How To Decorate With Your Child’s Age

One of the hardest things to keep up with as a parent is the changing of your child’s room as they grow older. Typically, there’s at least three ages a child reaches in life when their room should change: around 2 or 3, 10 to 12, and 17. So that you don’t have to pay to completely re-do your child’s room (furniture and all), I’m here to inform you of easy, inexpensive ways to give them the change they would like without breaking the bank.

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First, because it is the child that wants the change, you should have them make a list of all the things they want new in their room. Look at the list and pick the three most important items. They should understand the compromise and will be thankful that you included them and cared about what they wanted.

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The most essential item in the bedroom is the bed. The best way to go about not buying two or three beds from the time they’re born to the time they are 18 is by buying a convertible bed. Convertible beds go from cribs to toddler size beds all the way to full size beds. If you don’t care for the convertible beds, start with a bunk bed when they become a toddler, because in that case, you can change the bottom into a desk and chair area as they get older. It lets them enjoy the fun bunk bed stage, but also gives them a very useful study area. Try your best not to get a twin bed. You should get at least a full size bed if the room can handle that size, because that growing boy or girl will grow out that twin bed very quickly. Also, take into account when they are much older, they’re going to want some nicer, higher quality furniture. You might as well get it while they’re younger, at least a few items that they will enjoy.

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Changing the accessories will do wonders. Take full advantage of the fact that you can throw a lava lamp on the dresser, and their room will suddenly be cool again. Little things like that can change the child’s happiness with the room. It’s a cheap and easy way to make them happy without changing around the entire room. The accessories have to be practical for their current age as well. Sometimes, what the trend is isn’t practical for everyone.

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The activity area of the child’s room should gradually change with their age as well. Start swapping out toy trucks for ipads and docking stations. A cool thing to hang up that can stay up from when they’re born to when they leave for college is a bulletin board. You can continually change what is up there from their kindergarten artwork to their heavy rock band posters. You’ll love it the first half, and they will love it the second half.

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Lastly, we come to the paint. This is a simple way to change it up that can be a fun thing to do with the kids. They’ll enjoy picking out the colors and painting next to you. Changing the wall colors immediately changes the mood of the room, which is normally all the child is wanting. If you do want to go all the way, look for new bedding, window treatments, and area rugs to bring it all together.

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You always want to enjoy everything you do with your kids, so make sure they’re having fun and feeling included in this change they want to occur. It might be your final overall decision, but the kids definitely want to have a say in their room. Keep it updated. Keep it fresh. Have fun during the time you get to spend together doing little projects around the house like this.

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Getting Your Kids in the Garden 101

 

getting your kids in the garden 101

School’s out! The sun is shining, the grass is green, and your kids are energized! What better way to bond with your children than by growing and building something together in your beautiful backyard. Not only will it be fun and keep them entertained, but it will also teach them a few important things on their way to having the liveliest play area in the neighborhood. It is a simple 4 step process for you to get this fun bonding into motion.

One of the most important things in growing a garden is knowing what exactly you should be growing and what the best things are for you and your child to be growing together. You want to pick flowers, vegetables, or herbs that your kid will be excited to see grow. Choose ones that have color! We recommend radishes, cherry tomatoes, carrots, and sunflowers. Nothing says summer quite like sunflowers! Make sure you still talk it over with your child because he/she might have a flower or vegetable in their mind they would like to grow.

Next, you will need to gather your supplies. To assure that your child is feeling included in everything, we recommend having them pick out their own tools as well.  They’ll enjoy it much more if they are beside Mom or Dad working hard with their own tools. Now, ideas for where exactly you will be planting this garden!! If you have an old sandbox the kids don’t use anymore, that is an ideal place to start your garden. It is important to pick a place that you and your child can both maneuver around easily. If you are looking for a less permanent or mobile garden, plain ceramic pots work perfectly fine, and gives children the chance to be creative and decorate the pot however they please! The necessary supplies list includes the seeds, small pots, extra soil for re-planting, and a small shovel. Don’t forget this step because you won’t get too far without it! 🙂

Once you have all the supplies, you need to make a “layout” for your garden. Decide specifically where each plant will be and then decorate place markers for each species to keep them organized while they grow. This step is great, because it is yet another opportunity for your child to be involved in the process. It’s important to keep them entertained, interested, and active with their minds!

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Now, you can get to the really fun part of getting dirty. It’s time to plant! Take the plants from their starter packs and transfer them to their containers, and add more soil around each plant to pack it in tightly. Mark each plant with your plant markers, and watch them grow!

It is a fun and amazing time to bond with them and it will teach them some very valuable lessons. It will show them how to take care of something and nurture it. They also will learn the positive effects of working hard and finishing what they say they will do. When your plants are fully grown, you both will be able to see the beauty that has come from such a special time together! Happy growing!

 

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Thank you for being an A.Clore Interiors Blog reader…..

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Visit our Website for more information on what we are about and how interior design can change your life!

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