Decorating With Nature

                

When we got home, I found several large canning jars. After Jake rinsed all the seashells, we filled up two jars, one for him and one for me. He was as pleased as punch to keep his jar of shells on his dresser, where he can see them and remember our fun day at the beach. I was surprised at how much pleasure Jake took in preserving his seashells and displaying him in his room. They also make a great decorative accessory.

 

The seashells made me think about what else from nature would be fun for a preschooler’s bedroom. We went to our local river to swim a few days ago, and Jake and I set about picking up interesting rocks. My older kids soon joined in and soon we had an alarmingly large pile next to our cooler. I had to limit each child to one large rock (between 3 and 5 pounds) and the rest had to fit in one hand.

 

 

When we got home, the kids sat in the backyard painting their rocks. They made playhouse and rock people for play. I put the rocks on a shelf in Jake’s room, where they make a great still life. Jake and I also filled a second jar with white river rocks to go with his seashells.

 

 

 

 

Decorating for your preschooler’s bedroom doesn’t have to come from a store. Mother Nature provides many decorating accents that preschoolers will enjoy just as much as adults do. The next time you take a walk outside with your preschooler look around for interesting items you could use as decorations. Glue twigs onto picture frames for a fun outdoor look, or place bright autumn leaves in poster frames for a unique wall hanging.

 

 

I think the biggest reason I enjoyed collecting those seashells and rocks is that I did it with my children. Sometimes the simplest pleasures in life yield the greatest joys.