So, I requested whiteboards from my district, and they said they would order me a set but it would take a while for them to be processed and brought to me...and I wanted them NOW (I'm impatient) because I want to use them with my kids to really teach them number sense and ten frames.
Anywho, I decided to hit up my local hardware store (I am a die-hard Lowes girl personally) and I found a sheet of whiteboard material 32inx4ft for likee $12. (There was a larger sheet of 8ftx4ft for like $14 but it was recommended to me to get the smaller ones instead. To each their own.)
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| This is the large sheet that I took a picture of |
I bought 2 sheets of the whiteboard (the smaller sheets) and the lovely Lowes person, who stayed with me through the waffling and switching materials only to switch it back, carefully cut it down to the size I wanted. I went with 12inx10in squares and I got 24 our of the two sheets. If I had been thinking clearly I would have gotten the bigger sheet and gotten 12x12 squares but it was after a long day of teaching (and subbing during my prep hour for another teacher who was at a training) with very little coffee...and I was hungry, so I didn't go that route.
Once cut the stuff collects dust like nobody's business so I used some swiffer dry cloths to collect the dust before I taped up the edges. I bought blue duct tape for the edges. You don't HAVE to tape the edges. I did because I thought it looked cuter and the edges of mine were a little frayed and dusty (and we all know how much of a perfectionist I am.) Duct tape now has neat patterns and colors and even TRIM ROLLS! Little rolls that are about half the thickness of regular duct tape that you can use for trim on decorative projects! Who would have guess?? I did not realize this was a thing...so don't laugh at my out-of-the-loop-ness.
I went with a nice solid blue of the regular thickness and, because of the quantity of my boards, went with the 20yd roll. I cut strips long enough for each side and then ripped it down the middle to "thin" it out. Twice the yardage for the same price! I'm all about saving the $$.
I worked on a TV tray for this project because I got to watch my favorite show with my husband and "craft"/diy at the same time. Plus the tray made a convenient place to stick my strips so I could quickly do a couple boards before I needed to cut and rip anymore. After I prepped the tape it was just a matter of sticking it to each side and folding it over the back. They're not 100% even, but they're going to a 4 year old...I think I can live with it (at least until Christmas when I can take them all home and do them again with a cuter tape and making the strips even.)
What I started with...
The final result.
This was a super easy, rather quick (aside from my indecisiveness it really only took me about an hour to an hour and a half to tape all of these up) and REALLY inexpensive project. I now have a class set of whiteboards for $25! Best part is: You can totally customize it how ever you want! Change the tape color, change the size. Make it work for you!
P.S. This board will "ghost" so some windex or a magic eraser is perfect for cleaning it when it gets grungy.
All in all I love the way they came out and I couldn't be happier about how easy it was on the wallet. I hope some of you find this helpful!
Always remember: Every moment can be A Learning Moment.
Sincerely,
Your TK teacher
Nichole
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