School holidays are a great opportunity for families to involve the children in the redecorating of homes. Here are six innovative and feasible ideas that’ll spruce up your living space, while you enjoy quality time with your kids.
1. Fun with stencils
Fancy a new trim for your walls? Stencilling is an inexpensive alternative to a new wallpaper, and a great way to get older kids involved in home improvement. You can select from a wide variety of stencils online – or, if you’re the handy sort, try creating your own, with overhead projector sheets. It’s easy. Simply print out your desired design, or draw your own.
2. Liven up a wall
Adding a feature wall behind your TV console is a quick way to open up the living space and increase the charm of your interiors. The best part? Your kids can go wild with the chance to express themselves on the wall. Twine coiled around a paint roller is a great way to create an interesting texture, as is a scrunched up ball of paper. Don’t like what you’ve created? Simply paint over and start again. The sky’s the limit!
3. A pebbled path
Have a yard or a garden, and want to make an instant statement? You can, with a mosaic pebbled walkway. Creating your own unique pebble path is a great parent-child project for the holiday afternoons. Begin by drawing your desired motif, then go on an outing to either East Coast Park or Sentosa to collect pebbles of different colours and textures. Lastly, break out the mortar, and you’re all set.
4. Secret hideaway
Let your kids’ imagination soar by adding a touch of whimsy to their room, with a playful addition to their own unique corner. All you need are hooks, ribbons, and old plain bed sheets. Have your kids decorate the sheets with stamps dipped in fabric paint, while you help with the heavy lifting of getting the sheets in place. With their very own secret hideout, your kids will definitely thank you.
5. Vertical planting
A modest outdoor space doesn’t have to be devoid of greenery. Liven up a bland balcony by creating your own high-rise garden with plastic bottles repurposed as hanging planters. Let your kids get their hands dirty filling those bottle planters with soil, and plant easy-to-grow seeds like tomato, sweet basil, or oregano. Tie the bottles together with coarse twine, and arrange them such that they cover a wall – and you’ll have your own hanging garden, and hopefully a bountiful harvest ahead.
6. Upcycle old pieces
Say no to that dollhouse or play kitchen your kid is demanding, and offer them something better – a chance to create their own. Spend a leisurely afternoon repurposing an old shelving unit into a multi-room dollhouse that’ll rival Barbie’s – or turn an 80s TV console into a play kitchen complete with a counter, sink and oven. There are dozens of great tutorials online to get your creative juices flowing. Try it!
This summer, roll up your sleeves to give your cosy home a refreshing look. These parent-child mini projects will help to not only harness your children’s creativity, but also strengthen family bonds.