If you like to provide a lot of creative, open-ended activities for your children, then YAY for you! You are helping your child become an out-of-the-box thinker! If you want to help them build their brains AND their bodies at the same time, then don’t forget to allow opportunities for them to create while STANDING. Children tend to use small papers and sit at a table, at a desk, or on the floor while they create, but did you know there are so many benefits to working on large, VERTICAL surfaces?
1. While standing, children use more of their arms and shoulders as they make big, sweeping motions. This strengthens the arms and improves flexibility.
2. While standing, children cross the midline of their body more often. This builds pathways in the brain that help them use both sides of their body together, improving coordination. Crossing the midline is important to master, because it is a prerequisite to reading and writing.
3. While standing, children work the core of their body, strengthening those important stomach and back muscles.
4. While standing, children can focus better and improve eye/hand coordination, because their faces are right in front of the surface.
The outdoor chalkboards in this photo have been hanging in our Outdoor Classroom for the last 10 years and still look great! We wrapped them in bamboo, and while we’ve had to replace a few pieces of bamboo over the years, the chalkboards have held up perfectly!
It is SUPER easy to make your own chalkboard paint in any color you want!!! You can easily find recipes on the internet, just remember to look for chalkboard paint, not chalk paint! We used non-sanded tile grout mixed with flat-finish latex paint to create ours.
