| Decorating a child's room is a creative outlet where | | | | incorporate any educational elements you feel are |
| your imagination can run wild. While some kids will want | | | | important - like numbers, colors, shapes, letters and |
| their walls covered with princesses or superheroes, | | | | animals - which you can later use as a teaching tool |
| applying educational decor to their walls doesn't have | | | | for your children. |
| to be as drab as it sounds. | | | | Kids can get down and dirty too when they help you |
| Teacher supply stores are full of educational ideas for | | | | work on a paint-by-number mural. These come both |
| the classroom, but there's nothing stopping you from | | | | as wallpaper and in kits with patterns that you trace |
| bringing some of their wall decorations into your own | | | | onto the wall with a list of the different colors you will |
| home. Alphabet and number charts are available in | | | | need to complete the mural (although nothing stops |
| standard poster sizes and in longer, thinner styles, like | | | | you from choosing whichever colors you like of |
| the sort you would see along the top of a classroom | | | | course). |
| blackboard. The latter could even be used as a | | | | A number of paint companies also make blackboard |
| full-room border, but be sure to place them at your | | | | paint. It goes on like any other wall paint, but, once dry, |
| child's eye level to get the most use out of them! | | | | allows you to write on it with chalk and wipe it off as |
| Many craft and home decor stores will have their | | | | often as you'd like. Kids can practice their handwriting |
| share of wall decorations to help keep a kid's mind | | | | and drawing skills without the waste of paper and you |
| working. Large letter and number cutouts are often | | | | can leave messages for them right on their wall. |
| sold at craft stores, ready to be decoupaged, rubber | | | | Another fun idea is recycling old children's books. Tear |
| stamped or painted in your favorite colors. | | | | out and frame some of the pages of an elementary |
| Framed world maps and maps of individual countries | | | | book of numbers or shapes for practice with the little |
| look beautiful on a wall and double as educational | | | | ones. The framed pages of a book of nursery rhymes |
| resources. | | | | can help with reading. Use hand-me-down books or |
| Wall murals are a fast way to wrap a room in a | | | | purchase them at thrift stores and yard sales. |
| central theme while adding color and personality. | | | | Play around with all the different options available. Each |
| Murals can be found in stores and online; they come in | | | | of these ideas can be adapted to fit pretty much any |
| an assortment of sizes and themes and are quick and | | | | hobby or interest. Keeping your kids intellectually |
| easy to apply. If you're feeling extra creative, create | | | | involved is just as important as keeping them |
| and paint your own mural. This way you can | | | | entertained. |