Blackboard and chalk are the basic teaching tools for a teacher. And one of them can is especially loved by children, and yes, we’re talking about the chalk. This simple drawing instrument has helped generations of kids to show their knowledge and express their creativity afterschool on the open sidewalk. Colored or plain white, it is still one of the best creative activities younger children like and should engage in.
Surrounded by technology, today’s children might not be very inclined to take up the chalk and draw away their mornings and afternoons as older generations might have done, but there are ways for you as a parent to make them feel excited about sidewalk chalk activities and go even further than that, sparking their love for science, art and more. How would simple chalk accomplish all that, you ask? Well, that is exactly what our list will show you.
Children love having and playing with unusual things and making a mess or getting dirty is always a bonus, and these chalk projects have both of those sides covered. Don’t worry, you won’t have to go out and buy over a dozen packages of chalk for these projects, just a few more common and affordable items, which you might already have in the pantry.
So start this summer with a whole lot of fun and colorful messes that you can just hose down or wait for the next rain to do the job for you. Here are some fun homemade chalks to make now.
Reader's Roadmap
1. Chunky Sidewalk Chalk
Believe it or not, chalks are very easily made. You don’t need much, just a few products from the kitchen. The kids can even help with their creation, choosing the color of the biggest chalk they’ve probably seen. The only downside is that you’ll might have to wait a day or two for the chalk to dry.
2. Erupting Sidewalk Chalk Paint
An easier way to create with chalk is with sidewalk chalk paint. This liquidy mixture poured in a squeezy bottle will absolutely keep your kids well and long entertained… And once they discover that their splashed masterpiece can fizz and erupt… Well, you can imagine what excitement that will bring.
3. Sponge Chalk Bombs
Kids of all ages love throwing things and watching them bounce, plop, crash, or splash. We all do, actually. It is a fascination this chalk project is going to satisfy without fail. With a few tied up pieces of sponge and chalk paint, you’re going to have the messiest and most colorful bombarding of the summer.
4. Sidewalk Chalk Bombs
This project is a more tamed version of the sponge chalk bombs, albeit more time-consuming. However, this will be a great project to try out on parties, where the goal would be to get everyone colorfully excited and messy, but not wet. With chalk powder and some eggs, get ready for a smoke bomb fight.
5. Fast Chalk Paint Recipe
Already have plenty of chalks and your kids are bored of using them? This quick recipe will show you how to transform them into the paint so your kids will continue to decorate the sidewalk and watch their masterpieces change color in the hot sun.
6. Chalk Water Balloon Bombs
Which kid doesn’t want to could down in the hot sun with an exiting water balloon fight? Unfortunately, parents can’t and won’t always allow that for numerous reasons. However, you probably won’t object to having the kids smash their water balloons all over the yard or sidewalk. And you can be sure that these colorful chalk bombs will get them excited about throwing water balloons on the ground instead of at one another.
7. Chalk Rock
As we mentioned before, children would always choose the more unusual looking version of the same object. Just try it. Give them ordinary chalk sticks and these lumpy, rugged-looking chalk rocks with colorful pieces inside. We bet they’ll choose and use the chalk rock.
8. Cornstarch Sidewalk Chalk Paint
Cornstarch is very affordable and it’s also the main ingredient in many homemade chalk recipes. So, get your cornstarch, some bright food colorings a muffin pan, and let your children loose in the backyard into their creative adventure.
9. Puffy Sidewalk Paint
Plain chalk isn’t enough for your kids? Yes, that is to be expected for slightly older children. Don’t worry, we have you covered for that as well with this easy-to-make homemade puffy paint. Fun, exciting, and most important, easily washable.
10. Spray Chalk
Another great art medium is spray painting, which is fun, but not exactly parent-approved for kids to try. With a spray bottle and this chalk paint, you can at least introduce them with the experience of spray paint… Or at least in provide them with another way to get messy. Messy, but happy.
11. Glow-In-The-Dark Chalk Paints
We’mentioned getting your kids excited for science (in a way), and this is one of the chalk projects we found that can do that. Imagine getting to draw during the day and admire your artwork during the night. Or have the picture appear in the dark, but only under a UV light? You can bet the kids will be excited about that and this project will show you several ways to make your own glow-in-the-dark chalk.
12. Ice Chalk
Ice cream, ice water, ice cubes, you must have ice in the summer. Enter, ice chalk. another great way to have your kids occupied for more than a few seconds, while they watch and entice the colorful ice to melt and leave an artsy trail behind.
13. Exploding Sidewalk Chalk
A few of our listed “exploding| projects go “splash” or “pop” rather than “boom” which most kids love to hear. Not ones to leave the kids disappointed, here is another science chalk project that will blow your kids minds… And a whole lot of zipper bags too.
14. Fuzzy Foam Chalk Paint
Puffy chalk paint is good and all, but with just a little tweak, you get this project. Not only colorful puffy chalk paint, safe to use and wash afterward but one that also gets fizzing when added one more thing. You might already guess what that is, but let your kids discover the answer to that question. They’ll love it.
15. Chalk Popsicles
After all that excitement, we’re ending the list with another classic homemade chalk recipe, with one little improvement. A popsicle stick to make the chalky fun really mess-free.
That’s all we have for now. What are your thoughts on chalk activities? How much do your kids like them? Arm them up with one (or a few) of these projects and ask them again after they’re covered in colorful fun. Share us your thought in the comment section below.
