Most parents end up decorating their kids' bedrooms without even
getting their child’s opinion! Involving children in the decorating
of his/her bedroom is a great way to bring the family together – and a very fun, creative learning process. Below are tips from Glenda
Heffer of Hollander Home Fashions to get your kids involved in decorating
their rooms.
Get kids excited about the project!: Cut out pictures and designs
of kids' bedrooms from magazines and show them the possibilities.
The idea is to make them feel "in charge" of the decorating
decisions, even though you're coaching them through the process.
Decorating 101 -- Teach kids' about form vs. function: Keep in
mind what the room will be used for first and foremost, and then
get into what it will look like. Bring this to your child’s
attention so they are aware of the types of things they need to
take into consideration when decorating. For instance, will the
bedroom be his or her main space for play as well as sleep, or
is there a separate play area? Is he/she really into arts and
crafts, which would mean the floor and work surfaces should be
easy to clean up? Is he/she likely to get very tall and need a
double bed? These questions are much more important than whether
to paint the walls blue, red or pink. Basically, function should
be your first consideration.
Develop Themes: What themes interest your child? Cars, sports,
Barbie, etc? Have your child come up with his/her top 3 theme
ideas that might shape the design of the room. Explain to your
child that a theme doesn't necessarily mean an all-matching everything
(covering every surface of the room with all one theme). Even
kids' who are obsessed with a certain theme will most likely find
an environment like this overwhelming -- and annoying.
Draw a Blue Print!: This is a very fun, creative activity for
your child. Have your child draw a blueprint of his/her dream
room. Ask them to take certain criteria into consideration. For
example, the blueprint must contain a bed, bedside table, lamp,
desk with a chair, surface for art and play, a mirror, places
to store hanging and folded clothes, storage for books, toys and
games. After the blueprint is created, you will need to work with
your child to "visualize" the room and take measurements
for a reality check.
Reality Check...Think Long Term: It's nice to really do a room
up, but bear in mind that kids' tastes often change pretty rapidly.
That Barbie motif she likes right now at age nine will seem childish
once she hits twelve or thirteen and wants to be J-Lo. Discuss
this with your child and create a win-win look that will stand
the test of time. Flexibility is key.... if you're worried about
your child’s drastic changes in tastes -- make sure the design
isn't too permanent.
Reality Check Part 2 – Purchasing / Budgeting: Explain the
reality of a budget to your child and work with them on making
purchasing decisions – what's realistic? Work with your child
to create a timeline for the project – furniture can't be
delivered overnight in most cases – so explain the importance
of planning ahead to you child.
The Decorating: Now the fun stuff! Work with your child to schedule
trips to the store, to order furniture online, to paint, to put
up wallpaper, etc. It is important to make your child feel like
he/she is taking the lead role in the selection/purchasing process.
After it's all Finished: Your child has completed one of his
/ her first "big projects." This will give them a huge
sense of accomplishment and pride – not to mention make them
love (and take care of) their room. Plus, it's a great way for
you to teach your children about planning.
