We have a summer of learning ahead of us. I believe it to be a unique and exciting mama experience to have the opportunity to learn with and teach your children. Not all parents have the wherewithal to be able to spend all day with their little ones showing them a personal tour of a small part of the world. I am always on the look out for new learning tools and new ways to learn through play.

There is this wall at the center of our home I just didn’t have a clue how to utilize, so I decided it was time to create a space where we can all write on the wall. Make a chalkboard that is. This is before.

This is after.

It is hilarious that the writing is on the wall, and it fills only the bottom third of the black board, that I never have to erase because the kids like that more than drawing, and that a wall can provide hours of entertainment. I have some paint left over, so I am contemplating, the pantry door, another wall, the entryway–so we can write inspiring words on the wall, and hummm where else? Here is how I went about this process if you feel so inclined to create your own chalkboard wall.

How To Make a Chalkboard Wall

1. Tape off the area you intend to make chalkboard with low-tack painter’s tape.
2. If the area is already painted with latex paint, sand the area with a fine sandpaper. If the area is exposed wood, or dry wall, you can skip this step.
3. I had holes in my wall, so I filled them with patch putty with a putty knife. After this dried, I sanded the area again.
4. Prime the area with a quality primer. (This extra step just makes painting the area tons easier and the finished area is nice and smooth.)
5. Paint the area with chalkboard paint and a sponge roller. (I got my chalkboard paint at Home Depot. There is also a chalkboard paint you can tint different colors to match your decor.) (And I needed three coats to get good coverage. Oh, and remove the painters tape after the paint has almost dried.)
6. We waited three whole days to write on the wall, per the instructions on the can. First I covered the chalkboard with a coat of white chalk, then I used a chalkboard eraser to erase the entire thing. Then we were ready to draw.
7. When needed, wipe down the chalkboard area with a barely damp cloth. “Prime” the area again with white chalk before drawing again.

Do you do anything to sneak “learning” into your everyday? Hope you are having a simply wonderful summer.