DIY Sidewalk Chalk
One of my fondest memories of childhood is drawing with chalk…or in some cases finding “soft” rocks to draw hopscotch on the pavement. Chalk was a treat and rather boring compared to the vibrant colour choices available today!
Although it can be costly having chalk on hand daily, you can make your own and included your children in the process. It is so much fun, and you could make the colors that you want or use the most of. Initially the cost may seem high, but once you have the ingredients, it is easy to make multiple batches.
Supplies you will need:
- Cardboard tubes (toilet paper tubes or paper towel tubes cut in half)
- Duct Tape
- Wax Paper
- 4-cup Plastic Container for mixing (Old ice cream tub works well)
- 1 cup water
- 1.5 cups Plaster of Paris (purchasable at Michaels, watch for the 40-50% off coupons!!)
- Tempera Paint
Steps:
1. Tape one end of the cardboard tubes with duct tape so that it is sealed completely. Go over the hole twice (making a cross shape over the hole) to make sure there is no way for the chalk mixture to leak out. That can be messy!
2. Roll up a sheet of wax paper into the tube. This step will prevent the chalk mixture from sticking to the cardboard. There should be some wax paper showing on the top of the tube. Cut slits down the remaining wax paper until it reaches the cardboard and fold it to hold the wax paper in place.
3. In your plastic container, mix 2-4 tablespoons of the tempera paint, depending on the colour intensity your would like, with your 1 cup of water. Once the color is diluted, slowly add in your plaster of paris, mixing with a spatula. When you’re done, the mixture should be about the texture of soft frosting.
4. Fill the tubes with the mixture. You should be able to make 2 tubes worth with one mixture. Tap the filled tube on a hard surface so as to remove air bubbles.
5. It will take about an hour for the plaster to harden. After an hour has passed, you can remove the chalk by peeling the cardboard. Let them air dry completely for 24 hours before using.
Enjoy!
