Kids' Bookshelves

Kids' bookcase or wall shelf: which suits the room?

The first choice is where the books will live: on the floor or on the wall. A kids' bookcase keeps a growing library in one place, which suits a reading corner or the wall beside a bed. A wall shelf frees up floor space for play and can go up at whatever height works: low enough for small hands to reach, or higher for books that need a grown-up. The two also work well together, with a bookcase for the main library and a wall shelf for current favourites.

Measuring up for a kids' bookshelf

Across the range, heights run from 14cm to 148cm, lengths from 30.5cm to 108cm and widths from 9cm to 37cm. Measure the wall or alcove before you choose, allowing for skirting boards, radiators, light switches and the swing of the door. For a wall shelf, check for pipes and cables where you plan to drill, and hang it where nobody will stand up into it. A tall bookcase needs a clear stretch of wall for fixing it securely.

What is MDF, and why is it used for kids' bookcases?

MDF, or medium-density fibreboard, is made from fine wood fibres bonded with resin and pressed into dense, flat boards. With no knots or grain, it gives a smooth surface that takes paint evenly, which is why it is so common in painted children's furniture. We stock kids' bookshelves in wood, in MDF and in a combination of the two, plus a few in resin, metal or seagrass. MDF is happiest kept dry, so wipe up spills promptly and keep a chipped edge away from damp, where the fibres can swell.

Colours and painted finishes for a nursery bookshelf

Many of our kids' bookshelves have painted finishes, several of them in water-based paint. Multicoloured designs make up the largest colour group, good for a bright corner a child will want to visit, while green, blue and natural sit more quietly against pale walls or patterned wallpaper. There are also one or two in red, white or yellow. If the room is likely to change as your child grows, a green, blue or natural piece is usually the easier one to carry from the nursery into an older child's bedroom.

Fixing kids' bookcases and wall shelves safely

Children climb, pull and lean, so we recommend securing any bookcase to the wall. Use the wall fixing if one is supplied, or a furniture anti-tip strap, with plugs and screws that suit your wall, whether plasterboard, brick or timber stud. Put the heaviest books on the lowest shelves so the weight sits near the floor. Hang wall shelves with fixings rated for the load, keep them clear of the space directly over a cot, bed or changing unit, and check them now and then for anything that has worked loose.

Caring for painted kids' bookshelves

If a piece comes with its own care guidance, follow that first. As a general rule, painted wood and MDF need little more than a regular dust and a wipe with a soft cloth, wrung out well and followed by a dry one. Skip abrasive pads, bleach and solvent sprays, which can dull or lift paint. For felt pen or crayon, start gently with a barely damp cloth. Keep bookshelves away from radiators and steamy corners, since heat and damp can mark paintwork.

Building a reading corner around a kids' bookcase

A bookcase gives a reading corner its focus. Set it beside a soft rug, a floor cushion or a small chair, add a lamp for bedtime stories, and the corner starts to feel like a place to settle. Colours can mix, too: a multicoloured bookcase sits happily beside a natural wall shelf when one of its shades turns up elsewhere in the room. In a shared room, a shelf apiece is a simple way to keep the peace.