9 stencilling patterns to try with youngsters on your walls

We spoke to Helen Morris, co-founder of The Stencil Library, a small company in Northumberland that’s a contender for holding the world’s largest collection of stencil patterns. 

“Watching children create their first ever stencilled image never gets old”, Morris says. “As long as small children understand absolutely how little paint to use, they have the greatest joy in creating patterns and images”. 

After years of sharing the joy of stencilling with children, Morris shares these top tips:  

Young children quickly outgrow ‘babyish’ home decor themes, so this is your chance to validate their growing independence while having some fun in creation. The secret to selecting stencils you’ll love as much as kids do is to find ones that are playful without being childish – and these off-the-shelf stencil patterns will look great in both kid and adult spaces. 

This sweet Schnauzer stencil is a must-have for little animal lovers who can’t get enough of their four-legged friends. It’s a good starter stencil for little ones as you’re only playing with one colour. 

These pooch pals would add quirky humour to a boot room or look great running around the skirting boards in your utility room. 

We can’t wait to try the idea of using these stencils to create framed doggy-inspired art – we think they’d make great handmade gifts from little ones to their grown-up pals. 

The Schnauzer stencil comes in three sizes: A1, A2 and A3. 

Order your own Schnauzer stencil today. 

Tip: Would you like to try using your stencils to create art on paper for framing? Try the Henry Donovan Stencil Paint range. 

There’s nothing better than watching creativity spark in a little one – that is what stencilling is all about. The Viera stencil hints at adventures in wide open spaces that fill a child with wonder. 

This versatile stencil would look amazing in living rooms and reading nooks in whatever paint colour you and your little helper decide to apply – involving them in that process is what will make the activity so special.

One feature of this stencil that really sets it apart is that it also works on concrete tiles, so you and your helper can take it outdoors to decorate your garden.  

The Viera stencil comes in three sizes: S – 53cm x 53cm, M – 98cm x 53cm, L – 98cm x 98cm. 

Order your Viera stencil from StencilLabsNY’s Etsy store. 

Tip: Want to capture the spirit of outdoor living in your home? Check out Benjamin Moore’s ‘Bonfire’ paint colour.

Outside may be raining buckets, but indoors your home will be perennially sunny if you and your little helper try this cheerful stencil pattern. 

Most floral stencils tend to have a traditional feel, but the clean lines of these Funky Flowers mean they look just right in both modern and traditional settings. 

Make them as colourful as you like with a sprinkling of pop colours kids love like oranges, pinks and greens, or keep them subtle with neutral paint tones. 

Funky Flowers come in five sizes and the tallest option would certainly be a decor talking point for your unexpected take on floral fun if you decide to go bold.  

Sizes they come in range from XS – 11.4cm x 16.5cm to XL – 50cm x 69.4cm. 

Buy your Funky Flowers stencil. 

The child you want to inspire most will never forget the day you gave in to your inner Matisse. Henri Matisse was one modern art giant who knew more is more when it comes to colour. 

So, to create your joint masterpiece, grab this stencil and the brightest paint colours you can get your hands on. Think rainbow. Think candy. Think anything but boring. 

What you’ll end up with is a riotous wall that will make you and your little helper smile every time you walk past. You’ll also share the magic of Matisse and could spark a lifetime love affair with modern art. 

This stencil comes in size 59cm x 59cm. To make it easier to use in any hard-to-reach nooks and crannies, you’ll also get up to six free smaller stencils for getting into those difficult to stencil spots. 

Get your Matisse Floral Abstract stencil from Nakleo. 

Tip: Prepare to answer a hundred curious questions about Matisse with this classic coffee table book on the colourful genius. 

Kids are drawn to honey like bees are drawn to flowers. Helping little ones make the connection between the natural world and their daily lives inspires a lifetime of curiosity. 

You’re not just painting with this Honeybee wall stencil. You’re showing how much fun combining science and creativity can be – better swat up on your honey-bee facts. 

If painted with neutral colours, this stencil motif is at home in any room – we think it would look great in a pantry or conservatory. 

The stencil comes in 53cm x 73cm 

Buy your Honeybee Allover Wall Stencil. 

Chinese dragons streaking through the sky? What child could resist sharing this magical journey with the grown-up they love? 

This fresh twist on the classic floral chinoiserie theme is a unique work of art every time. Nakleo creates stencil designs that score high marks for flexibility. For ease of use, you’ll get a large feature template (59 x 59cm) and up to six free smaller stencils which you and your little design buddy can position at will. 

Buy your Chinoiserie Dragons stencil. 

Tip: Why not use this motif on a plain white sheet to create dreamy bed linen for your favourite little person? Click here for Nakleo’s guide to stencilling on fabric. 

Koi fish swimming peacefully intrigues kids and adults alike. This stencil motif can bring a sense of calm to your guest bathroom or utility room walls.  

Stencilit goes the extra mile to make applying stencils easier and faster. They create stencils in XXL sizes which means more wall area than usual is covered in one go before the stencil is repositioned. The Koi fish stencil is available in 61cm x 91cm.  

Buy your Koi Fish stencil and get started with a range of ‘how to’ videos at Stencilit. 

Tip: Inspired by the Scandinavian feel of this green koi pond? Check out the Farrow and Ball Nordic Edit colour palette. 

The Meridian stencil is all about sparking mathematical curiosity, with its criss-cross of intersecting shapes.

Painting this stencil on a wall with the help of your favourite number-obsessed youngster is a great creative craft project to celebrate their love of geometry in your home (we know, we designed this one ourselves.)

The stencil is available in three sizes: 37cm, 54cm and 77cm.  

You can find your Meridian stencil over at the brand’s official website. 

You might also find it helpful to check out Ideal Stencil’s videos on painting stencils like a pro.

Tip: Tempted to paint the Meridian stencil on your own ceiling or walls? Get the look with Benjamin Moore paint colour Stunning (826) in Regal Select Flat. 

Are you and your little sports buddy footie mad? Every day is match day when you decorate a room with a wild wave of football fans. 

Paint this ode to the beautiful game as an accent on one wall or spread the energy around the room by stencilling it over four walls. 

We think this would look great in a hobby-cave that doubles as a kids’ hang-out. 

This stencil is available in three sizes: 50cm x 15cm, 80cm x 24cm and 115cm x 35cm. 

Visit the Ideal Stencils website to join the Football Crowd every day and you can also get bespoke designs too. 

Did you know that art plays a big role in your favourite child’s development? Check out this the Arts Council England website to read more about how kids benefit from expressing themselves creatively and find new ways to enjoy getting artistic.