The write start - Jennifer Hallissy 2010

Table Talk
Guidelines for the Activities

IT’S A CHALKBOARD. It’s fabric. No, it’s chalk cloth!

What an amazing new material is chalk cloth. I could dream up finicky little projects to do with this stuff all day long. And if you do a search on the Internet, chalk cloth goodness abounds.

But if you prefer projects of the no-sew, no-fuss variety (as many of us do), have I got a good one for you: a chalk cloth tablecloth. The trickiest part is tracking down the chalk cloth (see the resources section at the back of the book). Once you have it, your work is nearly done.

You can toss this tablecloth on the kids’ table at holiday parties or on the kitchen table in preparation for a playdate. But don’t think it’s exclusively for entertaining kids—it’s a great teaching tool too. How useful would it be to have a write-and-wipeable tablecloth on the table when your children are doing homework? They can write their math calculations right on the table instead of using scratch paper, figure out how to spell a problematic word, or have a large-scale brainstorming blitz before writing an essay. In fact, any time inspiration strikes your kids in the general proximity of your tabletop, this tablecloth has them covered.

MATERIALS

∗ measuring tape

∗ chalk cloth

∗ scissors

∗ pinking shears

∗ chalk

∗ sponge

HOW-TO

1. First, measure your table. Add ten to fifteen inches to the length to allow for as much overhang as you desire. (Chalk cloth is forty-eight inches wide; if your table is wider than forty-eight inches, then plan on your tablecloth functioning more like a wide table runner.) Use these measurements to figure out the yardage you will need.

2. Cut the chalk cloth according to your measurements. After you have cut it to the intended length and width, trim around all the edges carefully with pinking shears to make a simple yet decorative finished edge that won’t fray.

3. Voilà! There you have it. Your final step is to cure the chalk cloth by rubbing it all over with the side of a piece of chalk, up and down and side to side. Repeat this one more time before you wipe it off.

4. You can surface clean your chalk cloth between uses with a damp sponge.

Variations

For Scribblers: Pre-writers love to cover the table with scribbles, squiggles, and doodles. Or show them how to draw a long and winding line that can become a “road” for their toy cars or trains.

For Spellers: Emerging writers will enjoy writing the whole alphabet from A to Z, signing their names, and writing all their favorite words.

For Storytellers: Storytellers will love having the space for a mural-sized drawing and a narrative too.

For Scholars: This is the perfect homework helper for Scholars, who will have plenty of room to figure it all out in writing.