Forces such as curiosity and a desire for mastery get involved in a child's play just as they do in learning to crawl or to stand. A young child does not really differentiate between play and other activities: In fact, playing is his primary vehicle for learning in the early years, and you will want to provide the best possible environment for him to play in.
A child who is old enough to be let out of sight should have free run of the communal parts of your home, to wander and play in at will unless he is making a mess you cannot tolerate at a given moment. But he also needs a piace thhat is particularly his, matched to his abilities, interests and age. The size of she area is not the most important consideration; it can be a separate playroom or even the corner of a bedroom shared with a sibiing, But it is important that the youngster be in charge of the space.
Naturally, the play area should contain nothing dangerous. Floor coverings are important; an ideal play area might offer some carpeted area and some bare floor. Storage shouid be open, since toys are more accessible on shelves than in chests. Nothing should be kept there except what belongs to the child, so that he is free to experiment and play with everything. And, yes, within his play area let him go ahead and create an untidy clutter; although early on you can cer tainly begin teaching him to straighten up his things and put them away on a regular basis.
