Sidewalk chalk was one of my favorite activities to do outside when I was a kid, and I’m so excited that it’s still a favorite pastime of children everywhere. Today I’m going to share with you some amazing sidewalk chalk learning activities, games, artwork, and photo ideas to enjoy with your kids. Plus, you’ll find link to our favorite sidewalk chalk, and learn how to make your own puffy sidewalk chalk pain and more!
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Must-Have Sidewalk Chalk & Accessories
First things first, let’s talk about the sidewalk chalk itself. The sidewalk chalk you’ll most frequently see used in this post, is this set from Crayola that you can buy on Amazon. Even the amazing mom who does the awesome artwork photos you’ll see near the end of of this post uses this same chalk. Click here to check it out.
Another great thing to have on hand, is the Walkie Chalkie that makes it easy to draw game courses and obstacle courses while standing up. You back will thank you.
DIY Washable Sidewalk Chalk Paint
Another fun way to play outside is with sidewalk paint. You can buy sidewalk paint here, or make your own. Here’s how to make your own batch…
Supplies Needed:
- Cornstarch
- Baking Soda
- Water
- Food Dye (I would suggest avoiding gel food dyes for this)
- Squeeze Bottles
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine equal parts of cornstarch and baking soda. Stir to combine.
2. Add a few tablespoons of warm water at a time until the mixture is the consistency of poster paints. You can go as thin or as thick as you would like. The thicker the paint is the puffier it will be. If using squeeze bottles be careful not to make your sidewalk paint too thick.
3. Divide the mixture into squeeze bottles.
4. Add food dye to each bottle, put the cap on and shake the color into the paint. If you would like to use a natural dye we highly suggest these dyes.
4. Take the squeeze bottles outside and invite your little ones to make a mess!
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Learning Activities with Sidewalk Chalk
Who says that learning can’t be done while playing outside with sidewalk chalk? Check out these fun learning activities…
1. Sidewalk Paint Word Tracing Game
Write words in chalk for your child to trace using some of that DIY sidewalk chalk paint and a paintbrush. This will give her some good practice at sounding out words and writing her letters.
2. Water Word Tracing
If you’d like to avoid the mess of sidewalk chalk paint, use water instead. Have your child trace letters or words using a sponge brush dipped in water.
3. Chalk Stencil Letter Practice
You can buy alphabet stencils here and have your child trace and color in various letters. Practice the sounds those letters make and what words start with each letter. This activity really fosters learning and creativity at the same time.
4. Sidewalk Chalk Letter Sound Hide ‘N Seek
This Hide ‘N Seek game is super fun. Simply hide animals (like these) throughout your yard (hopefully you remember where you placed them) or in a smaller area of bushes or flowers, and then write out the alphabet on your walkway for driveway. Then encourage your little one to find and place the animals on the chalked letter that their name starts with.
5. Carrot Patch Letter Spray
Have mom or dad write letters in a “patch” on the driveway with carrots stenciled around each letter. Then call out a letter to your child who’s armed with a spray bottle or squirt gun. They’ll have so much fun “watering” the carrots until they disappear, and also learn letter recognition.
6. Put Out The Fire Word Spray
This concept is similar to the one above, only flames are stenciled around each letter. You could even let your little firefighter use the hose if you don’t mind everything getting wet.
7. Outdoor Sidewalk Chalk Math Dice Game
To help you child practice solving math equations in their head, create this sidewalk chalk math game. Have your child roll the dice and solve the problem wherever it lands. You can easy change up the equations too as he gets to know the answers better for an extra challenge.
8. Anatomy Class
As a nurse, I personally love this learning activity. Encourage your children to trace each others bodies on the pavement. Then encourage them to draw where various bones or organs are inside the body. You could even have a list of organs and bones off to the side and have them draw lines to where those pieces are inside the body. Anatomy 101 sidewalk chalk style!
9. Chalk Treasure Hunt
This treasure hunt will keep your kids busy for a little will so you can enjoy some fresh air. Change up the items as they go to keep the fun going.
10. Nature Color Hunt
I like this variation of the treasure hunt as well where you kids find items that match the colors. This is a super simple learning activity that will keep them moving.
11. Constellation Art with Rocks & Sidewalk Chalk
Help you children learn about constellations by drawing them with sidewalk chalk and then adding the finishing touches with rocks. Super clever.
Imaginative & Creative Sidewalk Chalk Activities
Let their imagination soar with these creative sidewalk chalk activities. Which one will be your child’s favorite? I love them all.
1. A Giant Chalk Town
This is simply too cute. I think this mom must’ve been the talk of the town with this creative little chalk city. I love this idea, don’t you?
2. Playing with Shadows & Emotions
Talk to your child about emotions and how to handle our emotions with this simple game. Draw different faces…sad, angry, surprised, happy…and then have your child line their shadow up to give their shadow a face. You could ask questions like, “what makes you feel sad, angry, surprised, happy, etc.” and “how do you handle your feeling when you feel sad, angry, etc.”.
