A Perfect Spring Activity...

I really like sidewalk chalk. When I worked at an elementary school I always made sure I had some on hand. It is a perfect activity for when it starts to warm up and the outdoors is calling your name. There are so many possibilities when you have a stretch of open sidewalk or blacktop and a box of sidewalk chalk.

I think one reason children like to use sidewalk chalk is that they can make their drawings very BIG! But you can do so much more than just draw with sidewalk chalk! You can make your own court for a game you make up. Or you can use the chalk to draw a hopscotch court or two-square court. You can make a maze or a race track for you, your bicycle or your Hot Wheels cars. You can design a neighborhood or town for your cars or dolls. The possibilities are endless!

One thing the kids at the school used to love to do with sidewalk chalk was to lie on the ground and have someone trace around them. Then they would color in their clothes, hair and face. They would come up with funny poses and great outfits. One time they convinced me to lie down on the ground so they could trace me. I made mine a Hawaiian hula girl. (The photo is of one of my favorite little girls, and I love how she added high heels to her shoes. Too cute!)

Sidewalk chalk is also easy to clean up. You can just spray the concrete down with a hose and it washes away.

Crayola has a lot of neat sidewalk chalk kits you might want to check out:

If you would like to try making your own sidewalk chalk, here are some easy homemade sidewalk chalk instructions. I haven't tried this myself, so I would be interested to hear how they turn out.

I also found the instructions to make your own sidewalk paint.

I hope you you are having nice, spring-like weather wherever you are so that you can get outside and get drawing. :)