Refurbishing

A Rainy Day Activity for Children

When school is not in session, parents often find that keeping their children occupied stretches them to the limit. Playing outside has always been a good way to occupy their time, and they tend to be tired at the end of the day. The weather does not always cooperate, so parents need to plan one or more rainy day activities to help their children pass the time. Learning how to refinish furniture pieces might seem too ambitious, but modern children have learned that combining their creativity with available materials is a good way to spend their time.

Decoupage is one of the easiest ways to change an old piece of furniture into a keepsake, and parents who are willing to set aside a bit of space will find their children eager to participate. Modern magazines offer a large volume of colorful pictures, and children might spend hours cutting out and fitting together the pieces they want. Their love of bold and bright colors gives them the patience needed to work on a project of this type, and their reward can be the finished piece they help make.

Finding an old end table or nightstand is generally easy in resale shops, so parents do not need to invest a great deal of money for this activity. If they are willing to let their children choose their own materials, the entire project needs little supervision. Putting down old papers or sheets to protect the area where the gluing will take place is a common practice, but that is most of the preparation that will be necessary before beginning.

Younger children might need assistance when it is time to glue down pieces, but older children are often competent after years of practice in school. When all the pieces are glued in place, it can be set in a corner to dry, and it will be ready for use the next day.