3. Trace & Color In Shadows
In this activity, have you kids trace each others shadows. They could do silly poses or traditional, and then have them draw them in with sidewalk chalk or paint. They could even draw hair, clothes, and faces on each other shadows if they’d like.
4. Dolly Dress Up
In this activity, trace your child’s body on the pavement and then encourage them to draw different outfits, hairstyles, etc. on their shadow sorry of like paper dolls only with sidewalk chalk.
5. Chalk Resist Art
Use painter’s tape to write out a message or draw a special picture on the ground, then color over the top of the tape. When you peel the take back, you’ll reveal a masterpiece.
6. Drive-Thru Big Chalk Maze
This is another simple activity that involves a maze, some trucks, and a child with an imagination.
7. Chalk Art Puddle Splash
Who says sidewalk chalk is only for sunny days? Get those rain boots on, and enjoy drawing in the rain and splashing in the colorful puddles. Rain makes sidewalk chalk more vivid, so create away.
8. Wet Sidewalk Chalk Dippers
This activity involves actually dipping your chalk in water to create more vivid drawings, similar to the rain activity.
9. Exploding Chalk Activity
This activity combines science with art with exploding bags of color that will leave your kids begging for more!
10. Cozy Coupe Town
Take your Giant Chalk Town like the one pictured above to the next level by making it large enough for a cozy coupe to drive through. Expand their imaginations and fun with this giant cozy coupe town.
Active Sidewalk Chalk Games
Work out the wiggles with these simple outdoor games that include sidewalk chalk…
1. Twirl, Stomp, & Roar Obstacle Course
You can personalize this course however you want to to get your kids off the couch and moving. I love that this one includes meowing like a cat and roaring and storing like a dinosaur.
2. Don’t Step on the Lava!
Challenge your kids to jump, hop, or roll to the safe zones and not touch the lava. Let their imaginations run wild with this active outdoor game.
3. Bike & Scooter Course
Grab your chalk and get creative by creating an interactive bike or scooter course. Once again this like the Cozy Coupe Town but even bigger. You could even have station that encourage your kids to get off their bike and do other challenges like jumping jacks, jumping rope, hula hooping, etc.
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Outdoor Games made with Sidewalk Chalk
Let’s take the board games outside and make them extra fun by using sidewalk chalk. You’re entire family will love these outdoor game ideas…
1. Sidewalk Chalk Checkers
Use your chalk to draw a checkers board game and paper plates as your pieces. You may need to color the bottoms of your plates to tell them apart.
2. Hangman
How about a good old-fashioned game of hangman. Pick a word and let your kids guess letters to make up that word. When they guess a letter that’s not in your word, add another body part to your hangman.
3. Memory
Write a grid of matching letter and numbers on the pavement with sidewalk chalk and cover the letters and numbers with paper plates. Have your kids continue lifting plates 2 at a time while taking turns and trying to remember where letters and numbers are located. The one to get the most matches at the end, wins!
4. Connect the Dots
Once again, draw a grid with dots. Have players take turns drawing lines to connect the dots with their chosen sidewalk chalk color. The one to complete the most boxes wins!
5. Target Practice
Draw out targets on the pavement and have your kids practice throwing and landing bean bags into the chosen circles.
6. Race Car Targets
Similarly to the activity before, have your kids push rashers toward drawn targets. The one to get their car closest to the target wins!
7. Twister
Grab the spinner from your Twister board game and create a larger board outside with sidewalk chalk. What could be more fun?
8. Pictionary
Once again raid your game closet and grab your Pictionary game. Instead of drawing pictures on paper, use sidewalk chalk and draw them on the driveway. Family game night outside for the win!
9. Putting Range
Draw out your own putting green with sidewalk chalk and use red solo cups as the holes. What a fun and active outdoor activity that will keep your kids busy for hours.
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Sidewalk Chalk Art Ideas
I absolutely love these sidewalk chalk art ideas. They make the coolest photo opps for your kids too. Here’s some amazing ideas of ways to draw and create with your kids using sidewalk chalk. I want to create them all.
Sidewalk Chalk Inspiration Quotes & Versus
Have you heard of the #ChalkTheWalk or #ChalkYourWalk initiative during Covid-19 stay at home orders? People all around the world, are creating beautiful sidewalk chalk art and using inspirational quotes, versus, and encouraging words to lift others up while out on their walks during these stressful times. You can also use this opportunity to thank first responders and healthcare workers as well. Here’s some amazing inspiration quote ideas…
I don’t know about you, but now I’m ready to grab my tub of sidewalk chalk and get outside and create something. How about you? Share your creations on Instagram using the hashtag #LL&LChalkYourWalk or tag me in your photo. I can’t wait to see what you create.
