Introduction
Holiday decorating can be a challenge for households with children. Parents are usually looking to create a sophisticated holiday atmosphere, but certain decorations are not always kid friendly. Most households need to find a compromise; a kid friendly decorated house that mom and dad can also appreciate.
Instructions
Having a kid friendly house involves aspects of safety, creativity, involvement, and ingenuity. It may take you some time to think of what decorations would be both kid friendly and aesthetically appealing, but with some effort you can make and come up with activities, Christmas crafts and decorations that may become some of your favorite Christmas traditions. As you think of ways that you can have a kid friendly decorated house, try to involve your children as much as possible.
Tips for how to have a kid friendly decorated house for Christmas
1.Know what’s low : Mind the bottom of the tree. Toddlers are drawn to anything shiny and interesting so keep all ornaments out of their reach. Also make sure that the stability of your tree is sound. Reinforce the bottom of your tree so that tugs on the branches don’t bring the whole tree tumbling down.
2.Provide touchable objects : Kids are most likely to start getting into things around your house that they are not supposed to because they are bored or have nothing else to pique their interest. You can help to change this by designating certain areas of your house as areas where children are free to explore. Have plush decorations or unbreakable decorations on the ground or at a child’s eye level so that they have something to keep them busy and away from the non-kid friendly decorations that you may have put up.
3.Stay safe : Christmas decorations are notorious for having sharp edges and breakable pieces. Any breakable materials or objects that are too small for your youngest child to handle safely should be stored up and out of their reach. Replace ornament hooks with ribbon or string to eliminate that specific hazard.
4.Have fun : Create decorations that your kids and their friends will not only enjoy looking at but that they are able to make themselves and even give as gifts. For example, making a figure out of a candy cane and hanging it on the tree makes a fun activity for other kids when they are allowed to take a candy cane that you made from the tree. Edible decorations are always popular with young ones. Let kids take pride in the things that they are able to make and encourage generosity by allowing them to share their decorative masterpieces with others.
Other tips
If you are having trouble thinking of more ideas for how you can have a kid friendly decorated house for Christmas, consult the experts… your kids! Your kids may have some suggestions of things that can be done to make the holiday more enjoyable for them. Ask them what their favorite decorations were from years past. Ask them if they can think of ways for how they can make this year’s decorations better than last year’s. Their involvement in the process is also a great way to ensure their excitement about creating projects that they thought of themselves.
If you are still concerned about having a space that is more adult oriented, consider giving the kids a space in another room where they can set up their own tree for decorations that they make themselves. Ownership of something encourages kids to take greater responsibility for its upkeep. By satisfying both the kids and the adults everyone can participate and have fun when it comes to creating and enjoying kid friendly Christmas decorations.