It’s summer time and kids are playing outside, which means they need an activity to keep them busy!  Try making this Homemade Sidewalk Chalk for your kids.  This activity will be fun to make AND fun to use too!

 

What you need:

Newspaper or other table cover

Clear Plastic Cups

Plastic Spoons

Food Coloring

Toilet Paper Rolls or cut Paper towel Rolls

Wax Paper

Duct Tape or Masking Tape

Plaster of Paris

Cookie Sheet lined with Foil

 

 

Steps:

 

1.  Cover your table with newspaper or other table cover.  This will be a messy project and everything should be thrown away (not washed down your drain).  Then fill your clear plastic cups filled with 1/3 cup cold water.

 

 

2.  Add food coloring to make the water turn into whatever colors you prefer.  We found the darker the color, the more vibrant the chalk was once complete.

 

 

 

 

3.  Assemble the cut paper towel or toilet paper rolls.  Wrap the roll with wax paper to figure out how much to cut to fit the inside of the roll.

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.  Cover one end of the roll with duct tape or masking tape.  Slide the cut wax paper to the inside of the roll and snip off the extra wax paper from the top of the roll so the wax paper is just barely sticking out on top.  There should be rolls for each color you plan to make for your chalk.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.  Add 2/3 cups of Plaster of Paris to one cup.  Stir the new mixture until it has the consistency of thin yogurt.

 

 

 

 

6.  Fill your roll with the mixture and put it aside to dry on a cookie sheet lined with foil.  Drying will take about 5 hours or longer.

 

 

7.  Repeat steps 5 and 6 until all your food coloring cups are used.  

 

 

 

8.  After the rolls have dried, tear off the rolls.

 

 

 

 

 

9.  Now you can go outside and try out your new homemade chalk!