Cool Kids Furniture

Furniture for this theme

These colorful and outrageously lawless buccaneers of the High Seas, with their peglegs and parrots, eye patches, treasure chests and maps and their romantically tattered galleons are full of fabulous detail. There is pleanty of scope here for variety, one can introduce Peter pan and tinkerbell into the mix, or focus on the animals aboard, (or perhaps even make the pirates into cats themselves). But which ever way you take this theme, be sure to leave out any potentially menacing characters and elements, imagery of skulls and cross bones, fiersome captains, violent battles etc might be fun during the day but are likely to make rich fodder for nightmares.

Stimulation:

For the rambunktious boys or tomboy girls in the family, the theme lends itself well to activity and colorful imagery. There is no shortage of stimulation here so we would hesitate to suggest it for those youngsters who are of a quieter disposition or may be too young. Sunbaked desert or tropical islands, with secret coves and caves; sunken or buried treasure, mutiny or canons roaring as merchant vessels are boarded or the law arrives! Fantastic creatures of the deep, whales and mermaids lighthouses on lonely rock outcroppings. This theme is fairly bursting with stimulating decorating ideas.

Color Schemes:

Child: Bright primary colors, red for the clothing and bandannas, blue for sea and sky and golden yellow for golden doubloons, the sun and sand.

Teens: Rich vivid color, black for jolly rodger and eye patches, even sails, red for parrots and bandannas, turquoise blue for the sea, white for the clouds, seagulls and the sails of merchant galleons.

Opportunities for Learning:

Do a little research with the child or children on the famous pirates of historical fact or fiction, the oceans they plied, and the islands they frequented. There are lots of books and movies on the subject and the kids will learn about geography, history, drawing, painting, map making and research.

Reassuring and Comforting:

A plush toy whale, parrot, or mermaid even a ships cat! to tuck under the covers, a safe boat to sleep in, a reassuring lamp or night light. Introduce the rocking motion of the sea with a rocker in the shape of a whale or a mermaid. Anything that produces a rocking motion such as a rocking animal, or armchair, produces a chemical effect in the brain that is automatically calming, and comforting.

Feng Shui:

Since water (the ocean) and wood (boats and treasure chests) are abundantly in evidence, what we need for balance is Fire in the form of the sun and metal in the form of an anchor. Fortunately images will do! But you might consider adding a metal bed and / or lamp for good measure.

Budget vs Time and Talent:

Get a talented friend or member of the family to draw a treasure map on the wall and advise which colors to use where (actually self-evident). Perhaps the rest of the family would like to get involved by carefully doing a 'paint by number' routine. Choose a wall with the fewest windows and doors. If the closet doors are boring , you might like to paint them too. Big white sails on Spanish Galleons, a couple of islands with palm trees; 'X marks the spot' for the buried treasure, whales circling the island, seated mermaids combing their tresses on the rocks, fat treasure chests spilling gold coins and jewels onto the sand. On that note you might find a large wooden chest in a junk store, sand it down or paint it and use it as a toy box. Cut a large anchor shape out of cardboard or plywood, paint it black and rusty brown and lean it against the wall or hang it up.

Paint a couple of red, blue and yellow parrots on the wall. If someone you wanted to go one step further you might try converting an old rowing boat into a bed, (could take some work, but what a great effect). You might want to pay particular attention to sanding and painting to ensure that the boat has not sharp edges, and no splinters.

For a little bit of 'do it yourself' work, but not too much, try our rocking whale or mermaid - they come in unpainted wood, with detailed instructions for how to paint them yourself.

Alternatively you can order a spanish Gallion bed from us, a treasure map rug, and a rocking Gallion made out of a real wine barrel.

Click here for Nursery Rhymes and Songs related to the Pirates theme