I don't have room for a rec room for my kids either and we have a good sized house, but we also house our business here and that is why we don't have the room. It would be great to have a room for the kids like you are talking about. I don't know what would get the best bang for the buck as you said, but I will mention one thing about iPods. My kids both have them and love them. Last year for Christmas they wanted iHomes for them. I think that is what they are called, it was one of the best things we ever got for them. Especially Kelsie. What it is, is a place where you set the iPod in the top and it plays the music through the speakers. It is also a radio, so if you want you can just play the radio. But with the iPod in it you get the music they really like which is what is on the iPod. We have used is several times when we have had someone over. Last year when we went to a scrapbooking crop we used one for the music for the event. They work great and take up very little room.
So that is my contribution to your room. Get an iHome for the iPod!
Sorry I can't be of more help, but at least I gave you an idea for music.
Watching DVDs seems to be popular with all and the boys seem to really like this Guitar Hero game. I can see that being a fun thing with a co-ed group!
I have to chuckle reading your post--that is almost exactly what we did when we fixed up our finished basement for our kids last spring break. I bought them a (relatively) inexpensive flat-screen TV at Costco, bought some furniture at Ikea...they even have the Playstation 2 and iPod docking station thing down there. Great minds think alike! :-) Luckily, we also have room for a ping pong table and a foosball table too.
That said, my kids don't use the rec room too often, but it does come in handy when they have friends here.
Well, if I can help, I have both a daughter and a son so I think I can express what appeals to both.
I don't have room for a rec room for my kids either and we have a good sized house, but we also house our business here and that is why we don't have the room. It would be great to have a room for the kids like you are talking about. I don't know what would get the best bang for the buck as you said, but I will mention one thing about iPods. My kids both have them and love them. Last year for Christmas they wanted iHomes for them. I think that is what they are called, it was one of the best things we ever got for them. Especially Kelsie. What it is, is a place where you set the iPod in the top and it plays the music through the speakers. It is also a radio, so if you want you can just play the radio. But with the iPod in it you get the music they really like which is what is on the iPod. We have used is several times when we have had someone over. Last year when we went to a scrapbooking crop we used one for the music for the event. They work great and take up very little room.
So that is my contribution to your room. Get an iHome for the iPod!
Sorry I can't be of more help, but at least I gave you an idea for music.
Diamondslb,
I have to chuckle reading your post--that is almost exactly what we did when we fixed up our finished basement for our kids last spring break. I bought them a (relatively) inexpensive flat-screen TV at Costco, bought some furniture at Ikea...they even have the Playstation 2 and iPod docking station thing down there. Great minds think alike! :-) Luckily, we also have room for a ping pong table and a foosball table too.
That said, my kids don't use the rec room too often, but it does come in handy when they have friends here.