Creating a Play Space
The Roots & Shoots Pathway
What matters most in a play space at this stage?
Between six and twelve months, your baby’s world expands rapidly. They are curious, observant and increasingly active - reaching, rolling, sitting, crawling and beginning to pull up and cruise along furniture.
A play space at this stage is no longer just about calm regulation and gentle sensory experiences. It is about creating a safe, responsive environment that supports growing independence, whilst maintaining connection with you.
It should feel like a ‘yes’ space - somewhere your baby is free to move, explore and investigate everything around them, with you close by.
Why does a play space matter at this stage?
Your baby is now actively building skills through everything they touch, climb, grasp and investigate. The environment you create either supports or limits that process.
A well-prepared play space gives your baby the physical freedom to practise their emerging movement skills, the right resources to develop problem-solving and curiosity, and the predictability and familiarity to feel confident enough to explore independently.
At this stage, the space does a lot of the work for you. When it is set up well, your baby can lead their own learning, and you can simply be present alongside them.
When should I start preparing a Roots & Shoots play space?
I'd recommend from when your baby is around six months old - though every baby moves into and through this pathway in their own time.
As you begin to notice your baby reaching with intention, showing curiosity about objects, and working hard to move their body, it is a natural moment to think about how their space can grow with them.
You don’t need to overhaul everything at once. Small, thoughtful changes as your baby develops are far more valuable than a complete redesign.
What matters most in this pathway's play space?
Across the whole six to twelve month window, these principles remain at the heart of a well-prepared space:
Prioritise movement.
Your baby needs room to roll, pivot, sit, crawl and pull up. Space to move safely is the single most important feature of this environment. Choose an area where they can practise their new physical skills freely.
Make it a ‘yes’ space.
Your baby should be free to explore the whole area without restriction. Whether that is a sectioned-off corner of a room or a whole room made baby-safe, the goal is freedom within safe boundaries.
Keep it low and accessible.
Low, open shelving brings resources within reach and invites your baby to make choices independently. Visible options support decision-making and build confidence.
Shift from sensory exposure to active exploration.
Resources at this stage should support grasping and transferring, cause and effect, object permanence, posting and containing, and pulling up and cruising. Mobiles are replaced with materials that invite active engagement and experimentation.
Maintain order and rotate regularly.
Keeping the space uncluttered and predictable supports your baby’s focus and persistence. Rotating resources regularly keeps the environment fresh and engaging without overwhelming them.
Get Started
Below are 5 handy steps to get you started on creating a play space suitable for your child, whilst on The Roots & Shoots Pathway.
Step 1:
Find your space
You still don’t need a playroom, but at this stage, space matters a little more. Your baby now needs room to roll, pivot, sit, crawl and begin pulling up. Choose an area where they can move safely and freely, whether that is a sectioned-off area of a room or a whole room made baby-safe. They still need you nearby, so find somewhere close enough for connection and supervision.
Step 2:
Making it a designated space
Your baby’s space becomes a predictable base - somewhere they begin to associate with exploration and independence. Having a consistent, familiar place to play helps them anticipate play, focus for longer, and feel secure enough to explore by themselves. Familiarity builds confidence, and confident babies explore more deeply.
Step 3
Choose your storage & shelving
Storage and the setup of the play space becomes more important at this stage. Low, open shelving brings resources to your baby’s level and invites them to make independent choices. A comfortable but firm, wipe-clean play mat supports floor-based movement. A low baby-safe mirror, a small number of visible choices, and soft baskets to contain materials are all you need to get started.
Step 4:
Developmentally appropriate
resources
At this stage, the focus shifts from sensory exposure to skill building through movement and exploration. Prioritise materials that support grasping and transferring, cause and effect, object permanence, posting and containing, and pulling up and cruising. Mobiles are replaced with resources that promote active engagement and experimentation. Keep the selection small and purposeful - a few well-chosen resources will always serve your baby better than a shelf full of toys.
Step 5: Everything in its place
Order in the roots & shoots space supports your baby’s focus and persistence, not just their sense of calm. Keeping the space uncluttered and rotating resources regularly, whilst maintaining the overall predictability of the environment, will help your baby stay engaged for longer and return to materials with renewed curiosity.
How does this change throughout
the Roots & Shoots Pathway?
Whilst these principles hold true across the whole six to twelve month window, the space that suits a baby who has just begun to sit independently looks quite different to one designed for a baby who is pulling up, cruising and beginning to take their first steps.
Understanding how and when to evolve the environment as your baby moves through this pathway, and knowing exactly what to add, remove or change, is where the real depth lies.
Members can explore this in more detail through the Roots & Shoots sub-stages below:
â
â
â
â
â
Not yet a member?
Find out more about membership and the deeper layers of the forest here.
Whenever you're ready,
there are always deeper layers to explore.
Become a Member
For stage-specific guidance, gaining a deeper understanding of childhood, and ongoing support
Explore the Courses
For a fully guided approach to creating your stage-specific play space
Personalised Consultancy
Work with me 1:1 for step-by-step, supported guidanced, tailored to your home or setting.
Combining Pathways
A shared play space for siblings
One of the most common questions I receive at The Know & Play Space is this: how do I create one space that works for children at completely different stages?
It is a genuinely complex question. What a baby needs from their environment and what a toddler, preschooler or school-age child needs can feel almost impossible to reconcile. For most families, though, a shared space is simply the reality.
The good news is that it can be done. When it is done thoughtfully, a well-prepared shared space can actually enrich the play and development of both children.
Inside the membership, you will find general guidance on the principles of combining pathways, alongside specific guidance for the most common sibling pairings. Wherever your children are in the forest right now, you will have a clear and practical starting point.