Although the floating laminate was the best flooring solution for Ethan’s room due to his allergy, I still felt that something was missing. Unlike wall-to-wall carpeting, I found an area rug to be a great choice because it’s easy to clean and maintain while still being warm and visually appealing. It made the perfect spot for everything from playing with Legos and practising gymnastics to telling stories or colouring sketches. 

However, choosing the right kids space rug wasn’t as easy as it sounds. Stains and the ability to withstand strain with frequent use are some of the common issues with kids rugs. It was important for me to find a user-friendly children’s rug that could accommodate our lifestyle and wasn’t difficult to clean. If you too are looking for a kids rug, here are some of the things you might want to have at the back of your mind.

Your Child’s Age

As you may know, children’s habits and preferences change quite frequently. This is why, before picking a rug for your kid’s room, you need to consider their age.

Choosing a nursery rug is quite easy. Considering the fact that you’ll be the only one who will actually make use of and appreciate the rug, you can feel free to pick whatever you like as long as it fits the room decor. A toddler’s rug, however, will actually be used by the toddler during playtime and crawling. This means you’ll need to choose something that is soft and plush to give warmth to your child. Look for a natural material such as cotton and try to find a stain-resistant rug that can also be machine washed. You can also opt for an educational kids space rug that promotes complex play in toddlers.

By the time your child starts school, you can change the room decor and choose a low pile rug. These rugs are easy to walk on, study, rest and play with toys. This is the time when children love to stay on the ground and explore the entire space of the room, but also use the floor as a table and playground. In terms of colour and patterns, you can begin to introduce more geometric shapes by now or even letters, cars, plants, etc, to help your kid learn.

To stimulate the sense of style and design of older children, include them in the new rug decision. To help them in their decision, introduce them to mid-century modern designs, kilims, Oriental rugs or Bohemians ones, and choose whichever matches the decor of the room.

Pick a Theme

Themes are a great thing to consider in a design process because they allow the room to tell a story through colours and patterns, without being too overwhelming or confusing. If your kid’s room is full of colours, apply that to the rug as well. If it has a paler shade, you can go for a shabby chic rug. Try to stick to a colours scheme and pull inspiration from the furniture or wall. You don’t need to be too literal in preserving the theme through the design of the rug. 

Try Bold Coloured Rugs

We, adults, tend to go with the common pastel palette for area rugs, to keep things safe. Kids, on the other hand, appreciate a pop of colour on their floors. Colour stimulates their imagination and creativity and makes the room look more fun instead of boring. So don’t be afraid to choose a bold colour and make it an accent piece. 

Read the Rug Tag

It’s extremely important that you take a look at the properties of the rug before you buy it. Natural materials such as wool, cotton, jute, bamboo and silk are safer options for children. A machine-washable and water-resistant rug is the best option when it comes to keeping the rug clean and germ-free at all times without much effort. You’ll also want to look for a “stain-resistant” tag. Trust me, you will really appreciate this feature in the long run.

And if your child is an allergy suffer like my Ethan, know that there are hypoallergic rug options available that can improve your home’s air quality and trap allergens. A polypropylene rug is one of them. The polypropylene fibres have the ability to repel allergens and inhibit mould growth, meaning they won’t house or release allergens into the air. Wool area rugs are another great option. Wool is a natural non-allergenic fibre that also prevents the growth of bacteria and dust mites. Aside from that, wool also wicks away moisture, helping to prevent mould build-up.

Listen to Your Kid

It’s easy for us parents to get caught up in a design and let inspiration thrive. However, before making the final decision on what rug to buy, you need to realize that when it comes to a kids bedroom, you’re not the boss – your kids are! So, listen carefully to what your child likes.