Back to School: Personalize a Desk Lamp

Personalize a lamp for your child’s at home work space, making it special.

Materials

• Fabric lamp shade
• Fabric pens
• Fabric paint
• Foam brush
• Containers for paint
• Smock
• Adult help (as painting on a curved surface and holding the shade steady can be tricky!)

Directions

• Don your smock.

• Go with any designs that you may like.  We thought that some blue flowers would match the blue and yellow decor in our daughter’s room. Flowers are something she just discovered making!

• We drew some simple stems with green fabric markers.

•  Put a little bit of fabric paint in containers (we used some lids).

•  We used a foam brush (which would make all sorts of lovely polka dots!) to make the flowers in 2 shades of blue.  Trying out different tools for children can be quite fun.  Dip your brush in the paint, pressing it down a few times to absorb the paint.

•  Carefully apply it to the lamp shade with an adult holding it steady for you.

•  Do this several times, using different shades of colours should you like.

• Allow your shade to dry overnight or as specified in the instructions and have an adult put it on a base for you.
• Enjoy!

Purpose

• Getting excited about setting up your own special work space for home.
• Exploring different tools and types of paint.

Safety Notes

• Be sure to wear a smock to prevent damaging your clothes with fabric paint.
• Ask an adult for help to hold the shade steady for you as a curved surface can be tricky to paint.
• Have an adult put together the lamp components and go over the safety associated with using a lamp in one’s room (not covering the shade, turning it off, not touching the bulb etc.)