Author: Misti Norusis
Source: isnare.com
Did you know that in Puritan England, the Noah's Ark was the only toy that the austere moral system allowed? At that time, laughter and frivolity were frowned upon, and it was considered "indulgent" to allow children too many playthings. However, the Noah's Ark was praised as a toy "that taught good character" because it borrowed from a story in the Bible!
Thankfully, those days have passed, and play and laughter are welcomed as a sign of a happy and healthy child. But even if most children have a wide array of toys to keep them occupied, the traditional Noah's Ark still continues to delight them. It must be the cute animals, lined up in pairs. It must be the happy rainbow glistening over the famous boat. Or it must be the story itself, of faith and hope, and the fun of having an elephant in your own backyard!
No wonder the Noah's Ark theme is a popular motif for a nursery—and one of the easiest to execute. It's easy to find furniture decorated with animal stencils and details. You'll find everything from beds to book cases, clothes stands to cabinets, even tents and art easels.
The furniture alone is enough to create a very obvious Noah's Ark theme room (and for a busy parent, it's most convenient to choose a few pieces without having to hire an interior decorator). But the artistically inclined can also add a few simple touches that will definitely turn the child's room into a work of "Ark".
-Make a sky wall. Sponge the walls a pale blue. Then cut out cloud stencils on a piece of cardboard, then paint with white. You can also buy stencils in a craft store, or even ready-made wall stickers. Be sure to clean the walls very thoroughly before, Nursery Furniture, placing any sticker, to avoid peeling.
-Hang an animal mobile near the window. The best ones are made of colored glass and reflect light. Or, you can buy small stuffed animals, and attach to a wooden frame with colored string. (Use a color that matches your overall motif.)
-Buy large stuffed animals (a tiger, a giraffe, an elephant). Then, wrap several boxes with a paper that matches your overall motif. The boxes should be of different heights. Group the boxes in a corner of the room, and then place the animals on top of them.
-Make a Welcome Sign to hang on your child's door. First, print out the name's child on a piece of paper. Paste on to a thick piece of cardboard. Decorate the cardboard with animal stickers (you'll find many at your local scrapbook store).
-Have an animal themed book case? Emphasize the theme by using real stuffed animals as book ends.
Buy an animal theme rug for the floor.
-Ask a carpenter to make a small, simple makeshift box that's shaped like a boat. Use this to hold stuffed animals or small toys that he wants to display.
One of the benefits of having a Noah's Ark theme kid room is that it reinforces lessons that you are teaching them in a way that they do not even realize on a more subconscious level. Such furnishings reinforce a child's learning through observing as they spark interest and open a young child's mind to asking questions, thereby allowing the parent the opportunity to further educate a child on a subject that they are obviously interested. A piece of child furniture based on the Noah's Ark theme is a perfect example of how just a simple piece of furniture can become so much more in the mind of a child.
From a parent's perspective, a Noah's Ark theme kid furniture piece is a perfect addition to the d้cor of any room. Many a child's room is decorated with animals. Complimenting such room d้cor, a Noah's Ark furniture piece can tie the overall theme of a room together. Furthermore, a Noah's Ark theme kid furniture piece allows for a parent to reinforce a very important story in a way that a child does not even realize she is learning. Again, young children learn more from observing than they do from instruction. So anytime a parent can establish the opportunity for a child to learn on their level, than the child and parent will both benefit. And the Noah's Ark theme kid room can do just that!
