First, a little background: our highchair tray, which is removable, has another tray layer which is also removable. We used to use the top tray and then we wouldn't have to remove he whole thing to clean it after meals. However, during a bought of teething, Atticus started biting it and making it pop off, so we just stopped using it. This led to the discovery that it was really almost just as easy to clean the big tray. So the top piece just sat around collecting dust. Until recently!
I decided to put it to better use and give up on the idea of ever using it for food again. I painted it with chalkboard paint!
I used a sponge brush and painted two layers. Note that I did not paint meticulously. I'm sure you could, but if I had set up that kind of standard for this project I never would have started. So squiggly edges it is for us! Also, the surface isn't smooth, it actually has a very brushstroke texture to it. However, following the advice on the can of paint to rub a piece of chalk all over it first, then erase it all, to prime the chalkboard really seemed to mitigate what might have been a texture issue. As an eraser I used a scrap piece of felt.
Atticus took to it pretty quickly. He colored much in the way he does with crayons right now, mostly lines with the occasional scribble. I was mostly just glad that he wasn't breaking or eating the chalk. He also picked up on he word "chalk" almost immediately, so that will be interesting.
I suppose it will eventually crack. The tray is plastic and made to bend, so it seems inevitable. So far so good though, and maybe if we are careful we can get a good amount of use out of it. I plan to use it primarily to give him something to keep him busy while I'm cooking.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
No comments:
Post a Comment