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How to Paint an Interactive Wall Mural for a Child's Room

Are you looking for an interesting idea in order to decorate your child's room?
Interactive wall murals not only turn a wall into a focal point but also provide hours of fun for kids.

There are many different ways to make a mural interactive. The following article covers just a few examples with some sample themes.
The method used enables even those with no talent or experience to produce professional looking interactive murals.

You can produce the mural using any picture you like. Assuming that the mural is for kids, look on the internet or through their favorite books for pictures. If they are old enough to be involved in the decision show them the pictures and ask them to choose. Depending on their choice you might have to have the final say...

The mural can cover the whole room, one particular wall or a part of one or more walls.

When making an interactive mural it is important to plan your picture before you start. Any picture can become interactive but some have more potential than others. The more "activities" you can provide your kids with the more interesting they will find it. Having said this, you do not want the mural or activities to be overwhelming. I suggest choosing two or three pictures and then writing down a list of potential interactive activities for each picture. Once you have completed this stage you can choose the mural that you will produce. You can also "mix and match" and take various elements from different pictures and form a new picture. Before you start making the mural buy all of the equipment and toys that you will be using to ensure that everything will be available before you start implementation.

The following article covers ideas which can be incorporated in your mural, various themes which can be used and specific instructions on making your mural.

You will find a specific article for making each of the themes at www.ProjectsToMake.com. If there is a theme that you are interested in and don't find there try to adapt the other ideas. If you cannot think of an idea or simply want to consult then these please feel free to post a request to the ProjectsToMake team via the forum (free of charge).

Things need prepered:
  • If you need to paint the wall with a base color: newspaper (for the floor), masking tape to protect areas that you do not want to paint (such as floorboards, etc), water based interior paint, roller o
  • For the mural: Various acrylic paints for the mural, pencil, black fiber tip marker (such as Artline 70 or any similar product), picture of your choice, paintbrush, clear film and overhead projector (
  • Optional - magnetic paint, little objects or pictures, a roll of magnetic tape with adhesive on one side, luminous paint, toys, musical instruments, etc.

Step One

The following ideas can be incorporated into any mural:
* Magnetic surfaces - Certain areas of the mural can become magnetic by using an acrylic magnetic paint. For e.g. in the picture below, the area around the honey is magnetic (you can stick little bees on with a magnetic), the tree is magnetic (you can stick fruit on), the same with certain green areas (to which you can stick flowers) and the stream (on which you can stick fish). In order to stick an item to the magnetic surface paste a piece of adhesive-backed magnetic sheet or strip to the back of the surface you want to stick to the wall. In the other picture, Bob's palms, belt and tool box were painted with magnetic paint. Magnets were stuck to the back of some light plastic toy tools. Once completed the child can move the tools from the toy box to Bob's hands (which will become magnetic since they were painted with magnetic paint) and vice versa...
• Blackboard - you can add a black board to the mural (for e.g. one of the characters can be holding a sign or blackboard). The area inside the blackboard can be painted using back acrylic paint (or special blackboard paint) and your child can write or draw on this area with chalk.
• Easel - You can paint an easel on your mural and then paste a block of drawing paper on the easel. You children can then paint or draw on the block and when they are done you can tear out the piece of paper and they can start over again...
• Shoelaces - If you have characters in your mural you can draw shoes on them and then stick a piece of string or a shoelace on each shoe. You child can them practice tying shoe laces.
• Incorporating toys - You can also add real toys like a telephone, musical instruments, etc to the mural. These toys should be incorporated in a relevant spot. For example, if one of the characters in the mural is talking on the phone, instead of painting a phone you can paste a toy phone on to the relevant spot. If a character is playing guitar stick a real toy guitar to the mural with which your child can play.
• Various textures can be used, for e.g. fake fur, textured fabric or paper can be pasted on to pictures of animals.
• Scratch and sniff pictures can be used and pasted onto fruit, flowers or other relevant items.
• If you are drawing a picture of a car, bus or truck then you can use real lights that are activated when touched.
• Luminous glow paint - stars can be painted with luminous glow paint.

Step Two

• A toy hammock can be hung from a picture of a tree. This can be used to store dolls and stuffed toys (see picture).
• A kitchen can be drawn on the wall. Little shelves can be installed and toy utensils can be placed on the shelves.
• Synthetic hair / wool can be pasted on to pictures of people or characters. Little children can plait or play with their hair
• Clothes - You can paint the characters and their clothes with magnetic paint. Paint over the magnetic paint in a color of your choice. Trace the exact size of the clothes onto a piece of paper and cut out to form a pattern. Place the pattern on a piece of cardboard or sheet of plastic. Cut out additional sets of clothes in different colors. Decorate each set using different colors and accessories (such as buttons, ribbons, ties, etc). Apply magnetic tape to the back of the clothes. Your child can now dress the characters. To store the clothes you can make a washing line out of 2 wooden sticks placed a short distance from each other and attached to the wall. Tie string between the sticks and hang the different clothes to the line with clothes pegs.

The opportunities are endless. Any mural can become interactive you just have to use your imagination.... Possible themes to use in your mural are: Fireman Sam, animals, a band with musical instruments, Bob the Builder, doctor or vet, Postman Pat, basketball, Winnie the Pooh, Dora the Explorer, Fairies, Barbie or Bratz, Noddy, bus or train themes.

Step Three

Preparation: Paint the walls with the base color and then allow to dry completely.

Step Four

Choose the picture that you would like to appear on your wall.

Step Five

Plan and decide on the interactive elements that will be used.

Step Six

Transfer the picture onto clear film. This can be achieved in various ways: If you have the picture on your computer then it can be printed onto clear film (make sure that you choose the clear film that is suitable for your printer. For e.g., if you have an ink jet printer you cannot use film suitable for a laser printer as the picture will smudge). If you do not have the picture on your computer then either scan it and print it or take it to your local printer and have them copy it onto clear film. If you are using a simple picture you can also use write on transparencies (see picture below) and trace the picture onto the film.

Step Seven

Place the film on the overhead projector and project the image on to the wall.

Step Eight

Adjust the settings and move the projector around the room until your image is on the exact place you want it to be and the right size.

Step Nine

Trace the picture onto the wall with a pencil.

Step Ten

Go over the lines with the fiber tip marker.

Step Eleven

Decide if you are going to make any areas of the mural magnetic. If so, prepare the magnetic paint as per the instructions and apply to the relevant area (you usually paint a few layers of the magnetic paint on the wall and then paint the final color over the magnetic paint).

Step Twelve

Decide which colors you will be using for each area. You can either use the original colors from the picture that you have chosen or you can make adaptations to suit the color scheme in your room.

Step Thirteen

Start with the larger areas of the mural (such as the background). Use a bigger and wider brush for these areas.

Step Fourteen

Paint in the lines with acrylic paint. First, paint the inner outline with acrylic paint and then fill in the rest of the area. You might need additional layers over the magnetic paint to ensure that it does not show through.

Step Fifteen

Once the paint is dry you can go over the outlines if necessary with the fiber tip marker (i.e. if you have painted over parts of the outline).
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