backyard. Their supplies are portable and super-easy to clean up and put away.

Step 5: Get decorative!

We segmented our wall into open space and smaller spaces by removing the glass from some thrift store picture frames, then hanging the frames on the wall. That way, the kids can draw big or small. The frames also allow kids to try different artistic ideas in different frames, learn to share their space with a sibling or friend, and even use the frames as part of their imaginative designs. They can draw pictures of themselves, of family, friends, pets, creatures, and all the places—real and imaginary—that they want to go.

The chalkboard doesn’t have to be chalk-only, either. You can tape your kid’s crayon drawings and finger paintings inside the picture frames or hang a length of twine or ribbon across the board to clip drawings, A+ report cards, and childhood photos on display. You can use clothespins to easily hang up your child’s creations.

Not only is this a simple and fun craft project for parents – kids will get years of creativity, fun, and joy from it. We hope your family has a great time with it!

Screen-Free Week is here! From April 30-May 6, children and families around the world will turn off their televisions, tablets, smartphones, and gaming consoles and rediscover the joys of life beyond devices. Whether you’re wanting to break away from an unhealthy relationship with technology or simply power down and reconnect with loved ones, Screen-Free Week empowers communities across the world to turn off screens and turn on life. We’ll cover everything you need to know to join the movement with 10 Screen-Free Week activities for kids to get the entire family involved. Celebrate with us as we embark on a week full of screen-less adventures and imaginative play!

Are you worried your child spends too much time glued to their devices? You’re not alone. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average child ages 8-18 will spend about 7.5 hours per day in front of a screen — that’s over 114 full days of screen time over the course of a year! Power down and spend that extra time getting active, playing, reading, crafting, or spending quality time with family and friends. Inspire your family to dream up their own creative screen-free activities, seek new and exciting adventures together, and reclaim wholesome, unplugged family time.

New to Screen-Free Week?

Check out our Screen-Free Week survival tips to help you get you and your family through the week with ease:

Reflect on your screen time habits. The first step to making a commitment to Screen-Free Week is to understand the meaning behind the cause. It is not an exercise in deprivation, but instead an opportunity to explore new interests and make long-term changes for a healthier, more satisfying lifestyle. Challenge yourself to take a break from technology and rethink the role digital media plays in your household.

Encourage everyone in the family to get on board. The best way to get your child fully dedicated to Screen-Free Week is to lead by example. If parents are fully committed, you’ll not only motivate your child to remain committed to their pledge, but you’ll also have the opportunity to share this experience as a family.

Set realistic goals. Feeling uneasy about spending a week away from technology? There are plenty of fun and simple ways you can ease the family into Screen-Free Week and set yourself up for success! Go screen free at dinner time, tuck the phone away and organize a family game night, or trade Saturday morning cartoons for an afternoon adventure to your favorite local park. By establishing realistic goals for yourself and your family, you’ll find that even the smallest goals are hugely rewarding.

Reconnect at the dinner table. Take time to fully engage at the dinner table and include the entire family in the preparation and presentation of the meal. Get the kids in the kitchen and invent a new recipe, spice up the dining room with a crafty table setting, or throw out a blanket in the backyard for a magical moonlit picnic. Dinner time is powerful way to bring the family together and there are endless ways to revitalize the evening and create unforgettable memories.

Pencil in some awesome screen-free activities to keep the family on track. Prepare a list of activities you’d like to try throughout the week to keep the family active and engaged. Be sure to leave room in the schedule for unstructured playtime to allow your kids to create their own screen free activities. Check out this list of Screen Free events in your area and plan your next adventure!

Looking for more unplugged playtime inspiration for the family?

Check out our favorite Screen-Free Week ideas that will make your kids (and yourself) forget why you’ve been so hung up on screen time in the first place.

Use Screen-Free Week as the starting point to make long-term changes in developing a healthy and productive home. We challenge you to try something new, seek adventure, reconnect with loved ones, and experience the joys of life beyond technology. Join us as we unplug for Screen-Free Week and take this opportunity to explore new interests with the ones you love.

Tell us what you’re doing for Screen-Free Week and share your favorite unplugged family moments in our Screen-Free Week discussion on The Neighborhood!

Learn more about Screen-Free week and how you can get involved at www.screenfree.org.