As parent, you can sometimes become quite frustrated once you find out that the walls have certain drawings and caricatures on them. Apparently, your child used a crayon or pen to create his own designs on the wall. This is a normal behavior in a child since they will want to express their ideas and feelings on any canvas they can get their hands on. Unfortunately, they chose the wall and cleaning this out can be tough. Now, you don’t want to discourage this expression in art of the child outright. The best way to deal with the situation is to transform a particular wall in the house into the child’s personal art wall where he can draw and sketch to his heart’s desires. This will leave the other walls of your house clean and crayon-free. To achieve this goal, you will want the particular wall converted into a chalkboard. Best part about it is that you can do it yourself. Yes, you don’t need to buy a chalkboard and hang it. The wall will be the chalkboard. Here are some quick steps to do this.
- Choose a wall. The first phase of the project will require you to choose a wall to convert. Technically, it would be best to use one of the walls in the child’s room. Of course, this is entirely up to you since some parents may opt to convert the basement or garage wall instead. In any case, decide on the wall you want converted.
- Set the dimensions and parameters. As soon as you have chosen the wall for the child’s new chalkboard, decide on the dimensions. Since you child is short, then you will want to use the bottom half of the wall only. Also, you won’t need to convert the entire length of the wall. A sizeable space on the wall is all you need. Set the pattern and parameters up by taping the edges of the proposed chalkboard on the wall. Use painter’s tape for this. At this point, you can be a little creative by designing the area of the chalkboard in a familiar shape like a house or a mountain.
- Paint it. Visit your local paint store and purchase chalkboard paint. There are many shades to choose from such as black, dark green, and green. Purchase paint brushes as well while you are there. Once you get home, mix the paint as instructed and start applying the first coat. Make sure the coat is even on the whole area. Make sure to stay within the edges of the tape. Allow the first coat to dry completely before applying the second coat. Allow it to dry again, before applying the third and final coat. Let it dry completely.
Once your new chalkboard is dry, introduce your child to the area and give him a piece of chalk to start doing his thing. At this point, you will want to teach him that this is the only wall he can draw on. All the other walls are off-limits. Also, make sure he knows how to use the eraser as well. Finally, make sure to use dustless chalk instead of the traditional chalk to avoid possible respiratory conditions.
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