THE WARM WEATHER IS COMING, PEOPLE! I’m just a bit excited for warmer days that end with my children tired enough to only need one drink of water after bedtime instead of 547. There are so many great things to do outside with your kids, but one of my favorites is sidewalk chalk. We always have some because it is so versatile and fairly cheap. Here are my favorite things to do with it:
Obstacle Course
Okay, if you’ve ever seen my Instagram, you know we love this! Draw a start line. Make some blue wiggly shaped puddles. Next try some purple dinosaur footprints. A blue river to jump over. White bunny prints to follow. A long snake to run on. The possibilities are endless and the kids can use imagination and gross motor skills.
People Tracing
It’s a classic for a reason: it’s fun! Have your child lay on the sidewalk and trace around their body. My boys always find this hysterical. Then you can have them draw in the parts and pieces: smiley faces, wild hair, silly shoes.
Name Writing
This is such a fun way to have your little ones practice letters. Toddlers usually write BIG when they first get started and this gives them plenty of room!
Shape Practice
Shape making is also great for sidewalk chalk! You can practice comparisons by doing them big and small. You can make them in a line and encourage them to jump from one to the next.
Race Track
I don’t know about you, but there are approximately 367 different cars or trucks in my house, and none of them fit on the same track. We make masking tape racetracks sometimes, but they take a while to set up and sometimes make a mess. A chalk racetrack is fast and simple! Draw a large oval, then draw a smaller one inside. My kids like to make their own after they watch me do it.
Seasonal Decor
Sometimes, just saying let’s draw pictures is enough for a half hour of fun, but other times, kids need a little guidance to fuel their creativity. This past Halloween, my boys had so much fun drawing ghosts, bats, and pumpkins. I honestly was amazed at some of the independent drawings my oldest made! They can do much more detailed pictures when they have so much space. It’s springtime now, so next week, we will do a spring chalk session. I’ll make some bunny prints, flowers, Easter eggs, etc.
Scavenger Hunt
This will really get them running around the yard. Make a short list of things to find. Draw a simple picture of each item and a check box. Rocks, birds, flowers, sticks, clouds, acorns, leaves. Older kids can draw their own!
Silly Faces
Draw several ovals and then give the chalk to the kids to make the faces. There really isn’t much better than a kid drawn smiley face.
Hopscotch
Of course, this is on the list because it’s a classic and also because I am running out of ideas to make this list have 10 items! It IS fun, though, and you can edit it to be more unique. Use blocks all in a row with your child’s name to help them with spelling it. Put shapes in the boxes. Make the boxes themselves different shapes. The world is your oyster! (well, at least the driveway)
Spray Bottle Chalk
My boys are loving using my soapy spray bottle in the kitchen right now! Once it gets warm enough, we’ll take a water filled spray bottle out with our chalk. Draw a picture, spray with water and see what happens! The colors get brighter, then start to get washed away as they spray more and more. I predict hours of fun in a few weeks with this once the sun is stronger.
Well, there you have it: 10 fun chalk activities! Happy Spring!
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