This article is the first installment of what will be a multi-part documentation of one little girl’s move from a nursery and a crib to a daybed and a bigger room. This fun transition will be documented in stages, highlighting the ways you can engage your youngster in the process and make it very fun along the way. The first stage is here: The Planning!
The big moment is fast approaching. The arrival of our second child means it is just about moving time for our nearly three-year old daughter. We are in the planning stages for her early-Springtime move (#2 is due in May!) and it has been a ton of fun so far. I want to share how this exciting slide to the big kid world can be a blast for the whole family.
Naturally, the initial decision that must be made is: what color will her new room be painted/wallpapered? This is the one selection that all or most future purchases and decorations will be based on. We are letting her choose the look of her new room, and at her request we will be using her two favorite colors, green and purple. From here the world, or at least this 10 x 10 room, is her oyster. We have been perusing several of the catalogs that pile up in our mailbox: Pottery Barn Kids, Company Kids and the like. We are all scouring these rags for ideas, themes, layouts and clever organizational strategies for maximizing the rather smallish space and creating a fun and inviting room. Our girl and her Mom will take cut out sections of the magazines and play mix and match with styles, colors and pieces of furniture. She cracks up at some of the combinations that she herself creates, such as piling images of bookcases up high and dressers on top of beds. In the midst of the silliness we are all seeing the possibilities for what her new room can become and she is playing a fun role in the designing of it.
One thing we know for sure that we want is a corner nook or special space somewhere in there that will allow for the relatively easy rotation of topical items (current movie characters, for example) as our child’s taste and interests evolve.
The second “From Crib to Bed” installment is going to follow us to the stores as we buy the paint and/or wallpaper, furniture, wall art, et cetera. It will focus on allowing your children to share in the decorating decisions as you further incorporate his or her favorite color(s), characters, or themes.
Moving to a Toddler Bed – The Forum
Kid Beds – A wide range of choices