Have a budding decorator on your hands? One quick and inexpensive way to update your child’s room is to decorate the switch plate, the removable plate that goes over the light switch. There’s nothing to buy and when your child wants a new design, you simply make another! It’s a great way to personalize a room, or coordinate with the theme of the room.

What You Need:

• A screwdriver
• White paper
• Scissors
• A pencil
• Water-soluble glue
• Tape
• Markers, stickers, glitter glue, etc.

What You Do:

1. Unscrew the switch plate from the wall. Set the screws aside, and make sure to tell your child not to touch the light switch until the switch plate is screwed back on.
2. Put the switch plate on the paper and trace it with a pencil.
3. Cut out the shape and leave an extra inch around each side.
4. Help your child glue the paper to the front of the switch plate, then tuck the extra inches of paper behind the back and tape it down. Let the glue dry.
5. Now for the fun part! Hand your child the markers, glitter glue, and stickers and let her decorate the switch plate in any way she wants, whether it’s pirates, dinosaurs, or hearts and glitter! When she’s finished, let the glitter glue dry.
6. Screw the switch plate back in place, and be sure no little fingers are anywhere near the light switch.
7. Then admire the useful artwork! When your child wants a new design or the picture fades from frequent use, remove the switch plate, peel off the paper, and soak it in warm water until the glue comes off. Then make a new design–the possibilities are endless!