Homemade Sidewalk Chalk

I found a great activity for my family at Education.com--making homemade sidewalk chalk! Only problem is, we live in the country and we don't actually have a sidewalk. :D So I think we'll do this as a Family Home Evening activity and use the end result as a Christmas present for my nieces.

Photo courtesy of Education.com

What You Need:
Toilet paper or paper towel tubes
Scissors
Duct tape
Wax paper
3/4 cup warm water
Small bucket or disposable container
1 1/2 cups plaster of Paris
2-3 tablespoons powdered tempura paint

What You Do:
If you’re using paper towel tubes, cut each tube in half. Cover one end of each paper tube with duct tape. Cut as many pieces of wax paper as you have tubes. Each piece should be as long as the tube and about 4 inches wide. Roll up each piece of wax paper and slip it into the tube.

Pour the water into the bucket. Sprinkle the plaster of Paris over the water and stir the mixture thoroughly with a spoon. Mix in the tempura paint. (If you’d like pastel colors, you can mix brighter colors of tempura powder with some white.)

Place each tube tape side down, on a level surface. Pour the wet plaster mixture into the tubes. Lightly tap the sides of each tube to release air bubbles, then set the plaster-filled tube aside to harden for a few days. Once it’s dry, peel off the tubes and wax paper. Your chalk is ready for action!

For more great family activity ideas, check out Bobbi Connor's Unplugged Play: No Batteries. No Plugs. Pure Fun and also Trish Kuffner's book, Arts & Crafts Busy Book: 365 Activities.