In planning the upcoming shared bedroom of our 5-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter—and the adjacent modest playroom—I’ve given much thought to what creates a successful playroom. Successful, to me, meaning the right blend of encouraging and enriching children through their environment without their space overtaking the house.

Since my son was a baby, I began setting up his things in a way that intuitively made sense to me. Minimalist and organized yet completely accessible to him (and now his sister). I’ve come to realize that much of my aesthetic/environment decisions coincides with a domestic version of the Montessori educational philosophy. Maria Montessori, founder of the teaching method, recognized the innate ability of children to guide their own educational process within a “prepared environment.” Environment and process are key.

Lisa Mahar, founder of Kid O [http://www.kidonyc.com], a children’s boutique founded upon this educational philosophy, has some inspiring insights and products that support this idea. She is also personally, as a mother of three, featured in Cookie Magazine’s archives—search with her name for the article.

In all of the aesthetic designing and dreaming we do, one of the most important spaces to get right is the space that will help our kiddies grow independent and confident. It doesn’t hurt things that we as parents want to love the spaces we create as much as them.

Happy playing.