
Paint the playroom for them, not you, by keeping your children’s interests in mind when planning your playroom painting project. Have them actively involved and ask for their input. Does your child have a favorite movie or book character or a special interest in sports, music or art? Your playroom’s theme can match their interests and personalities.
Look for ideas in their books or take them from the toys in the playroom. You can also find eye-popping designs on the Internet on sites such as Pinterest. Painting a mural specific to the room’s theme can be a fun approach. The mural can depict a favorite event or scene from a book or film or a specific location, such as a beach or jungle.
If more than one child uses the playroom and they have contradicting tastes, you may want to keep the room’s design simple but appealing (kids also go through phases and outgrow favorites) so that your work will please everyone and last longer. You can paint walls with patterns, stripes, or other decorative painting techniques. Paint an accent wall if you feel a theme won’t work. You also can try accenting a room with borders.
Consider using specialty paints, such as chalkboard paint or magnetic paint. Chalkboard paint provides a surface that can be written on with chalk and erased with a damp towel. Magnetic paint creates fun walls on which magnets will adhere. Follow manufacturer’s instructions carefully for optimum results.
Use paint in conjunction with play objects, such as a basketball mural coupled with a toy basketball hoop that can be installed on the wall, or other game themes.
Don’t forget ideas for the floor. If you have wood floors, you can stencil designs on them with paint. If you plan on painting a wall mural, coordinate your floor and wall design so that they work together. A forest mural, for example, could start with a path painted on the floor.
Adjust your theme to the different areas of the playroom, if you created zones for different activities. Paint an “art” mural in the area where a table is set up for coloring and painting. Use a “reading” theme near the bookcase, etc.
For further playroom setup advice and ideas, see the project “Create a Kid’s Playroom.”