Homemade Sidewalk Chalk Made with Upcyled Materials is a Fun Summer Activity!
Summer vacation is almost here, but the Midwest weather is still hit or miss. This weekend the weather was cold and rainy, so we decided to prep a few summer activities we can enjoy when temps warm up. This DIY egg shaped sidewalk chalk is surprisingly easy to make and fun for kids of all ages.
Sidewalk chalk can be found in stores easily, but I love that this is an activity the kids can enjoy and take pride in. Homemade sidewalk chalk is also a fun gift idea that’s made with ingredients you might already have on hand!
The amount of supplies you’ll need depends on how much chalk you want to make.
What you’ll need:
- Plaster of Paris
- Washable Tempera paint
- Water
- Disposable Spoons
- Disposable bowls or cups
- Silicone mold, plastic Easter eggs, or emptied and cleaned, or Nellie’s Free Range Egg shells
- Nellie’s Free Range Egg carton
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Measure ⅔ C. Plaster of Paris into each disposable container. Then, add ⅓ C. water and about 4 Tbsp. of Tempera paint, until desired color is achieved. I find that neon paint works best for getting a rich, pigmented chalk.
If needed, add more water until the texture resembles pancake batter. Repeat for every color of chalk you want to make.
You can get really creative with sidewalk chalk shapes. You can use a silicone mold, or upcycle items around your house – like toilet paper rolls, plastic Easter eggs, or even an emptied and clean egg shell!
When you’ve achieved the right consistency, pour each color into a silicone mold, plastic egg, or egg shell. Make sure to use a toothpick to stir the mixture inside the mold to remove air bubbles. Ask me how I know!
Tap gently, then store in a cool place.
Dry time will depend on the mold you choose. In my experience, a silicone mold requires at least 3 hours of dry time because of the amount of air reaching the chalk surface. If using a plastic egg or egg shell, I plan to let it dry for around 24 hours. However, you can reduce dry time by placing your chalk mixture outside on a sunny day.
After the chalk has dried, remove it from your chalk mold of choice. If using an egg shell, tap the shell gently and peel it – just like you might peel a hard boiled egg.
The result is a super pigmented sidewalk chalk that is easy for small hands to use.
I love using egg shells or Easter egg molds for the project, and then using a clean Nellie’s Free Range Egg container to store the chalk. Their egg cartons are are made from 100% recycled plastic including recycled soda bottles. The cartons can be recycled again through your local program, or through their Take Back program.
It’s easy to turn the egg container into a super cute gift box!
So cute!
Just paint the exterior or top it with some cute scrapbook paper and a gift tag. Enjoy!
DIY egg shaped sidewalk chalk
Homemade sidewalk chalk is a fun summer activity. This version is made using upcycled materials and ingredients you might already have on your craft shelves!
Materials
- Plaster of Paris
- Washable Tempera paint
- Disposable Spoons
- Disposable bowls or cups
- Silicone mold, plastic Easter eggs, or emptied and cleaned Nellie’s Free Range Egg shells
- Nellie’s Free Range Egg carton
Instructions
- Measure ⅔ C. Plaster of Paris into each disposable container. Then, add ⅓ C. water and about 4 Tbsp. of Tempera paint, until desired color is achieved. I find that neon paint works best for getting a rich, pigmented chalk.If needed, add more water until the texture resembles pancake batter. Repeat for every color of chalk you want to make.
- When you’ve achieved the right consistency, pour each color into a silicone mold, plastic egg, or egg shell. Make sure to use a toothpick to stir the mixture inside the mold to remove air bubbles. Tap gently, then store in a cool place. If using a plastic egg or egg shell, plan to let it dry for around 24 hours.
- After the chalk has dried, remove it from your chalk mold of choice. If using an egg shell, tap the shell gently and peel it - just like you might peel a hard boiled egg.
Notes
To reduce dry time, place chalk outside or in a warm, sunny window sill