Often we look to toys and videogames to entertain our children, forgetting that a kid can find entertainment in everything from the trees whipping past the car window to the box that housed that overly expensive toy. We should encourage imagination and creativity. One of the best ways to do that is to make their room into their own little corner of the world. Here are some great projects you can use to jazz up a dull play space.
The Scallywag:
Do you have a little boy on your hands that dreams of sailing the seven seas and hunting for Spanish doubloons? Furnish the room with medium-dark, natural grain wood to give a feeling of days gone past. Buy seascape wall decals to give the illusion of space. Cool Bunkbeds work great in this theme. Make the first level the ship’s helm by attaching a rotating ship’s wheel on the footboard and the top bunk can become the crow’s nest with a toy telescope. Aim the telescope at a seascape wall hanging for a little extra flare. Use a well secured rope ladder to get to the top bunk and act as the ship’s rigging. This comes off really well if you have hardwood floors that can tie it all together.
The Mind Bender:
Trying to encourage problem solving? Paint mazes and riddles on the walls and furnish with stainless steel, chrome and white plastics to give the room the futuristic feel of a laboratory. Paint a large, complicated circular maze on the ceiling over the bed to help them doze off. Look for polycarbonate beakers you can use to keep small toys and art supplies in. Keep finding new riddles and problems to keep the challenges coming. Hang large dry erase whiteboards on each wall and challenge the children to creating their own mazes. Whiteboards are a great canvas for all kinds of creativity that can be wiped and reused indefinitely.
The Explorer:
Maybe you have a little girl that wants spend her days traipsing around the woods and finding new animals. Paint the walls a medium forest green and furnish with light- medium, natural grain woods. Buy realistic animal toys like geckos and iguanas you can stick on the walls. Add parrots and fake branches to the headboard and footboard of the bed. If you have bunk beds this is even more effective. Cover the entire upper bunk in plastic branches and leaves to make the whole thing look like a tree. You can even go so far as adding some potted plants to the room so long as the room gets enough light to support them. These can be a great learning project as well. Take the opportunity to teach the kids about the lifecycle of plants. If you have pets just make sure that they are pet safe plants. You may be surprised.
These ideas are surprisingly simple projects and children love them. Even using just one element, like the loft bed designs or the white boards, can really enhance a space and make it more exciting for your kids. They’re even more excited if they get to help make the room their own so hand them a paintbrush and have fun!
