Homemade chalk is so simple to make and very fun! You can try all sorts of colors, swirls, glow in the dark, various shapes… Really let your imagination go and have fun making this simple chalk.
You only need 3 ingredients and about 5 minutes to make this recipe. Perfect to mix up before lunch or nap time and it should be ready when you are done.
Here are the supplies- click the item to be taken directly to purchase.
- Plaster of Paris
(purchase at a craft store or online)
Warm Water
Paint (you can use craft paint or a safer bet is Washable Paint
Silicone Tray
(purchase at a craft store or online)To make this chalk is very simple but I don’t recommend little ones work with plaster of paris. It is very dusty and can make a mess and would be terrible in an eye or ingested. Take care when rinsing and cleaning your bowl and spoons as you might not want to put plaster of paris down the stink. I just emptied it into the trash can.
Start with a bowl and spoon and add one cup of plaster of paris. Next add 1/3 cup of warm water and start to mix. The consistency you are going for is wet like a thick milkshake. If the mixture seems a bit too thick- like ice cream- go ahead and add a little more water until you get the correct consistency.
You can either separate the mixture at this point into different containers to make several colors of chalk or just add about 2-4 tablespoons of paint to make one large batch. Add as much paint as needed to get the color you like.
Mix ingredients well and pour into the container of your choice- any silicone tray works fine. You can choose bugs, hearts, Lego shapes, Star Wars or traditional tubes that would look like normal chalk. I do recommend larger shapes so they are easier to grasp.
Once the mixture has been poured into your container leave it overnight on the counter at room temp to harden or pop it into the fridge for about an hour. The chalk should turn solid and pop right out of your container.
One last little tip on the type of paint to use. I actually tried many types of paint- standard craft paint from the craft store and washable paints designed for kids. I had no issues at all with either- the craft paint from the store came in brighter colors and seemed more vibrant (the pink, yellow and green pictured) and I did not have any issues with the chalk washing away once we were done coloring. To be on the safe side though, you might consider washable watercolor paint (blue and purple colors pictured.)
And that is it! Simple as that to make your own chalk and impress the heck out of your kids.
Here are a few other ideas you might also like:
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