Decorating (your Child’s Bedroom/Playroom): It’s as Easy as 1-2-3
Beth Adams writes Crazy Us, a blog about her family and life in Utah. She and her husband Dave have two beautiful and creative kids whose escapades give her plenty of material.
When I was about eight months pregnant with my second son, Eli, l panicked and realized that I had a lot of decorating to do, or at least in the “nesting” frenzy I was in, I thought I had a lot of decorating to do. Kyle was almost two and we had recently moved into a new house. It was one of those suburban cookie cutter homes in the Washington DC area filled with big, bare white walls to cover.
My mom came to town during this time to help with Kyle and the new baby, “Bee-Bye” (for Baby Eli) as Kyle called him. In my mom’s stash of grandma goodies was a whole box of learning crafts. (My Mom used to own a day care, which has been a total bonus for me as a new mom.) In the mornings she would let me sleep as she and Kyle went to the park, played with toys and worked on a lot of crafts. During this time, she also decided to help Kyle with his numbers. My mom and Kyle would create these wonderful collages with vividly- colored pieces of construction paper. Kyle made one carrot for the number one, two snakes for the number two, three butterflies for the number three and so on. My mom would cut out the pieces ahead of time so he would just have to glue them on and decorate them. Aren’t grandmas cool?
Fortuitously, the week before Kyle and my Mom began working on these numbers, they were getting reacquainted with one another and they had spent time working on random drawings and crafts. They produced amazing art; art that I needed to figure out how I could save forever. I had remembered a scrapbooking friend of mine suggested using acid free paper to preserve anything important. And yes, these finished projects made by my first-born child were indeed important. So I did what any frantic women would do at the end of her pregnancy: I immediately ran (probably literally) over to my local craft store and purchased a huge pack of acid free construction paper. When Kyle and my mom began working on the letters, I handed her my new special paper with specific instructions that it must be used for all “important” crafts. As Kyle finished each number, I began hanging his finished work on the walls with a piece of scotch tape. Then it occurred to me as I viewed those beautiful pictures hanging by a scotch tape thread, “Beth, you go to all the trouble to buy acid free paper; you can not possibly hang them up with a little piece of tape. . . Why don’t you find a way to frame them?” 
So I listened to the voice in my head and found a way. You see, I had these large, natural wood picture frames and found a way to arrange four numbers per frame. I hung the frames on the wall and it finally hit me when I stopped long enough during my second-child-is-on-the-way pregnant fury, “Not only can I hang these wonderful pictures, but Kyle can use them to learn his numbers.” It worked. Our walls were not so bare anymore and Kyle could recognize his numbers in no time.
The number pictures were just the beginning. In my foray into parenthood I realized (through these very same number pictures) that my boys are much happier when they can contribute to the “design” of the room. Also, seeing their art on the walls has motivated me to encourage their creativity and imagination. Because of the success of Kyle’s number art, we have expanded our creative decorating effort. In their playroom, we have two walls covered with corkboard, where the boys can rotate and display their crafts. We still frame our very favorite pieces. And to this day, I am glad my mom came to town and inadvertently gave me the inspiration to fill my empty starter- home walls.
Read more Crazy Us.
August 16th, 2005 at 9:15 am
What a lovely idea. I’m expecting our first baby this winter, and will definitely draw upon the ideas you describe here. I have enjoyed reading your blog as well.
August 16th, 2005 at 9:57 am
The corkboard wall for art projects is definitely a better alternative to the usual refrigerator-door display. I like the concept of combining several complimentary pieces in a large frame too. Great ideas!
August 16th, 2005 at 11:18 am
Corkboard walls and the framing of “special” and “related” art projects are really great ideas. I think it’s great that you’re encouraging your sons’ creativity by validating their work through displaying it. I know I was always discouraged when I’d give my mom or dad a new art project and have them say, “That’s nice, dear, but we already have too many.” Rotating is a great idea, and keeps the little ones from feeling like spending time on these creative projects is a waste of time (i.e., it can’t be kept anyway, so what’s the point?).
Great piece, and I’m still a daily reader of CrazyUs as well.
Thanks for all you share about your family life!
August 16th, 2005 at 11:46 am
Nothing is cooler than kid art!
August 16th, 2005 at 11:56 am
Oh my gosh! I L-O-V-E the framed numbers!!! What a great idea…you’ve got me inspired! Thanks
August 16th, 2005 at 12:59 pm
I saw you on CrazyUs !! What a great idea to have Bloggers post… great stuff!
August 17th, 2005 at 7:27 am
Hi Beth. When I saw those framed numbers in your house, you SAVED me from buying expensive, kid-like, art from overpriced children’s stores (poor, poor, LOD). Well, you have really great ideas, but I’ve never gotten any of Chloe’s stuff on the walls. At least I have some great photographs. In fact I’m stealing one of yours, Eli’s bubble picture, to put up today. Miss you guys.
August 17th, 2005 at 8:00 pm
Very cute ideas, indeed!
I’ll have to remember that once we start to decorate the baby’s room.
August 28th, 2007 at 7:08 am
I love anything vintage, especially old toys and cars.