thoughts on this gift?

[ijack]

we currently have a playroom on the main level of our house - we have 3 large bookcases, a play kitchen, easel, play table, etc. We're kind of running out of room (ridiculous, I know) and I'd like to turn part of our unfinished basement into a more gross motor play area. We have a large cardboard castle that the girls use daily, a cardboard car that is also used often, and other ride on toys that are used outside when it's nice. I'd like to put down a large cheap piece of carpet and put the larger toys (castle, tent, tunnel) and a new road rug for cars/trucks. Thoughts? It would be so nice to have more space for them to move that wasn't right in our main living area. And even though it's unfinished it's very clean and easily the most climate controlled area in the house.
ETA, and my plan was to make this their large xmas gift because honestly they don't need much else.

[Ashley&Scott]

I think this sounds fun!

When we were little my parents built my brothers play farm on a piece of plywood. It was huge (like 4x8ft) They put it in our unfinished basement so they could leave it set up all the time. They played down there for hours & hours on end.

[CloudBee]

My parents have a very dry basement and threw an area rug down there when I was a kid. It ended up getting this really weird white fuzzy residue/growth on it regardless.

I would suggest buying one of those indoor/outdoor patio rugs. It will be mildew resistant (so weird stuff shouldn't grow on it per above), and will lay flat with a bit of a grip compared to an indoor rug. I think it would also be more trim/smooth to ride over as well.

Could you put a swing down there, too? That would be awesome.

[ijack]

A swing would be awesome!
I'm not too worried about stuff growing, CO is crazy dry

[egishere]

I think that would be really nice for them! I've been thinking about doing the same thing in our basement. My friend is trying to convince me to get them a toddler bounce house for down there.