One thing about having autistic children is getting used to the obsessions.  Little man has a thing for sharks and dinosaurs.   He carries around his “sharky” while playing with his vast array of t-rex toys.  Thankfully, he also loves to read too.  So when I found this cute little bookshelf at the local goodwill outlet for only two dollar, I got a great idea!  I decided I would create a UpCycled Dinosaur Toddler Book Shelf.

This little white bookshelf was a steal at two dollars.  Even if you do not have a goodwill outlet near you, shelves like these can be found at thrift stores and garage sales all the time.  I fell in love with this one because of how sturdy it is and it was the perfect height for little man.  However, it was extremely plain.

Upcycling is such a fun way to get a custom look in your home.   For little man’s UpCycled Dinosaur Toddler Book Shelf, I only needed a couple more pieces to make it perfect.

UpCycled Dinosaur Toddler Book Shelf

What I Used:

• Bookcase from Thrift store
• Paint
• Wide Paint Brush
• Painter’s pyramids
• Dinosaur Cartoon Collection Set by Pixers

This is one of the simplest projects I have done.  First thing you will need to do is take a part a the book case.  Make sure to put any screws in a bag so you do not lose them.   Once apart, measure the back panels where the wallpaper/sticker sheet will go.

Then just I really enjoyed pixers.us selection.  All you have to do is to type in what you want, and they will have a ton of exactly what you are looking for!  Place the sticker /wallpaper sheets to the backing and set aside for later.

I used paint that I had left over from painting the house.  I am all for reusing and not wasting, so this was a great use for that paint.  When painting boards, shelves, and cabinets, I always use painter’s pyramids.  They make the job so easy.

Once you have your bookshelf paint and it has dried, all you have to do is reassemble.  For our upcycled dinosaur  toddler book shelf, we used a heavier dinosaur as a bookend.  All of his favorite books are on the bottom shelf and the top is for him to play with his dinosaurs.  Check out the pictures below to see just how we did it!

Use code “themomkind” at Pixers to get 40% off your order!

The Mom Kind

Alicia Trautwein is an Autism advocate, writer, motivational speaker, and dedicated mom of four. Alicia’s desire to advocate for Autism comes from her own autism diagnosis and that of her three children, niece, and brother. Her life’s mission is to educate on autism acceptance and change the world for future generations of autistic individuals.