Turn your leftover, broken sidewalk chalk into this fun Sidewalk Chalk Paint! The kids will love using their imagination to paint pictures on the driveway. This quick and easy kids craft will keep them busy for hours this summer!

Sidewalk Chalk Paint being paint on driveway

If you have broken, unused sidewalk chalk laying around, use it to make this fun Sidewalk Chalk Paint! It’s so easy to make with only a few supplies that are already in your pantry. Sidewalk chalk paint is a great arts and crafts project for the kids during the summer. Let their imaginations run wild with things to paint. Great for all ages! It’s easily washable with no food coloring used.

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love This Activity

This DIY chalk paint is a great way to reuse any old, broken sidewalk chalk instead of just leaving it at the bottom of the chalk bucket.
Kids can learn about mixing colors by combining different colors of chalk in the muffin tin.
You only need 3 ingredients to create this fun boredom buster activity! It just takes water, cornstarch and the broken chalk, three things you definitely already have on hand.

Overhead image of Sidewalk Chalk Paint Supplies

Supplies Needed

Water – This is the base for the paint. Warm or room temperature water will dissolve the corn starch and chunks of chalk more quickly but is not necessary.
Corn starch – This binds and thickens the paint
Broken chunks of chalk – Collect your broken pieces of sidewalk chalk all summer long to mix and match colors in the muffin tins. You will need about 1/3 of a piece of chalk per paint mixture. Just a reminder, blackboard chalk is not the same and will not work.

How to Make Chalk Paint

In a large liquid measuring cup, combine the water and cornstarch. Stir until it is smooth and there are no clumps.

Divide the mixture into a muffin tin or individual bowls.

Pouring water in mixing bowl with corn starch

Mixing cornstarch and water in mixing bowl

Next, take one of your pieces of chalk and put it in a Ziploc bag. Seal the top then using a rolling pin or meat mallet smash the chalk until you have fine powder.

Carefully add this with a spoon to the paint base of one muffin tin cup. Then stir until you have your desired color. We recommend making these vibrant colors or they won’t show up on the cement when you paint.

Repeat steps with the remaining colors of chalk.

Then it’s time to paint! Allow the kids to paint on the sidewalks or driveways with chalk and paintbrushes or even their hands!

Storage

I find it works best right after making it, but you can store it in individual containers with tight fitting lids. The chalk paint will separate after it’s not used for a while, so you just have to stir it to get it back to the right consistency.

Pro Tips

If you find the paint looks too light, you can add more broken chalk pieces. However, as the paint dries, it gets darker, so even in those spots that don’t look like it has much paint, it will look nice.
For a splatter paint design, all you need to do is get the paint on the brush and shake it onto the sidewalk.

Heart made of sidewalk chalk paint with paint splatter over t

Can I Use Food Coloring Instead of Chalk?

I have made this with food coloring, but the color doesn’t come off as easily. It does come off, it just took a little longer for the sun to fade it away.

Will This Stain My Sidewalk?

It will wash away if you rinse it off while it’s still fresh. If you let it dry for a few hours, it will be harder to remove from the sidewalk, but it will go away with time. It comes off very quickly with the power washer.

Can I Make This Without Chalk?

Yes! You will end up with white chalk paint, which the kids will still love. You can also use food coloring, it just stains the sidewalk a little longer.

How to Make Sidewalk Chalk Paint painted on driveway with more in muffin tin

Sidewalk chalk paint is the best way to repurpose unwanted, broken pieces of chalk and a new way for the kids to spend the afternoon being creative.

If you take a picture and share them Instagram make sure to #kidsactivityzone or tag us @kidsactivityzoneblog so we can see them!

Sidewalk Chalk Paint

Use leftover sidewalk chalk to make this easy and fun Sidewalk Chalk Paint perfect for entertaining toddlers, preschoolers and kids of all ages during the summer!

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Print Pin Rate

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 15

Equipment

Ingredients

2 cups water
2 cups corn starch
broken chunks sidewal chalk six colors

Instructions

In a large liquid measuring cup, stir together the water and cornstarch until there are no clumps. Divide the mixture into a muffin tin or individual bowls.
Place one color of your chalk into a zip-top bag. Using your rolling pin or mallet, smash the chalk until you end up with a fine powder. Stir this into one container of the chalk mixture until you have your desired color. Repeat this with the remaining chalk until you have all your preferred colors.
Allow your child to paint on sidewalks or driveways with chalk and paintbrushes or even their little hands.

Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment below or pin it to your Pinterest account!

More Summer Activities!

Grab your toilet paper roll and make this easy Toilet Paper Roll Bird Feeder and then watch to see what birds come to visit in your yard!
Get the kids some outside art time with Squirt Gun Painting. All you need is little squirt guns, paint and an easel.
Use your child’s handprint to make a Handprint Butterfly!
Watercolor paper and colorful bubbles combine to make a fun new way to paint outside!