Chalk Board Blocks

I need to clean off and repaint our black board. I’ve had the pot of paint sitting around for ages, but that is a big outside job, and it’s cold.  Still, that pot of chalkboard paint was calling my name. So instead of the big job, I worked on something a little smaller.

 

Chalkboard blocks - an easy DIY toy hack

 

I grabbed the little pot of chalk board paint and headed out the back. I cut up a bit of building pine (which may or may not have been destined to be part of our kitchen walls… oh well) into random block-ish sizes, gave them a quick sand and painted one side with chalkboard paint.
chalk board blocks
In less than five minutes I had a set of cool chalkboard blocks!

Then I had a brain wave!

A long, long time ago I had cut out some very simple people shaped blocks. Recently, my Dad up wood turning and made us a beautiful turned wood family, so my daggy old people blocks had been sitting at the bottom of the box of blocks, un-loved. That is until I painted them with chalkboard paint too!

chalk board block people

 

A day or two later, the paint was dry and the boys helped me carry the chalk board blocks inside. We dug out the chalk and they set to work customising their blocks.

chalk board blocks

chalk board block people

Morgan loved drawing his own buildings, and being able to make the people happy or sad or angry! And Noah loved the fact that he could scribble to his heart’s content, then rub it out and start again!

chalk board block people

Now I am wondering what else I can paint…

 

chalk board blocks

Find more fun drawing activities here.

 20+ Drawing Ideas and Activities

Get play & learning ideas,
plus lots of free printables!

?

Subscribe to get our newsletter full of fun each week and get this Pattern Block Roll and Build set as a thank you!

    We won’t send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    21 Comments

      1. This is GREAT….I am so glad I stumbled upon your ‘brain wave’. I have the blocks from raising my kids and had picked up chalkboard paint several months ago (I knew I would put it to good use). I can already tell you my Grandkids are going to love these. Can’t wait!

    1. What about a dedicated noughts and crosses board, or boxes (the game with the dots where you make 1 line each turn and try to make boxes). Using permanent paint fro the game markings, and chalk for the game itself means that you don’t always have to keep redrawing the game out

    2. Ooh I really adore this idea Kate, how cool!! You clever thing you. Will definitely have to try this.
      (PS hope these cool blocks don’t mean you have one part of your kitchen wall missing though!!!!)

    3. yeah!!! i LOVE those people blocks. i want some. thanks for sharing…glad to have found you.

      : )

      kristin

    4. These are beautiful! They actually have a very modern sculptural quality. What a great way to make blocks even more interactive! Thanks for sharing such a great post!

    5. Great idea! Simple yet effective. Will definitely keep that in mind for a fun crafty afternoon activity. Thanks for sharing. Very cool!