Children lead busy and confusing lives these days. From soccer to piano practice, kids often need reminders of where they need to be at a certain time. One quick and easy way to remind them is to craft a unique bulletin board to hang in their room. You can even customize it so it matches the décor of their room for even more kid appeal. Here’s how to make a children’s bulletin board:
Make a children’s bulletin board: Gather your supplies
For this project you’ll need a ready made chalkboard. Chalkboards come in a variety of sizes ranging from miniature to full size. Select a size that’s appropriate for your child’s room. You’ll also need a roll of thin cork which is available at most craft stores. Select acrylic paints in shades that coordinate with your child’s room as well as rubber stamps in some of your child’s favorite motifs. The rubber stamps should be small enough to stamp on the wooden frame that surrounds the chalkboard. You’ll also need an ink pad suitable for stamping on wood as well as a container of multipurpose craft glue.
Make a children’s bulletin board: Paint and decorate the edges of the chalkboard
Apply several coats of your chosen shade of acrylic paint to the wooden frame surrounding the chalkboard. Allow the paint to dry thoroughly before proceeding to the next step. Open your newly purchased ink pad and push your stamp firmly into the pad to apply ink uniformly to its surface. Practice stamping your design on white paper or scraps of wood to get the feel for how much pressure is needed to give a good impression. Once you’re satisfied, stamp your motifs onto the chalkboard frame. You can even add handpainted touches with a paintbrush if you’re so inclined. Allow the surface to dry overnight.
Make a children’s bulletin board: Create the bulletin board
To turn your decorated chalkboard into a bulletin board, measure the inside dimensions of your chalkboard and cut enough cork from your cork roll to cover it completely. Make sure the cork fits snugly over the chalkboard. Apply craft glue to the back of the cork and press it firmly into place. Place a heavy book over the surface of the cork until it completely dries.
You can now use push pins to hang notes for your child by pushing them into the cork on the bulletin board. You can do lots of variations on this project. Why not use a black permanent market to write your child’s name along the top edge of the chalkboard frame? You can even glue stones, buttons, miniatures, or other decorative objects instead of stamping it. This would be a fun project for you and your child to complete together. Who knows? You may end up wanting one of your own.
