Painting is an easy and affordable way to turn an ordinary room into a fun and stimulating playroom for kids. Painting also enables you to change the room as your child grows older without needing to purchase new furniture or costly decorations. When choosing paint colors for kids' playrooms, it is important to consider the effect the wall color will have on your child. Bright primary colors, such as red, may be over-stimulating, while lighter shades of green and blue are more soothing.
Step 1
Measure the square feet of the wall surface you want to paint by multiplying the height of each wall by its width. Utah State University recommends purchasing 1 gallon of primer for every 300 square feet and 1 gallon of topcoat for every 400 square feet you intend to paint. You may want to buy a little extra for touch-ups.
Step 2
Bring your child to the store to help you choose paint colors. If more than one child will use the playroom, they must agree on paint colors or compromise by choosing a color for one or more walls while the other child does the same. If your child chooses bright or dark colors, leave the top half of the walls white to prevent the room from feeling small and cramped.
Step 3
Choose semi-gloss wall paint for easy cleanup of dirt, fingerprints and scuff marks. A rag or small towel dampened with warm soapy water is sufficient to remove marks and grime off semi-gloss paint.
Step 4
Buy only paint that is non-toxic, and choose a product that contains little or no volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency explains that VOCs in paint negatively affect indoor air quality and may pose short- and long-term dangers to health. Read the label on all paint cans you are considering buying, or ask your paint retailer to point you toward a VOC-free product.
Step 5
Add an area of chalkboard paint if your child enjoys coloring or drawing. This paint goes on just like traditional paint and is suitable for covering a large section of the room or one small area. Your child will then be able to draw on the wall with chalk.
Step 6
Instruct your child to participate in painting his playroom by helping you paint a mural, adding hand prints to the walls or using a brush to paint pictures. These simple decorations will bring additional color into the playroom while helping your child feel more connected to the room.
Tips and Warnings
- Place murals or other wall decorations at your child's eye level.
Things You'll Need
- Primer
- Semi-gloss, non-toxic, VOC-free paint
- Brushes
- Chalkboard paint
References
- Utah State University Cooperative Extension: Selecting Paint
- Organizing & Decorating Kid Rooms Magazine: Kid Play Rooms: Creative Ideas For Decorating Child Playrooms
- Savvy Home Decorating: Decorating A Playroom For Kids - Creativity, Imagination & Dreams
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
