Mural Ideas

[BigMama]

One of my DCM's is an art teacher and she has offered to paint a large mural on the wall in my backyard. I am super, uber excited about this. I am trying to come up with a creative and fun theme for the mural that will appeal to the children. I also want to add some kind of interactive element to the mural. I know a lot of you are very creative so if you have any ideas pass them along!

[BigMama]

Anyone? LOL

[mema]

What about wild animals? Tigers, lions, elephants, etc.

Where is the wall? You could grown tall grasses in front of them like in the jungle.

My creative thinking is gone. I think it took a vacation a few weeks back because I have been stumped on the art stuff lately.

Good luck! I am sure whatever she does will be awesome.

[melskids]

I personally don't like big bright cartoonish type of art, so I would paint a nature scene that already resembles the environment around you.

Probably boring, I know.

[godiva83]

I would also stick with a nature theme, perhaps a pond, some kids swimming, trees maybe add those little climber steps in so they can climb up the wall, a dock built out from the wall might be neat too so kids could pretend they were at a cottage fishing... Perhaps pick a spot that makes you happy, whether that's lakeside, in the forest camping, the beach, mountains .... Once it is up you will have to live with it long term, right.

[Mommy2One]

Perhaps pick a spot that makes you happy, whether that's lakeside, in the forest camping, the beach, mountains ....

I agree! I would want it to be something relaxing to look out one when the daycare kids weren't there. You could make almost any theme interactive...

If it's the beach, maybe you could add a border of real sand along the wall for them to play in and a couple of colorful plastic adirondack chairs. A forest could have a Little Tikes log cabin play house, a log-themed balance beam or tree stump style table and chairs set.

[Countrygal]

I had two ideas - there is a mural in a town near here that all the kids just love. It is of a huge train. A steam train. But any train would do. Kids love trains. It has local scenery - stores and hills, etc.

Then I remember on a movie I saw they painted a mural of the town and included people from the town. I thought that was so cool. You could paint a mural of your daycare and include the children in the daycare, and add to them as new kids came and went.... a memorial to all the children you took care of when they were little! Kids always love to see themselves in a painting.

[BigMama]

I personally don't like big bright cartoonish type of art, so I would paint a nature scene that already resembles the environment around you.

Probably boring, I know.

Not boring, my thoughts exactly.

I would also stick with a nature theme, perhaps a pond, some kids swimming, trees maybe add those little climber steps in so they can climb up the wall, a dock built out from the wall might be neat too so kids could pretend they were at a cottage fishing... Perhaps pick a spot that makes you happy, whether that's lakeside, in the forest camping, the beach, mountains .... Once it is up you will have to live with it long term, right.

This sounds cool.

[Meeko]

Go for distance...as if you can see for miles and miles. It will open your yard and make it seem huge.

I love a previous poster's idea of the 3D effect in front of it...beach scene, forest scene etc.

Either that or go for up close...think "Honey I shrunk the kids" movie...where the kids are tiny, tiny and the yard is a huge adventure.