Mom Filled This Bedroom With Furniture That Will Encourage Her Toddler To Be Independent

Be honest moms and dads — even if you assign rooms to your kids, you’d still want them to sleep with you up to a certain age. Of course, this doesn’t mean you won’t spend time making sure the children's bedrooms are safe and comfortable.

This is the same reason why mom Mikee Patrixia spent two months completing the bedroom of her 18-month-old daughter, Kamea. “I’ve always wanted to have a Montessori home but with a probinsya feel — a home without baby gates, a home that has freedom within limits, and a home that fosters independence — a prepared environment,” she shares in an interview with SmartParenting.com.ph.

Reading the Montessori Notebook inspired Mikee in creating a Pinterest-worthy bedroom for her baby. Beyond the style that’s truly #goals, every nook is well-thought-out.

“I want to teach her that her bedroom is a place where she can dress up, read a book, and care for herself. I want her to have a space for herself. Right now, she takes her afternoon naps there and we’ve just recently transitioned her to sleep in the room during bedtime,” she explains.

The house, which is in Seattle, Washington, is every inch a Pinoy home. Mikee made sure to bring in pieces that’s reminiscent of their house in the Philippines — from the rattan and wooden touches, to the plants and other nature-inspired décor.

“In creating this bedroom, I learned that Montessori doesn’t have to be expensive. It’s a way of life and I learned that a prepared environment works. Doing all of this for my daughter is worth it because she is thriving and she is loving her own little space,” Mikee says.

 

 

How to design a toddler bedroom

Take a peek inside Kamea’s peg-worthy bedroom below and get a few ideas for your own little one’s space:

The floor bed has been Kamea’s for over a year. To match the overall look, the sleeping space is anchored with a carpet that’s reminiscent of a banig.

The bedroom has four key areas: the bed, the self-care station, the reading corner, and the sensory table. “I settled on this look because it’s appropriate for her age. She can put her shoes away, choose a dress, put her dress back, get a book, read a book, and play with toys. She can open the door by herself, too,” explains Mikee.

Kamea’s floor bed is purchased online at sprout-kids.com. Instead of adding side tables, Mikee chose to place two baskets where blankets and stuffed toys are kept. 

The baskets and rattan plates used as wall accents are secondhand finds. “These décor pieces are light and secured to the wall. I want to make sure that all the décor I put up are light so that if she ever tries to take them down, it wouldn’t fall on her so she wouldn’t get hurt,” explains Mikee. 

According to Mikee, this used to be a closet but she decided to remove the door and replaced it with curtains. She made sure she has a set number of clothes on display – two choices each for shirt, pants, underwear, socks, jacket, and hat.

Mikee made sure to bring in an alphabet poster, a selection of books, and a rocking chair from Goodwill. “I also added plants she can take care of to teach her about caring for the environment,” she says.

Allowing Kamea to do things on her own is important for Mikee. “Babies are smarter that we think if only we give them a chance. Show, tell, and observe from a distance. Let them explore freely without limits,” she explains.

To fellow parents who want to revamp their kids’ rooms, Mikee suggests practicing less is more. “Practice rotation – for toys, books, and clothes. If we have a lot of stuff in front of us, we get overwhelmed and so do our babies,” she explains.

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