It’s summertime, and everyone is outside enjoying the sun. But how are you thinking of passing it? Well, using sidewalk chalks for creating street art and playing tic tac toe are some of the classic summer pastimes.
And rather than using commercial chalks, if you decide to make them at home to keep your kids busy, double the fun. Now, you might be thinking, what is sidewalk chalk made of or how to make it?
We would suggest you forget about the actual ingredients used in it. Instead, focus on the items stored in your kitchen to make your own sidewalk chalk.
There are several ways to go. Fortunately, you can use eggshells, baking soda, cornstarch, and flour for making homemade sidewalk chalk.
In this article, we’re going to take a look at these four easy and affordable methods in detail. So, without wasting any time, move forward to the ways of making DIY sidewalk chalk.
Easy Ways to Make Sidewalk Chalk
We all know that Plaster of Paris is the main ingredient of making street chalks. But today, we’re going to show you unique ways of making chalk at home with common household ingredients.
Most importantly, all of these ways are free from any chemicals and safe for your kids. So, let’s dive into the detailed methods.
Method 1: With Cornstarch
Here, you’ll need a cup of water, a few drops of food coloring, and a cup of corn starch. You can also use any washable paint-like liquid tempera paint for easy clean-up.
Now, take a bowl, pour some warm water, and add corn starch powder. With the help of a fork, mix the corn starch with water until you get desired consistency that is not too thick nor runny. You can also use craft sticks instead of a fork. Be careful about the thing is that there shouldn’t be any lumps or bubbles.
Now, it’s time to add some color to the mixture. Use as much liquid food coloring as you want for getting vivid colors like chalkboard chalks. Mix them properly to create a soupy mixture. And store the leftover unused paint in an air-tight plastic or glass container for future arty projects.
However, the final consistency will be of a pancake batter. This type of consistency will make it easier for children to draw with their hands or paint on surfaces using straws as applicators.
While mentioning hand, one thing that came to mind is that you can use this liquid sidewalk chalk as regular sidewalk chalk paint. You can fill the muffin tin or muffin cup to use as a paint palette. And use paintbrushes or paint sponges for the fun activity. Use immediately after making since this sidewalk chalk paint recipe cannot be stored over time without drying.
Alternatively, you can freeze the mixture into the refrigerator for 10-12 hours or until the liquid hardens. For this, you can use silicone mold or popsicle sticks mold to give the mixture a shape.
Enjoy how beautiful color has been created from what we had in our refrigerator! You can now use this homemade sidewalk chalk outside or inside to draw anything.
Method 2: Using Baking Soda
Whether for baking or cooking, baking soda is the most common ingredient in our kitchen. Though it has a good fame for removing tough stains, we’ll show you the other side of it today. And the thing is, how to make sidewalk chalk with baking soda.
Well, it’s one of the easiest and affordable ways to make street chalk, and it’s also non-toxic. For that fun summer outdoor activity, you’ll need baking soda, water, glue, and some food color or tempera paint.
First, you have to take a bowl and pour equal parts of baking soda and water. Now take a spoon and mix them together until all the bubbles and streaks go away.
Then put enough glue and tempera paint to make the mixture more colorful and consistent. If you want to make chalk sticks of different colors, use 4-6 plastic bowls and any colors.
After mixing all the things, fill that liquid sidewalk chalk into popsicle molds or ice cube trays. Now put that tray into the freezer and keep it for at least 6-10 hours.
You can also use other silicone molds to create different shapes. And then take the tray out from the freezer and use it as traditional sidewalk chalk. But before using, make sure it has hardened enough. There is no other affordable DIY project like this.
Method 3: Using White Flour
Like the methods mentioned above, you have to use white flour instead of cornstarch and baking soda. You also have to add some other simple ingredients like water, dishwashing liquid, and a cup of paint to get vibrant colors.
Firstly, add the dry ingredients into a bowl and add warm water in the mixture gradually until desired consistency is attained. While adding water, you have to stir continuously to avoid any lumps in it. Using cold water can cause bubbles, so be careful.
Then add few drops of any dishwashing liquid and any coloring element like food color or tempera paint to create vibrant colors. You have to mix all of these together until you get a gluey texture. Well, you can always lighten up the color by adding white tempera paint into the mixture.
Since this mixture is popular as puffy sidewalk chalk paint, you can put it in the squeeze bottles to keep your child busy. And use it on the same day as this recipe doesn’t work out well the next day.
Remember not to put it in air-tight containers or closed containers, as it can cause an explosion.
