Have you ever made sidewalk chalk paint? No? You should. It is the perfect summer craft for kids of all ages and the best part is that when the fun is done, the mess simply washes away. Sure you could buy sidewalk paint, but making it is half the fun. Plus it is super cheap, and you probably already have everything you need to make it.
My daughter and I made up a bunch of batches for our water party a couple of weeks ago, and the kids had so much fun painting the driveway I wished I made more. So that’s my tip to you, when you think you made enough, make some more. It goes fast.
What you need:
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- Cornstarch (Regular old baby powder works too)
- Food Coloring
- Water
- Paint Brushes
- Plastic Containers
- Plastic Bottles (for squirting!)
Mix equal parts cornstarch and water, add a few drops of food coloring and stir. That’s it! I told you it was simple. It’s perfect to do with small children. (Tip mix your paint outside, my kitchen was covered in a later of powder by the time we were done.)
When you first start to paint, your creations will look watery. But don’t worry, as the paint dries the colors in your masterpiece will
pop!
Since I have tons of baby food containers lying around, I mixed up different colors in the plastic containers to hand out to the budding artists. Any small plastic container would work.
At the last minute I also decided to use a couple of squirt bottles I had on hand as well. The kids quickly discovered squirting was just as fun as painting. I highly recommend some squirting action. And old squeezable ketchup bottle would be great for this. A spray bottle would be fun too, but I didn’t have one.
Tip – I prepared my paint the night before the party, and when it was time to play I discovered the corn starch settled. So if you make your paint ahead of time, be prepared to remix the paint before the kids can play.
Whether you are hosting a party or just looking for a summer afternoon activity, you and the kids will have a blast making sidewalk paint and painting the driveway. I think we will mix up another batch this afternoon!
For more summer fun check out these DIY sponge balls!
Janet W. says
How fun! And creative! I would love to do something like this with my grandsons when they’re a little older.
Lolli @ Better in Bulk says
What a fantastic project! I can just imagine my sidewalk now… 😉
Mom Foodie says
This looks like a fun way to keep the kiddos out of trouble.
Meg Tucker says
Who Knew??? Well I do now!! This is the most clever thing! I can’t wait to do this with the neighborhood kids. You know…I think this will be great for our end of summer block party! Thank you so much!!! 🙂
Kristin says
We just did this the other day- huge hit. We also took some paint and dumped it in a big puddle. we watched to see how long it would take to dry. Once dry my daughter stomped on it to see the chalk dust. Made for a neat science discussion.
Margie says
Great idea. Wish I had this info when our kids were little!
Teresa says
Thanks for this post. I can’t believe how easy it is to make it at home. My niece and nephew won’t be able to say they’re bored anymore!
chelsea says
it doesnt stain the sidewalk?
jen says
Nope, it washes off clean with water. I am lazy so I normally leave it until it rains – sometimes a few days. But you could also rinse it away with a hose. I love it because it is mess that rinses away – doesn’t stain kiddos either 🙂
chelsea says
Thanks so much! I look forward to trying it!!
Erika Bragdon says
I am totally going to do this with my kids! This looks like so much fun! Pinned!
francescakotomski says
Thanks for this great idea! My 5-6yr old will love this and the 20 mos might not understand, but he might love to walk in it. Thanks!!
Kaysi @ Keeping it Simple says
This is so much fun!! My kids would love these.