Making sidewalk chalk is something teachers can do to provide happy experiences for boys and girls at church. The homemade chalk lasts longer than the kind you buy, and the large pieces are easy for a child to hold.
Choose a sidewalk or other concrete surface in a safe place at church for this outdoor activity using sidewalk chalk.
God gives us things to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17).
Supplies for Sidewalk Chalk:
- Check the recipe for sidewalk chalk to gather the supplies and ingredients.
- Make several pieces of the chalk to provide a piece for each child. They can exchange colors during the activity time.
Extra Supplies:
- Print words such as “God loves you” and “Jesus loves you” on strips of heavy paper for the child to hold and copy the messages on the sidewalk.
Recipe for Sidewalk Chalk:
What you need:
- small paper cups
- 2 tablespoons powdered tempera, several colors
- ¼ cup water in a paper cup
- 3 tablespoons of plaster of Paris.
What you do:
Stir mixture well with stick or spoon. Consistency should be creamy. If not, add a little more plaster of Paris or perhaps a little more water if it is too dry. Mixture should feel hard in about an hour. Peel off the paper cup. Place the chalk in a box or basket to carry outdoors.
What will happen:
You will have a giant piece of chalk to use on concrete. This chalk should not be used on a chalkboard.
Teaching Tips:
- Preschoolers enjoy using the chalk to draw on the sidewalk. Some will be able to print their names. Expand the activity to include the extra supplies for printing statements about God and Jesus. Tell the children that people will read the words about God and Jesus.
- Make copies of the recipe to give to parents to encourage making and using the chalk at home.
- Choose two or three colors of sidewalk chalk to give a child in a home visit. Talk about activities and friends at church.
