When your baby starts to outgrow that baby nursery theme that you spent so much time and energy creating, it’s time to update the nursery and create a room that your toddler will love. Building a room around a theme will help your child enjoy their room. Personalize the room and let your child be involved in the design process. This is a perfect time to boost your child’s self esteem and urge them to feel like a big kid.

The first step is to get your toddler excited about the idea. Try transitioning to a toddler bed at this time. Let your child know that this is their special bed and start by letting them pick out their sheets and blankets. By this age, most kids will have a preference when it comes to cartoon characters, trains, airplanes, or other themes. Letting them make the decision about what direction to go will help them transition more smoothly and benefit developmentally from the experience. Once you have the bed design in place, move on to the walls.

New paint can be an exciting addition to a room. You may want to choose the paint yourself if you want it to last through future redecorating, but if you enjoy painting and don’t mind repainting every couple of years, go ahead and let the paint color be your child’s choice. Choose a border that matches the theme. If you don’t want the border to be glued to the wall, choose one that is self-adhesive. These can be easily removed later without damaging the paint. Putting the border at your child’s eye level instead of around the ceiling is a good option for a toddler room. There are also lots of stick-on decals available in many themes at hardware and retail marketer’s stores. These are very inexpensive and can add a lot of personality to a room. Posters are also an inexpensive option and can decorate a space very effectively.

New blinds and curtains can quickly add to the theme. Shelves can be easily hung and can display toys, pictures or other items that also help pull the theme of the room together. Besides the decorations, you want to consider organizing the room to meet your toddler’s growing needs as well. Get rid of those infant rattlers and space-robbing baby gyms. Update with more age appropriate toys and games. Make space for your toddler to work and draw or color.

Update their closet by moving the bar down to their level. Invest in some childrens clothes hangers and encourage your child to start selecting their own outfits and dressing themselves. A hat or coat rack installed inside the closet door down low will encourage your child to start taking care of their own room by hanging hats, bags and coats when they enter the room. Placing a bench in this area will encourage them to put on their own shoes and start to take care of themselves. Your efforts will help your child grow confidently and make life easier for you and your child.