Many first-time parents experience a rollercoaster of emotions like excitement, eagerness, nervousness, anxiousness and more. Above all, they want to ensure that everything is prepared and in place when they welcome their first child. Some even over prepare since they really don’t know what to expect!
If you’re researching parenting and child care, you may have stumbled upon different design inspirations for a children’s room that you want to replicate. Well, apart from getting child-friendly furniture and toxic-free toys, you also need to pay close attention to the room’s lighting. You don’t want to use lights that are too harsh on the eyes and produce immense heat!
So, if you are lost and worried that you might do something wrong, don’t be! We prepared some hacks that will help you set up the best lighting plan for your child!
How to light a children’s room?
Hack #1: Don’t use harsh lighting
Lights with a soft glow are not only meant to make a room feel cosy. They also help lessen the strain on the eyes of children. You see, if there’s a significant disparity between light and dark, the eyes are over-stimulated. You don’t want a child’s underdeveloped eyes to be exposed to this kind of environment! So, opt for lighting with a soft glow or those bulbs labelled as “warm-white”, so your child’s eyes can have their much-needed rest.
Aside from that, avoid using halogens and exposed bulbs since these lamps can make babies and children uncomfortable and anxious. Also, it’s a significant hazard if you use these bulbs anywhere but in the ceiling since there’s a big chance that a toddler’s curious hand might poke it! Halogens are hot, so even if you, who’s a grown-up, will get burnt if you touch it.
Hack #2: Add dimmers
Dimmed lighting creates a soothing and cosy atmosphere that helps the body relax and wind down. If you set this ambience daily, it will help your child sleep easily at the same time as it will signal their body that it’s time to go to bed. If you lull your child to sleep with a bright light on, they will not feel drowsy at all. Also, it will be easier for you to check on your toddler without disturbing them since you have enough illumination to see. If they fall asleep with the lights off and you suddenly turn them on, there’s a high chance that your kid will wake up.
Hack #3: Layer the lights
Soft lighting is essential for a child’s room. However, when it’s time for a feed or you need to change their nappy, it will be hard to rely on those soft lights for ample illumination. So, how can you deal with this? Add different layers of lights!
Instead of using one extremely bright ceiling light, you should have different lighting sources to give you sufficient brightness as necessary. Try to at least set up three to four layers, including ceiling lights for general lighting, a reading lamp for when you read bedtime stories, a task lamp for when you need to change their nappy and a night light for ambient lighting. With this, you’ll have enough brightness where you need it without disturbing other parts of the room.
Hack #4: Steer clear of floor lamps
Adding floor lamps in a children’s room is like setting off the timer on a bomb. Crawling toddlers may accidentally knock them over, children starting to walk may grab them to prop them up, and kids running around the room have a high chance of completely breaking them. None in the stages of a child’s life will a floor lamp fit. So, it’s best to keep them in your teenager’s bedroom, living room or home office.
Hack #5: Use LED bulbs
Halogens, incandescent and fluorescent bulbs tend to heat up and, as mentioned before, if a child touches it, they will get burned. Also, they consume loads of energy and have a short lifespan. So, instead of those, your best option is LEDs. Although they still produce very minimal heat, they will not cause any burns. In addition, LED bulbs do not contain any harmful chemicals, they’re energy-efficient and will last for a long time.
Hack #6: Get creative with your fixtures
Although practical lighting is a must in your child’s room, it is not a bad idea to get creative with it! Instead of adding standard downlights or light bulbs to the ceiling, why don’t you look for a unique fixture that will capture your child’s interest? There are a lot of child-appropriate designs you can find that will make the room more fun and exciting!
Hack #7: Add a night lamp
Children can get easily scared if they’re left in a dark room. So, to appease from their fear, add a unique and creative night light to keep them company at night. Infants may not be aware of the dark, but they might feel terrified if sudden noises jolt them out of sleep. Also, toddlers who watch a lot of TV might have come across the boogie monster. So, they’ll feel safer if they have a subtle brightness to watch guard.
That sums up seven valuable hacks on how to properly light your children’s room! So, if you are starting to plan yours, check out our website, Simple Lighting. We have an extensive collection of premium-quality LED lights like downlights, pendant lights, plinth lights and more that you should not miss out on!
