DIY chalkboard tray

i had some leftover chalkboard paint and decided to make finley a little art tray so he could craft without making a huge mess. the chalk can't roll off the table and he can't draw off the edges onto other surfaces.

supplies:
martha stewart chalkboard paint in gray (these are medium sized bottles perfect for smaller surfaces and i got mine for $4.00 on sale at michael's)
unfinished serving trays (set of 2 for $3.99 at michael's)
chalk and a disposable/plastic cup

do:
paint 3 layers of chalkboard paint onto the inside of the tray. i taped mine off at the edges and used a foam brush. i'm considering attaching the cup to the tray but i'd also like to stack it so i'm not sure.

he loves it! very simple, very cheap, and somewhat portable so i can bring it (vs. a chalkboard table) into various rooms. and i must mention that the chalkboard paint comes in a variety of colors (pink, blue, black, possibly others) but i really love this subtle gray version.

the trays come in packs of two, so i used the larger one as a drawing board. i glued one clip onto the top center so we can secure paper onto the tray. same concept - he can't draw off the edges onto my tables and the markers/crayons won't roll onto the floor.

early intervention

there are times in parenting (in life) when things seem equally good and bad simultaneously. qualifying for early intervention is one of those times, at least for me.

i went into our evaluation this morning believing that finley has a speech delay. i know what he can and can't do based on daily (everyday!) interaction. i know he doesn't speak. but to hear a professional speech therapist, after evaluating him, say that he is performing at a 50% delay for his adjusted age and that he needs weekly therapy...that feels like a low blow. to top it off, the cognitive/developmental therapist determined that his fine motor skills are also behind. he qualified for weekly developmental therapy as well.

more than sharing with everyone else, i'm writing this down because it's part of his life, part of who he is, and i'd like to remember it. and maybe this might help you. maybe your child is doing big things, exciting things...but maybe they also aren't talking. or they are easily frustrated with seemingly simple tasks. maybe our journey through EI will help someone else. hopefully it helps us :)

basically, finley has trouble problem solving and gets upset with his inability to put together puzzles, match objects, put pegs into holes, or stack blocks into a tower. he can't communicate his need for help or his frustration, so he throws said items and moves on to something he likes to do. something he can easily do. things like pointing out semi-complicated concepts in books. things that older children do. like pretend play - creating scenarios in his mind and acting them out without prompting. climbing narrow beams a few feet in the air after easily hoisting himself up alone. yes, he can grasp tiny objects. he can paint plaster animals. but requesting the completion of a task he doesn't excel at? if he can't do it, he cries or turns away to focus on something else. his attention span is short and he doesn't transition well (getting up from naps, leaving the table, putting away/exchanging toys). he is smart. so very smart. but he struggles with communicating verbally, following commands of problem solving, and doesn't imitate actions or sounds.

so we'll meet with two therapists on two different days every week. i don't know for how long but i hear it's fun for finn and that he'll learn quickly. they say his social skills (already great!) will help the process. he'll also get a hearing test to be sure everything is fine. and EI isn't the worst thing in the world, obviously. yeah it's hard to hear he's behind. but it's good that he has the opportunity to get help.