It’s a common dilemma: decorating a toddler nursery with the right kids furniture. Your child’s outgrown teddy bears and pastel ribbons, and is ready for a theme that looks more “grown up” but still retains that sense of innocence. You also want kids furniture that’s as practical as it is pretty. After all, your kids grown more active and curious. He loves to play, read, and occasionally subject his toys to the loud banging and kicking (“but it’s part of the game, Mommy!”).
Design
The first step is to decide on a theme. Look at your kids personality and personal preferences. Does he love cars or animals, cowboys or aliens? Is she fascinated with fairy tales or stories of jungle safaris? If you’re not certain, then narrow the choices to two and let your child pick – the room becomes more special if he “helped” put it together.
Functionality
When buying baby furniture, check functionality and design. The stools should be sturdy, and use non-leaded paint. Look for surfaces that are easy to wipe clean and rounded corners (or invest in plastic safety clamps). Desks should be big enough to hold paper and crayons, tea sets or books – after all, this is your kids “work space”. Special bonuses are shelves or compartments where you can store small boxes for art materials, puzzle pieces and other knick knacks.
Safety
The advantage of buying specialty kids furniture is that you’re more or less assured that they have met safety regulations and are built for a child’s proportions (at least he won’t tip over as he tries to scramble up a chair!). And of course, the attractive design encourages the child to sit and play. This is his table, his chair, and for babies, that sense of ownership is a big factor in building self-esteem. He is growing more independent, and the role of parents is to provide just enough freedom in a safe environment – like a room where everything is child-friendly. Here he can be left alone for long periods, learning to play independently and explore on his own, without mommy constantly worrying that he’ll break something (or his neck). That alone makes investing in specialty kids furniture worthwhile.