However, if you want to use this paint mixture as regular chalk sticks, lay flat this mixture on baking paper. After some time, use a knife to cut the liquid chalk into pieces.
You can also use old toilet paper tubes or paper towel tubes for making a mold.
It would be best if you add some glue to it. Then put it in the refrigerator until it hardens enough to use. And finally, it is ready to do some sidewalk chalk activities.
Method 4: With Eggshells
Making omelets on your breakfast and throwing the eggshells into the trash bin may be your daily routine. But from today, you won’t throw away the eggshells anymore. Why?
Well, by using those eggshells, you can make sidewalk chalk as well, which is one of the best creative ideas for kids. It’ll make your bored children busy again.
In this case, you’ll need at least 5-6 eggshells, warm water, white flour, and few drops of food coloring.
First of all, when you break the egg for frying, be careful so that it breaks evenly. If you can, try to remove the thin membrane inside the eggshell.
Now, rather than throwing those shells into the trash bin, keep them aside. Then wash them properly and dry them out.
Now, crush the shells as finely as possible. You can use your hands with a hammer or something like that, or for making the process easier, you can use a mixer grinder.
After that, take a small bowl and pour a tablespoon of flour and some warm water to make a smooth paste-like plaster mix. Then mix one or two tablespoons of dry powder eggshells and stir properly. Finally, put a few tablespoons of tempera paint into it. You can use as much colored paint as you want to make the chalk color look brighter.
Now, you have to give them a round shape using hands or molds. Then wrap them in baking paper and let them dry for 3-4 days.
If your kids cannot wait so long, bake this chalk in the oven at 150°F for 60-90 minutes. Then at least wait a day until they are ready for your creative designs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: How Do You Make Chalk with 3 Ingredients?
For making sidewalk chalk with 3 ingredients, you just need – plaster powder, water and food coloring.
Step 1 – Combine plaster powder and water in a bowl. Make sure you mix the two ingredients in equal parts, so that the mixture is not too runny or dry. Stir until it forms a paste-like consistency.
Step 2 – Now, add in your food coloring of choice to give your chalk its hue. The more you add, the brighter the color. Mix in until it’s evenly distributed.
Step 3 – Now it’s time to get creative! You can shape your chalk into different shapes and sizes like a cylinder or cube by using an ice tray. Once that is done, allow for 24 hours of drying time before using them.
Q: How Do You Make Sidewalk Chalk Fluffy?
For making sidewalk chalk fluffy, you need to use items that can keep its consistency without being too dense. You will require some plaster of Paris or cornstarch, tempera paint or food colouring, water and a container for mixing the ingredients.
Start by adding 1 ½ cups of Plaster of Paris and 3 tablespoons of tempera paint to a bowl. Then, add one cup of cold water and mix them together properly. Once the mixture is fully combined, pour it into a container that can be sealed at the top. After that, shake it vigorously for about two minutes to ensure all of the ingredients are blended thoroughly.
Once you’re done shaking, open up the lid to check if the mixture is fluffy and not too dense. If you find it too thick, add some more water to adjust the consistency as per your requirement.
Now, leave the container aside for about an hour or two until the mix hardens into a solid form of chalk. After that, cut them into sticks in whatever shapes you want and start drawing away using your homemade chalk.
Q: Are You Supposed to Wet Chalk Before Using It?
For using chalk, you are supposed to wet it while drawing for getting the smoothness and opaque that you won’t get if its dry.
But don’t worry, that’s not the case with sidewalk chalk. If you are making your own sidewalk chalk, you don’t need to wet it. All you have to do is mix the ingredients properly and make sure that the consistency of the paste is thick enough for moulding into a stick-like shape. It will provide enough vibrancy and smoothness for your masterpiece.
Q: What to Spray on Chalk Line to Make It Stay?
To make it stay, you can use hairspray, a spray bottle of water or any other material that helps reduce the chalk’s ability to be smudged and wiped away. Make sure to spray the line only when it is completely dry. It will help your sidewalk art last for a longer time.
Read Also: Does Sidewalk Chalk Work on Chalkboards
Final Thoughts
These are the easiest and simplest ways of making DIY sidewalk chalk at home. Anyone can make them without any difficulties.
This homemade chalk also costs pennies per use compared to the store-bought ones that cost dollars for each new box you buy.
Moreover, if you are making them in large quantities, then this will save time too. Instead of using an hour or two hours every week just for buying one new box from outside, now all your family members together take only about 30 minutes to prepare enough supplies! How cool is that?
So, get started with the creative ways on how to make sidewalk chalk at home without any issue today
Update: 8.12.2022 by Maria