LET'S TALK CHALK

This post may contain affiliate links which help support our blog efforts.

We have all ogled and even fallen in love with the great walls of chalk art like these two examples below and said to ourselves, "That's so cool, I'm definitely doing that in my kid's room!"

It's a win, win right? Kids get to write on the wall and the room gets free changing art!"

Apartment Therapy

Inspiration For Home blog

The rub lies in the inherently messy chalk dust that rains to the ground every time your child draws a letter, airplane or rainbow. Yes, while chalk art walls are a cool accent and play area for kids spaces, but if you have ever had one of any size you know how dirty they are. Not to mention the messy chalk dust hands that children unknowingly, and sometimes purposefully, rub around the rest of the room and themselves.

I would like to suggest a couple solutions for both A) dirty chalk floors and B) dirty chalk hands. We have a chalk paint area in the form of quote bubbles near our dinner table. The art gets changed out for holidays and personal celebrations, so every couple months or so. However, the chalk dust is my worst nightmare, getting stuck in the white molding and grooves of the hardwood floors.

Janvrin home chalk board space at the dinner table, Luca's second birthday

Janvrin home chalk board space at the dinner table, Luca's first brithday

My first step in minimizing dust and clean-up, both on the ground and kids hands, was to switch to using chalk pens – not old school chalk. I know it may seem less romantic, but you'll thank me and yourselves later! You can get sets in color and white from a craft store or off Amazon like I found these.

Also, throw a box of baby or hand wipes near this space for easy access to wiping off colored hands, faces, clothes, soles of shoes, etc.

Amazon, Craft Croc 10 pack - $39.99

Amazon, Super Chalk 4pack - $19.95

---

One option for smaller creative spaces like ours is to place picture ledges underneath them to catch falling dust. These come in various lengths and finishes at Target, IKEA and The Land of Nod. While you will have to clean the ledges it is easier to do this then the walls and floors before tiny feet track it around the house. It also makes a spot to leave your chalk or new chalk pens.

Target - Loggia Shelf with Rim - White 24", $24.99

Target- Threshold 23" Picture Ledge, $12.99

The Land of Nod - Color Bar Ledge $29

---

For large areas like entire walls, a way to go would be to create a built in dust catcher at the base of your chalk wall, like you see here in this sweet image below from the blog My Scandinavian Home.

Built-n chalk dust catcher at the base of the wall, for less mess on the actual floor. Found on MyScandanavianHome.com

Another sweet option would be installing an oversized vintage or even new schoolhouse chalk board with built-in chalk ledge. I have seen vintage and new styles sitting in the corners of local thrift shops and antique stores and said to myself,  "Cool! Where could use this?"

Vintage chalk board brings in nice warmth and character. This image found on babble.com

Contemporary, mobile chalkboard with built-in chalk tray. Found on School Outfitters

---