I have not done any extensive research on this but if you check out snopes it has some interesting info. I can't imagine ALL chalk would have lead. Schools and kids have been using it for decades.

Here is a link that might be useful: Snopes

I'm an artist using chalk pastels, have discussed the content of such. Not the same animal, but you can check the contents of chalk as with any other product. There are so many chalk options for children now and forever, hard to imagine it contains lead or that the manufacturers would be allowed to sell it. Maybe stay away from the imports (dollar stores) and use known manufacturers such as Crayola.

For a chalkboard, I bought one from Hobby Lobby and reframed it with a metal framing kit. They are already framed in wood which could easily be painted and cost $12 for a 2'X 3' one. Check their site for a 40% off coupon which is available every week. Almost nothing to get started. Michaels has %50 off coupons too.

The large one was the size of my fridge door and used magnets to attach. Getting creative, had an old Scrabble set and used the tile holders to hold the chalk and some tiles for magnets.

I checked the chalk sets for children on Hobby Lobby site and it states non toxic.

Comments like that one are why I dropped out of my Moms group. Anyway, I would try Homegoods/TJ Maxx, I've seen some there. Or pottery barn kids or Ballard if you don't mind paying more.

If you're feeling truly neurotic about chalk dust, however, check out the Chalk Ink or Zig Zigns markers. A black dry-erase board looks particularly nice with fluorescent and white chalk-ink pens, they're not as cheap as blackboards but you do get a very nice appearance.

I have a blackboard in a beautiful frame that I bought at Ballard's more than 10 years ago. The gold leaf frame looks very pretty next to the black, and for years I wrote the dinner menu on it so I wouldn't have to answer the daily question "What are we having for dinner???" It looks and functions like new, so I recommend their quality.

We've used chalk for years and haven't succumbed to lead poisoning. There was a recall of some kind of sidewalk chalk about five or six years ago. It was produced (you guessed it) in China. Ordinary white blackboard chalk was never a problem.

I haven't heard anything about lead, but I do know that that the dust from chalk is a lung irritant. My son has asthma and it can trigger an asthma attack. This is one of the reasons chalkboards are being phased out in elementary schools.

If your child doesn't have asthma, I probably wouldn't worry too much about it.

I have asthma and it was a constant battle with the schools when I was a kid (no ADA back then) to not have me seated right next to the chalk boards on the side walls.

Anyway, couldn't you just get the chalk tested for lead? Pick a brand and get a piece tested. If it's safe, continue to buy that brand.

I had never heard about this, my kids have been playing with sidewalk chalk for YEARS. I just googled it to see if it was true. Apparently lead has been found in colored sidewalk chalk that is not produced in the US. As emagineer mentioned, only buy name brands like crayola (avoid the deals at the dollar store) and if you can stick to white.

I made this chaulkboard for my grandchildren. I took an old frame, painted it to match my cabinets and cut a piece of foamboard to fit. Spray painted the foamboard with chaulkboard paint (Walmart) according to the instructions on the can. Seasoned it with chaulk and voila! a custom chaulkboard for under $6.

I buy the Crayola chaulk.

{{!gwi}}

Sorry to hijack the thread, but Dian57 - I love your countertops! What are they? They look like exactly what I've been looking for.

Dian, what a darling idea, and it looks wonderful! We had a carpenter once doing some custom work and his favorite saying was, "let's make it look like we meant to do it this way!" Your chalkboard looks like it was meant to be there :)

Dian -- LOVE your kitchen -- and love the counters too! :)

Great job with the chalkboard ......

You can buy chalk holders for chalk, and dustless chalk for that matter. I actually think I'd worry more about our food supply than the amount of lead in chalk.

Dian, beautiful kitchen!

Dian, are those Ikea cabinets? I only ask because the top drawer and banks are slab while the larger doors are inset panels (like I have been noticing with Ikea)

My countertops are laminate. The color is Basalt Slate. When I recently did my kitchen renovation I looked at granite, soapstone and ceasarstone and went with laminate because of cost, durability and looks.

The cabinets are Charlottesville maple in cream from Home Depot.

Thanks for the compliments. And thank for not pointing out that I spelled chalkboard and chalk wrong FIVE TIMES! I must have chaulk on my mind these days. Too much renovating, I guess.

Dianne