Children's tastes change as they grow, so it's no surprise that you want to refresh their wallpaper! Childhood is a wonderful thing where you get to unleash your imagination, and kids' wallpaper reflects this with lots of fun designs featuring their favourite characters from Peppa Pig, Marvel and Disney as well as cute animals and bright colours.
Whether you're looking to decorate a nursery or your little boy's or girl's bedroom, we've got top tips on everything from design to roll dimensions to help you choose the right product for both of you. Once you've read the guide, check out our ranking of the top 8 best wallpapers for kids on John Lewis, eBay, Argos and Amazon.
Quick List - Top Wallpapers for Children's Rooms
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Selecting kids' wallpaper is a fun task because there are lots of creative designs to choose from. However, there are a few other things to consider like washability and roll size, which we'll get into below to make sure you find the perfect balance of practical and pleasing.
When decorating, it's easy to fall into the trap of picking wallpaper you like over one your child will – especially if you have young kids. Put yourself in their shoes and consider the designs children love the most. Animals, fairies, dinosaurs and starry patterns are always firm favourites with little ones, for example.
You could, alternatively, choose a wallpaper that features their favourite characters from film and TV. There are many options to choose from, like Marvel and Disney characters for the older children and Peppa Pig and Paddington for the young ones.
If you think carefully about design, you're sure to find wallpaper your child will love, though bear in mind that they might grow out of or move on from a specific character-themed bedroom more easily than they might a pattern or animal print.
Children's wallpapers are often bright and use multiple colours, although some do have a black, white or silver theme if you're after something more muted. However, children are attracted to bright colours because their eyes haven't fully developed yet, so bold colours are more likely to hold their interest.
While, of course, you'll want to take your child's favourite into account, colours can also affect emotions, so you can choose a scheme to set the tone. If your child is often anxious, select blues, purples, greens and pinks. These colours are said to have a calming and peaceful effect. Pink is even thought to inspire compassion and love.
Warm colours like reds, yellows and oranges can evoke happiness, energy and warmth, whereas black, white, and silver feels more neutral. Therefore, warm colours might be best if your children's room is an active place with lots of play, whereas black, white and silver are better for nurseries.
The first thing you need to consider when working out how many rolls of wallpaper you'll need is the pattern repeat. This is the measurement of the amount of distance between two matching patterns on the wallpaper roll. By considering this, you'll be able to make sure the pattern matches up for a neat look.
Once you know this information, you can either use a wallpaper calculator or a simple calculation to work out how much wallpaper you need. The equation to calculate how many rolls you'll need is: (width of the wall + repeat) x height wall = X m2.
Calculate how many square meters your wallpaper is by multiplying length and height. This sum should equal around 5 m2. You can then divide the answer to your first calculation by the amount of wallpaper to find out how many rolls you need.
The house can get messy when you have kids! Fortunately, most children's wallpapers have a washability rating, so you can clean off any marks if they spill food or decide to create their own abstract mural.
Spongeable wallpapers have the lowest washability rating, as you can only clean them with a damp sponge and no soaps or chemicals. This will be fine for older kids, though, as the wallpaper might get a bit dirty but you shouldn't have to clean up anything too big.
Washable wallpapers have sightly more protection, so they're easier to wipe clean. You can often use soapy water alongside your damp sponge when cleaning this variety, so they're ideal for bedrooms of young kids who might draw on the walls. Just be sure not to scrub them because it can still damage the paper!
Usually, when wallpapering a room, you have to paste the back of each sheet on a pasting table, which is a tried and tested method for successfully sticking it to the wall. However, this can get a little tricky as you have to carry the paper without bending it or sticking it together.
If you're a novice or you're saving money by not hiring a decorator, select paste to wallpaper instead. It's much easier as you don't have to buy a pasting table; you just need to apply the paste to the wall and stick the paper on top. One potential drawback is that your selection will be more limited with paste to wallpaper products.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Scion Animal Magic Wallpaper | ![]() | Suitable For Kids of All Ages With a Unisex Design | |
2 | Disney Mickey & Minnie Sketch Wallpaper | ![]() | A Monochrome Design for Older Kids | |
3 | Sanderson Alphabet Zoo Wallpaper | ![]() | Easy Paste-to-Wall Application With an Educational Edge | |
4 | Jane Churchill London Paddington Wallpaper | ![]() | A Wide Wallpaper That Will Cover Your Space | |
5 | Harlequin Jolly Jurassic Wallpaper | ![]() | FSC-Certified Wallpaper With a Loveable Design | |
6 | Disney Tinkerbell Watercolour Wallpaper | ![]() | A High-Quality Paper With a Stylish Design | |
7 | Arthouse Imagine Fun Woodland Fairies White Wallpaper | ![]() | A Sparkly Glitter Coating That Dazzles | |
8 | Peppa Pig Pink Heart Butterfly Children's Wallpaper | ![]() | Removable When Wet to Help Line up the Pattern |
The animal magic wallpaper is a standout product because it is one of the few fun designs that's unisex and suitable for kids of all ages. The quirky animal print is sure to capture their attention. It's also reasonably priced for such a wide roll of wallpaper, so you won't need to fork out for as many rolls.
