toddler scared of bedroom. What colors help make it "safe", friendly and nice?

Question

My 2 almost 3 year old girl is so scared of her bedroom!! I can't figure it out. She has the cutest little white bed painted with purple and pink flowers, a little purple and pink kitchen set, a little white table with purple and pink flowers on it, a soft fuzzy white rug, a soft fuzzy yellow rug, light yellow sheer drapes, a full-lenght mirror that she just loves, white shelves with all her books on it and a little lamp, fake purple flowers, her changing table that's really a desk painted white, and white walls with pretty little things hung on them. Her closet doors are dark brown. We can't paint this place, but are buying a place of our own and I need some good suggestions please!! (she WON'T sleep in there and always wakes up crying at night saying it's scary).

She won't sleep in our room. She prefers to be alone and would rather sleep in the living room on the couches or even on the floor!

Answer 1

From your description, two things jump out at me. First, the brown closet doors. I know you can't paint them but maybe you could put up a tension rod with light colored drapes to cover them. Second, the sheer yellow drapes. Maybe, the street lights or lights from passing cars are causing scary shadows on her walls or ceiling. I actually had that problem when my children were young. An over drape or a window shade may help. Another thought is maybe her bed or mattress squeaks. I suggest spending a night in there and try to see things from a toddlers perspective?

Answer 2

Firstly, I would suggest that the dark brown closet doors are scaring her, most kids are scared of closets, if you can't paint the doors you could cover them with a light coloured wallpaper and take it off when you move.

Secondly, ask her what colours would make her room friendly and nice, if she has a say in it, then she will feel in control of the room and not be scared. Good Luck

Answer 3

Her room sounds beautiful, but if shes afraid of it it doesn't matter what color. Blue is supposed to be the most soothing and relaxing color on the color wheel. Do you think its the brown closet doors? Seems out of place in her purple&white room. Can you take her in there and ask her to show you what shes afraid of? Or maybe at nite you can sit with her till she falls asleep. Good Luck.

Answer 4

From how much you described the contents of her room, it seems to me that you think that she's scared of something in/about her room. Maybe shes just scared to be alone in there and not necessarily about the decor. I remember when I was younger I'd sleep with the covers over my head no matter how hot it was because i'd always imagine seeing things.

But as for colors I'd stay stick to pastels, bright colors can be overstimulating for a bedroom.

Answer 5

if i was you when you buy your own house. let her decorate. let her place furniture where she wants it. it will feel more like her room to her. and lay with her and read her a story and lay with her until she fall's asleep.
my daughter loves to sleep in the floor she'd set up a "nest" as she calls it in the floor i just let her sleep there as long as there is enough padding what's it hurting? nothing. she dont do it all the time anymore either she rarely does it now. kids just need to feel like it's theirs they have it their way. give her some control, betcha she'll feel better.

Answer 6

Do you ever put her in there as a punishment, when she's naughty? Or is there any other way she could be associating it with unpleasant or unhappy times?

Answer 7

I put wall stickers of fairies on my daughters wall and told her they were her friends that protect her.
This has really worked and she sleeps peacefully now.

Answer 8

try taking her to walmart or similar place and have her pick out a few posters of her favorite cartoon or sesame street characters that worked for my kid.