Decorating for the holidays has been a favorite and anticipated activity since I was very young. Finally convincing mom to drag all of the boxes from the nooks and crannies of the closet depths and then unpacking each familiar item was like seeing an old friend for the first time in months. Comforting and exciting. Today, I am in awe that I get to watch my own girls do the same thing. Lyla (6) especially loves to thoughtfully place each item and ask “does this look ok here?”. Of course, I, as my mom did, will go around later and subtly shift all 12 tchotchkes from the one small end table to a preferred new spot. I think the fun of the season is heightened with the joy of being creative. A joy that I share with my six year old for sure! One thing I have made myself be extra mindful of is curating a collection of pieces that can withstand the manhandling of my young family. I want them to play with and enjoy our decorations. I do have a few glass pumpkins and “off-limits” items that I tuck into higher spots, but mostly my goal is to select things that appeal to their sense of wonder as well as my design aesthetic.
Here are some tips to gathering kid-friendly fall decor items:
- Find cute sisal friends. These adorable foxes are just a few of the woodland seasonal creatures that have taken refuge in our home. The sweet faces are hard to pass up, plus they never complain after being hugged on or dropped repeatedly.
- Small filler pumpkins are your best versatile go-to. Little hands love carrying things around and placing them in new spots. I love the color combo of this trio. They go with any fall decor scheme and can literally be used anywhere for a seasonal pop.
- Less is more. Grab some glassless, flameless, breakable(less) candles and lanterns. These black lanterns have zero glass and zero fire hazard risk. You don’t have to sacrifice your ambiance for safety. They even have a 6-hour timer, so you don’t have to think about turning them on and off. I love sets of lanterns like these for in front of a fireplace.
- Grab all the throw pillows. Throw, jump on, nap on, obstacle course on….cute throw pillows are perhaps the best most kid-friendly seasonal decor item of them all. Plus, they easily transform your living room or bedroom into the holiday spirit . Layer more elaborate ones like this in front of larger ones in the hue of your autumn color scheme.
- Add some texture with sherpa. I bought some of these last year to add to a standing basket in front of my fireplace. I love the unique cozy factor that the unexpected fabric offers. Grab them in an array of colors and sizes and cluster in groups of three.
- Small tray signs are trendy and durable. Cute small signs like this and this are easy to come by. Target even has them sometimes in the $1 section at the front of the store. Kids can’t break them, and they are small enough to place almost anywhere. Whether on a tray in the kitchen or on a powder room vanity, stock up on these playful pieces.
- Friendly faces will double as toys. If I’m being honest, scarecrows are not in my design wheelhouse. However, Lyla fell in love with a large one standing outside of JoAnn’s when she was about 18 months and we’ve had them in our artillery ever since. Some are a bit creepy, but I don’t mind fostering my girls’ preferences when I come across cute ones like these.
What are your favorite kid-friendly fall decor pieces??
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