Movie Theme

• Take a kid's movie and create a décor theme from that. "Toy Story" or "Monsters, Inc" are a couple of movies that kids of many ages enjoy and are good for either boys or girls. If you are not crafty, purchase decorations with the movie theme. Look for wall and window clings as well as curtains and other decorations. Paint some of the main characters on the wall. This is easy to do if you print out copies of the characters on projector paper and the enlarge the images onto the wall. Trace the images and then paint them on the wall.
  
  

Childrens' Books

• Some childrens' storybooks have stood the test of time. Use one or more of the classics to decorate the play room. A few long-lasting kids' books include "Where the Wild Things Are," "Winnie the Pooh" and anything Dr. Seuss. Find some of these books at yard sales or use books of your own that may not be in the best shape. Tear out a couple pages from the book and frame them to use as decorations. Find or make wooden cutouts of characters from the stories to hang on the wall or add to the ends of bookshelves or toy boxes.
  
  

Hand Prints

• Paint the room a neutral color and have the kids help you finish it off, depending on the age of your children. Once the neutral paint color has dried, have your kids add their hand prints. Lightly coat the kids' hands with paint and let them press their hand on the wall. This is a good way to use up leftover paint that you have sitting around the house. Use a different color of paint for each child for easy recognition. You could also use this similar idea to paint letters and numbers on the wall to help younger children learn while they play. If you are not great at freehand drawing, use letter and number stencils to paint them on the wall.
  
  

Stripes

• If your playroom doubles as a guest room and you do not want to decorate it in a childish fashion, consider stripes. Stripes can be fun, yet not lean toward male or female. Stick with colors, such as green, yellow or blue, that work for both sexes. Use wallpaper or paint to cover the walls. If using paint, choose the colors you want and then tape off the wall. Paint one color at a time, removing the tape when you are done to give you crisp edges between colors.