I created an invitation to play on the new chalkboard table using toy trains and wooden people!
The fun of the new chalkboard table is that it can be used to extend play sessions or in imaginative ways to encourage learning! While the children were distracted I drew them a simple railway and landscape using coloured chalks, then added in some trains, telegraph poles, stop signs and people.
I labelled the key areas with “station”, “park”, “terminal” etc so that there would be plenty of words to point out and ask about during play. I also left the pot of chalks next to the table so that they could add any further elements to the scene with pictures or mark-making.
Simple and easy to set up and providing a spark of creativity for a long session of engaged, imaginative play and storytelling!
We have lots more ideas for table top play and learning coming up soon! I’m loving the new indoor chalkboard table! What other ideas would you think of? Have you made one yet?!
Learning Links:
- literacy: beginning to recognise and name graphemes, be aware that print carries meaning, use marks and letter-like shapes to represent meaning, tell stories through play
- creativity: draw and add to play scenes to create imaginative play, take on a character and remain in role, tell a story through imaginative play
Cakie: 3 years 8 months
Pop: 2 years 1 month
Bean: 12 weeks
This is gorgeous! MUST try it on our chalkboard table! 🙂
This is genius! What child will not love this invitation to play.
We don’t have a chalkboard table but we have a giant chalkboard on the wall that my daughter and I use as our canvas for doodling, word play, games and even sheer time pass!
A chalkboard table will be a great addition though. Thank you for the inspiration!
Our chalkboard canvas – http://www.mommy-labs.com/creative-kids/reading_writing_habits_kids/a-giant-chalkboard-to-inspire-self-learning-and-expression/
I love this… we are 2 steps closer to getting an indoor and outdoor chalk table, we have chalk and the paint but yet to find some tables I’m hoping that when we clear out the garage we will find the coffee tables that I used to have in my flat that would be perfect.
Love this thank you!
I absolutely love your blog. I am in love with anything miniature and have been making my own sensory bins and invitations to play creations for about two years now. I use them in our church Sunday School, nursery, and also Children’s Church. I also set up various invitations to play for our church picnic held at our house. Since we have a manmade pond with fish and frogs, it seemed natural to go with this theme. Into this outside bin were books on frogs and fish, level 1 & 2, life cycle of a frog figures, green and blue colored rice, pebbles, rocks, flat and round green colored marbles, dollar store tiny frogs, cute printable activities put into the Crayola thing, a little wooden frog with stick to make croak sound, a tiny scoop, tiny magnifying glass, life cycle of a frog stickers and small pad, tiny notebook for field journal. I also had separate water and sand stations with scoops, ladles, dinasaurs, bowls (for pretend soup), water beads in there too for soup ingredients, and for the finale, a cooler filled with shaving cream tinted with green food coloring. I’m obsessed with making these. I now buy the 2 1/2 gallon ziplocks to store the items like fillers, books, figurines, etc. I love your blog!
Love this! Absolutely wonderful!