Every parent’s dream for their child is that they grow up to be happy, healthy, and strong. But instilling other, more complex, traits in our children, such as creativity, curiosity, and confidence, cannot be overlooked. And since these traits arise first in childhood and only develop further later in life, giving your children a good foundation that will help them be successful later on is crucial!
One of the most impactful aspects of a child’s young life is their home environment, specifically, the space they call their own: their bedroom. Whether they share a room or not, having a “kid-only” space where they can explore their own interests, reflect on their day, and learn the responsibility of taking care of their own things is critical to their development as a person.
You may be wondering how a child’s bedroom environment and traits such as confidence and creativity coincide, but they actually go hand in hand. Think about it: You have likely heard the studies that claim the color blue on a bedroom wall promotes calmness and breathing in the room’s inhabitant. Well, it’s true – our environment, whether we are young or old, influences who we are.
The great news is that there are concrete steps you can take to help promote positive traits such as creativity in your children through simple things such as bedroom organization, setup, and décor. Because we want to help you give your children the very best, we’ve compiled a list of bedroom essentials that will spur creativity in your child (and possibly make them the next Picasso.)
Wall color. Yes, as we said before, wall color plays a huge role in the mood a bedroom evokes. Though colors such as yellow and orange are known to spur creativity, there is no specific color that induces creativity in all children. To get this step right, you must know your child. Do they need to feel relaxed and calm before they can be creative? (This is more common in introverted children who may struggle to express themselves outwardly in the first place.) If so, try light blue or pastel purple walls. Does their energy feed off of vibrant colors? If so, try bright yellow, orange, or even light green. Even better, ask your child, if they are old enough, which colors inspire them. Ask things such as “What colors make you feel happy?” or “What colors do you like to use to color?” Chances are, the colors they use when they are being creative will inspire creativity, too.
Get kids involved. Parents, contain your panic when we tell you that letting your children help decorate their bedroom, by either helping paint the walls, choose a color, draw some custom artwork above their bed, or print their favorite photos to hang, will help spur creativity in their bedroom. This is because giving them a say will force them to be creative in the first place! Whenever they look around their room, they will be reminded of a time they were trusted to be creative, and they will feel comfortable doing so again in this safe space. If they feel they were not included in designing their room in the first place, they will be much less likely to design in their room. Remember that this is a kids’ room, so keeping it looking spick and span is not always necessary (or possible.) Cut your tots a little slack and it will pay off in the long run.
Fun design. A blank, white-walled bedroom with no décor will do little in encouraging them to pick up a paintbrush or camera. Find some fun décor, such as a customized neon sign, knickknacks, or abstract artwork to fill the space. Seeing these around the room will spark ideas in your kids, leading them to explore creative projects the ways they see fit. Encourage them to realize that funny, bright, or unconventional things are not “weird” or “ugly.” Instead, they are fun! You will pass these attitudes on to your little ones, who will grow up realizing that things out of the norm can be extremely interesting – perhaps even cool.
Provide them with creativity tools in their bedroom. Though this may seem obvious, it’s often overlooked by parents. Give your children craft supplies, paper, pens, paint, costumes, etc…in their bedrooms! They will be more likely to play dress up if they see a cute new costume eyeing them from across the room. (Costume pro tip: Allow your children to help you make homemade costumes with materials you already have at home, such as using pipe cleaners to make antennas, or a bandana to spice up a pirate costume. This will teach your kids that creativity doesn’t need to be accompanied by an expensive trip to the store – it’s all about using what you have in a new way!)
Relax! If your children get a little too paint-happy in their bedroom, try not to freak out. Many creative outlets come with a mess. Yelling at your kids over messes they make in their rooms during creative projects will cause them to associate creativity with being in trouble. Instead, simply praise them for their project and stress the importance of cleaning up well after. Cleaning up after him or herself is an excellent skill for any child, regardless of what type of mess they’re making!
Apply these tips to your children’s bedroom(s) and they are sure to start developing their creativity at a young age. Most of these steps require little expense, so rest easy knowing that one of the most beautiful parts of creativity is that it’s not supposed to be hard! Give your children a space where they can freely express themselves and feel that their creative work is valued, and they will reward you for it ten times over in the form of gratitude, accomplishments, and happiness.
Comment down below with any tips you have for encouraging creativity in your child’s bedroom, or whether you are going to implement these steps in your own home!
About the Author
Lara Douglas is a young woman who loves interior designing and home decor. She is passionate about new trends and fashion forward home décor ideas. She regularly posts at Neon Signs Depot.
