How to Decorate a Kid's Bathroom

Many rooms in a home can serve an assortment of purposes during the life of the house. A room might be used as a library, then changed to a playroom or den. A bathroom, however, typically serves one primary purpose year after year. What does change is who will use the bathroom. Properly decorating a child's bathroom will foster the child's positive grooming habits. The environment should be both functional and welcoming.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Shower curtain
• Paint
• Hamper
• Trash can
• Rug

1. Choose a bright color scheme. Bright cheerful colors create a positive environment that will stimulate a child. While it's advisable to avoid over stimulating colors for a child's bedroom--where sleep and quiet time is the primary goal--the bathroom is one of the first rooms a child visits in the morning. It should be a place that greets and welcomes.

2. Paint the walls in glossy enamel. Easy to clean gloss enamel paint should be used for the walls. If possible, tile around the tub walls to help protect the walls from energetic bathers.

3. Pick a shower curtain over a shower door. A shower door will make it difficult for a parent to assist in bathing a child. Shower doors can easily jam if a child handles the door roughly. Shower curtains provide an inexpensive canvas of room decoration, bringing color and design into the bathroom. Choose a shower curtain that the child will love now. Unlike other room decoration items, a shower curtain will typically wear out before the child gets too old for its artwork.

4. Choose a theme for the bathroom design. The shower curtain can serve as the centerpiece. As the child grows, the shower curtain and subtle changes can be made to the room which will alter the appearance with minimal cost and effort.

5. Supply a sturdy step stool. Make it easy for a small child to reach the sink to brush teeth or look into the mirror.

6. Organize bath toys by an attractive bath organizer. This might be a netted bag that hangs inside the tub or a plastic container that holds the items. Don't use a solid container. That will trap water and encourage mold. Water should be able to freely drain away from the bath toys while being stored.

7. Use towel hooks instead of rods for hanging and drying bath towels. It will keep the room looking tidier. A child has a difficult time hanging a towel neatly on a bar.

8. Include a laundry hamper and trashcan in the bathroom. The hamper will help teach the child where to put the dirty clothes that need to be laundered.

9. Secure electrical outlets and keep appliances like hair dryers out of the bathrooms of young children. Water and electricity do not mix.

10. Do not store the child's medicines or vitamins in the bathroom. Pills, in general, should not be stored in the bathroom, due to the humidity. A child's bathroom should be child proofed, free of medications and harmful substances.

11. Store extra toilet paper and bath towels in the bathroom where they are easy for the child to reach. Place toothbrush and other personal grooming products within easy reach of the child. Use a pump soap dispenser for the sink to avoid soapy messes.

12. Hang some artwork that compliments the theme or shower curtain. Choose artwork that can tolerate humidity. Don't forget a cozy rug to stand on to keep feet warm.