As only two animals cross the edge of the paper, it's easy to put up too, meaning even novices can get the decorating done in no time. The final box ticked is that it's washable, so you'll easily be able to clean it if it gets dirty or there are any accidents. It really does have everything you could want in a wallpaper!
Here's a wallpaper that older kids will love. The design is monochrome black and white, so it doesn't look too childish and can be enjoyed by teenagers and young adults alike. The fact that the colour scheme is neutral also means that it'll match all kinds of furniture, which is handy if you don't want to do a complete bedroom redesign.
With images of the two most iconic Disney characters, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, waking up to this wallpaper each day will feel like a trip to Disneyland Paris. On top of that, it's inexpensive for an official design, too!
Aid their education by using this lovely wallpaper from Sanderson with an animal and letter print. It's ideal for young kids who are learning the alphabet as there's an animal next to each letter. There are also multiple colour options in pink and blue, so you can choose your child's favourite!
Plus, you can apply this paper paste to the wall for a quick and simple application, which saves time and stress for already busy families. It's another wide paper, too, so you'll get good value for your money.
A firm favourite among children (and adults too!), the design of this stunning Paddington Bear print is based on the original illustrations by Peggy Fortnum, so you know it's a truthful representation of our beloved furry friend.
It also comes in three background colours of white, cream and blue, so you can select the one that matches your space. While it may seem pricier, this wallpaper is slightly wider than standard options, so you'll need to order fewer rolls to cover your space. Just make sure you calculate how many you'll need and you're good to go.
Do you care about the environment? This jolly dinosaur wallpaper has been FSC certified. That means it's made using responsibly sourced wood, which is much better for the planet. Looks-wise, we love the cartoon drawing style of this design, with its childlike quality that's sure to resonate well with any kid.
As this wallpaper is mostly white with just a hint of colour, it would be a great pick if you're looking to create a bright and open space. The only potential downside is that it is a little on the expensive side for a standard width wallpaper, so it might not be in everyone's budget range.
I do believe in fairies. I do, I do! Now you can bring the Disney magic into your home with this Tinkerbell wallpaper. Its beautiful watercolour design has subtle splashes of colour that match the background, making for a super stylish finish that will perfectly complement a pink space.
Sadly, you might not be able to use all the paper on every roll because of the complex pattern repeat. It's still a high-quality paper, though, so it won't rip whilst you put it up or get damaged easily.
Are you looking for wallpaper with the wow factor? This paper certainly has it, with a glitter gel finish that's sure to add some sparkle to your child's space. It's also a thick wallpaper, so it won't rip or tear easily, making it ideal for younger kids' rooms where accidents can easily happen.
The sparkle does make it slightly difficult to see the design in some lightings, but it's an inexpensive wallpaper that's easy to hang. You don't need to be an expert decorator to put up this paper, which is always a bonus!
This Peppa Pig wallpaper will be a firm favourite amongst little ones who love the franchise, with its fun colour scheme and images of Peppa, Candy Cat and Emily Elephant. A good practical feature is that if you line up the pattern incorrectly, you can remove it when it's wet to adjust the position.
Unfortunately, owing to its bargain price, this wallpaper is a bit thin, so it can rip and bubble more easily than some. Perhaps not the best choice for boisterous little ones! On the upside, it is resistant to fading, so it'll stay colourful.
Many things can be added to a children's room to make it a fun place that they'll love to spend time in. Some ideas are a fun bedding set with their favourite characters to compliment your new wallpaper, a novelty nightlight or a desk to encourage them to do their homework. Check out our guides to help you pick!
There you have it, you've seen the best kids' wallpaper options in the UK. We hope you've found our guide informative and that it's helped you find a suitable wallpaper. Remember to work out how many rolls you need so you don't end up wasting money!
Author: Rosa Fairfield
No. 1: Scion|Animal Magic Wallpaper
No. 2: Disney|Mickey & Minnie Sketch Wallpaper
No. 3: Sanderson|Alphabet Zoo Wallpaper
No. 4: Jane Churchill London|Paddington Wallpaper
No. 5: Harlequin|Jolly Jurassic Wallpaper
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