Make it cute, safe and developmentally appropriate when decorating your toddler's bedroom.
You ponder the "raw potato in the toilet" adventure and the cat that went missing after your 2-year-old grabbed and held his tail, but at day's end, it's easy to forget about the "terrible twos" when you ponder your decision to morph that nursery into a "big girl" room. You pick a theme and put a dent in the debit card to pay for the transformation. Along the way, make sure the room is as safe as it is adorable.
Instructions
1. Commit to salvaging as much of the nursery you're converting into a toddler bedroom as possible for two reasons: A huge makeover could plunder your 2-year-old's college fund, and boys and girls of this age tend to get upset when too many changes are made to a place in which they feel comfortable and safe. For those reasons, keep the wall color and the flooring as is, to save time, cash and the likelihood of at least one huge "meltdown."
2. Consider your child's most recent reactions to various stimuli when you mull themes for his bedroom. For example, you long to re-do a blue nursery to give your son a new look, and choose the story of Jonah and the Whale. Great idea, but if you find that your 2-year-old moves into his bedroom and winds up in your bed because he's convinced the whales are out to get him, you'll have regrets. He's already living in a land of "giants." Don't compound things!
3. Include piles of kid-size, accessible storage. Two is about the age most kids learn put toys and possessions away, so get your little one into the habit of doing this as a regular part of your routine. Make a point to prioritize colorful bins when you decorate your child's bedroom so your 2-year-old "gets" the importance of this responsibility. Include storage just for books. Two is a great age for bedtime stories, and she will likely recall the number of books you read last night and demand a like number, so keep your bookshelf close by her bed.
4. Introduce child-sized furniture into his bedroom, as long as the table and chairs are easy to clean. You may not get him to sit still for extended periods of time, but if he has a place of his own to play, you'll find he settles down for short periods and engages his mind. Your 2-year-old is likely still playing independently and hasn't figured out cooperative play, but when he does reach that milestone, that child-sized table and chair set will be waiting.
5. Paint the lower portion of one wall with blackboard or marker paint. This costs a little more than regular wall paint, but your toddler can draw on these types of surfaces ,so you can encourage your 2-year-old Picasso to be creative while you save the planet by putting limits on the amount of paper you dole out. Plug up those electrical outlets and tie up and securely stow cords dangling from blinds for an extra measure of safety.
Tags: your 2-year-old, into bedroom, toddler bedroom, your child, your toddler