subject: Children And Home Improvements [print this page] Decorating might not be the first choice for many parents when trying to think of family activities. Despite this, many kids will enjoy getting involved in it. Children always like getting messy with some paints, and they generally enjoy giving their parents a helping hand around the house. Getting them involved (even if that involvement is heavily limited) with re-decorating can turn out well for everyone.
If you 're trying to think of the best ways to involve children in decorating the family home, then the obvious room to start off with is the children's own. Although lots of parents will, when expecting a child, have gone to great lengths to decorate their bedrooms, once their offspring are able to form their own opinions, it follows that they'll want to take part in decorating.
If you're planning on re-decorating your kids' room, then it's a good idea to chat to them about what they'd like their room to look like, what things they want to keep from their current set-up, and what they would like to get rid of. Naturally, not all their ideas will be either practical or cost-effective, so you may have to exercise your parents' veto, but it's still worthwhile to have them take part in the planning process.
Once you and the kids have agreed a colour scheme, then the real work can begin. There are hazards associated with decorating such as paint fumes that you'll need to be careful of, but supervising them as they help with a little painting in the early stages, when there's still time for a cover-up job, will make them feel proud of their new room. Perhaps they'll be less likely to damage the paintwork later on too!
Many kids get a genuine feeling of involvement and importance when they help their parents with household jobs, and decorating's no exception, provided they're not left to work alone. It may even be that your efforts now to get them to help spawn a genuine interest later in life, when they'll be able to do it all for you!
