Personalized Rocking Chairs for Kids - A Great Gift

Visit an unfinished furniture store. You will find them listed in the yellow pages or maybe you've driven by one you can check out. These stores are wonderful. They are filled with unfinished furniture of every kind.

You'll browse through all kinds of kids furniture such as bookcases, desks, shelves, armoires, tables, rocking horses and even chairs that are unfinished and just ready for a creative artist to come and make them into masterpieces.

Ask where the rocking chairs are and specifically if they carry personalized childrens chairs. You will usually find one or two versions of the child's chair that are inexpensive and just waiting for your paint. Buy the paint at the store if you can.

Most will offer stains, milk paint, and other paints that are perfect for use on unfinished wood.

If you don't see colors you like, at least buy the sealant there. They will carry the correct sealer coat for unfinished furniture. It will save you having to hunt through the huge paint department in a big store looking for the right product.

Next, if you haven't found paint you like, go to a paint store and start browsing samples. Choose colors that will match with the nursery décor or just go wild. If you have a little girl who loves pink, create a pink princess chair.

A little boy who loves trains? Go with blue and paint on a train or use a train decal. There's really no limit. You can even buy paint markers that will allow you to personalize the chair. If you don't find markers, look for adhesive letters in a fancy font. You can usually find them by the mailboxes in hardware stores.

Or, you may want to try online. Type in "adhesive kid name letters" and you will find many choices from bubble letters to cool handwriting fonts.

When you've got all your supplies, get ready to paint. You won't need to sand the chair if it's unfinished. They do that for you.

But if you have found an older kids rocking chair, you may need to sand it down before painting over the existing finish. It'll get rid of any splinters that might be there, and it will also present a smoother surface for painting.

Paint the surface and allow it to dry. You may need more than one coat, but wait until it's dry to check it out. Then, when it's all dry, apply the sealant following the manufacturer's instructions. When it's all dry, apply the child's name in letters on the back of the chair that will face out. Or, you can put the letters on the seat of the chair, the legs, or anyplace else you like.

Have fun either selecting your chair online or in a store or making your own rocking chair. This will be one gift your recipient will keep forever and always think of you when she sits in it.