We recently converted our sons bedroom from a baby nursery to a big kid room. We are expecting our second child this year and figured it was a good transition to get him more adjusted to life as a big kid. We had so much fun doing this and came up with a lot of creative and fun ideas without spending a ton of money. Im a big fan of classic rooms that will last you for years to come, so I thought Id share some of my ideas.

The best piece of parenting advice I got when I had William three and half years ago was to keep him in the crib as long as possible. I now give out this advice to everyone I know! Im convinced that toddler beds are largely unnecessary and often contribute to children getting inadequate rest from an early age. I have seen countless parents giving up a crib when their children are barely able to toddle and then complaining that they children just wont stay in bed at night. I dont think many two year olds have the maturity or impulse control to adequately manage a big kid bed for consistent and regular naps and nighttime sleep.

My first piece of advice for parents is to not feel rushed on transitioning from baby nursery to big kid room during the first three years. If you are worried your toddler may climb out of the crib, invest in a crib tent sold at baby supply stores. These are a safe and effective way to keep kids from climbing or falling out of the crib. If you are planning to have more kids, chances are youll reuse this tent with the younger siblings. Also make sure your crib is at its lowest setting as the child gets taller and dont use bumpers which only encourage climbing. If you are expecting a sibling, consider buying a second crib. Cribs are not too expensive and you may be happy to have both kids in cribs for the adjustment period of a new sibling anyway. This will also make you truly feel as though you got the value of the baby nursery because youve used it for three years. Plus, youll skip the expense of the toddler bed and go straight from a crib to a big kid bed that your child will use for years to come. It truly is a better value in the long run.

Also, by age 3 or older you will have a better idea what turns your child on. At this age, youll be able to distinguish between a passing phase and what holds your childs interest and is likely too for years to come. So many people are tempted to run out and buy character bedding for toddler beds. While your 18 month old may love Barney, chances are by 2.5 years old, they will have moved on to something else. Try to stick to classic themes and stay away from characters whenever possible. By three most kids are consistently into trains, transportation, animals, sports or balls, floral, etc. and youll be able to take their interest as your inspiration and go from there.

Ill admit, Im a huge fan of stores like Pottery Barn Kids when it comes to designing a child room. They have classic themes for babies or big kids which a child will stick with for years to come. However, I dont often have the budget to spend that Pottery Barn requires. So, I order their catalogues which are free for room ideas. I try to make, or find knock offs at less expensive stores like Target. You could also shop consignment or second hand shops, garage sales particularly in upper class neighborhoods, or try to find a nearby outlet store of your favorite designer stores. The internet is also a valuable tool in terms of getting ideas and themes going. Shop for items like mattresses, box springs, bed frames at discount furniture stores to save money or if you enjoy flea markets, by all means.

When it came time for Williams room we decided to go with something basic, which would allow us to upgrade and add to his room over the years. The first item we got was a ceiling fan because his room would often get too warm during the summer months. He really wanted a multicolored ceiling fan. We allowed him to get this, as we were buying one anyway, but the challenge came to working with this. The fan, which consisted of four primary colors, set the tone for the room.

William really wanted bunk beds, but I just didnt feel comfortable with him in a bunk until he was a little older. We ended up getting just a regular twin size mattress, box spring, and bed frame which we can pass down to his sister when she is ready. About that time he will be six years old and Ill let him have the bunk beds if he still wants this. We do have a guest room, but for those of you who may need the extra bedding, you might also want to consider getting a full size bed so it could be used for guests if needed.

Since we opted only to go with a frame, we wanted to dress it up by getting a nice comforter set. We picked out a classic denim comforter and let him get fun sheets with it. He picked up some nice winter flannel sheets. When its time for summer to arrive we will allow him to choose some fun cotton sheets as well. We decided to go with two paint colors and put them on alternate walls in his bedroom. It compliments well and William seems to love it. We are using a chest of drawers my father-in-law made for my husband when he was a little boy, which has sentimental value for clothing storage.

Next, because William is very into his letters now, we found wooden letter cut outs and got some acrylic paint that matched the fan and put his name on the wall. We also found a nice wooden table and chairs at a local craft store that we will also paint with the matching acrylic paint and put this in his room. It will be an all purpose table he uses for everything from artwork to building with his Lego sets. Again, this can also be repainted and passed down to a younger sibling as he outgrows it. You can also get a toy storage unit or shelves that you could paint to match. Another great idea is a comfortable bean bag in a corner or a great window seat that can be used for a reading or lounging area.

Consider adding decorative touches to the room, such as letting the child put hand or foot prints on the wall or doing a growth chart. Wooden frames can be painted to match the colors you are using and you can display the childs artwork in them.

My advice is for you to give the child some choices in their room but make the big decisions yourself. For example, allow them to choose sheets–but you will choose the comforter. Don’t offer the child any choices you would not want them to make. William loves his big kid room and delights in showing it off to our guests. He is doing just great in his transition to the big kid bed. We stacked some soft pillows around it at first in case he fell out of bed, which he did, but didn’t seem to mind too much! The room has been labor of love and a mix of his and our ideas. Enjoy!

Gentry is a stay at home mom, with a passion for writing. For more articles on easy living, visit http://www.genstyleliving.com

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