"That very night in Max's room a forest grew and grew - and grew
Enliven your child's room with a little outdoor magic
until his ceiling hung with vines and the walls became the world all around
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
To make the forest ceiling (also known as a canopy), tie a four-foot-long branch, dowel, or broom handle onto each post of your child's bed. Use twine to secure each branch in two or three places.
Once all the corners of the bed have branches attached to them, drape a sheer curtain or double size sheet over the tops of the branches (a green bed sheet or one with a leafy pattern is ideal, but any sheet will do). The canopy should rest securely, but you can reinforce it, if necessary, with clothespins or elastic bands.
Now it's time for your child to bedeck their new world with leaves and vines. Give them green construction paper and scissors and have them cut several tear-shape leaves from the paper. Then, have them thread several leaves onto fishing line (a regular sewing needle will work fine) and hang the line across the canopy and around the branches. For a twilit forest, string tiny lights around the branches. We also draped a few tiny lights above the sheer curtain canopy which then appeared as stars.
Offer you child magazines with nature photographs and have them select pictures of animals or forest scenes to tape to the walls around them or the the canopy above. For extra greenery, place houseplants by their bedside.
Read stories about animals or the rain forest or the classic children's book Where the Wild Things Are, which tells the story of Max, whose bedroom is transformed into a raucous wilderness. Another appropriate book to read in your Enchanted Forest would be The Salamander Room.