One of six-year-old Emma’s favorite activities is to draw with chalk on the wet pavement after a good rainstorm – the colors are beautifully vibrant! I love that, this time, she incorporated a bright yellow sun into her art! She has also experimented with using our plastic Crayola chalk sharpener to grind the chalk into powder that she uses to paint – that’s what she did with the red chalk in the above photo.
I love watching all three kids collaborate on elaborate chalk homes for ants. Their drawings have become more plan-like over the years, but they still incorporate some very avant-garde design elements:
I love hearing them describe the home, and discussing which elements are most important!
How do your kids play with chalk?
MaryAnne lives in Silicon Valley with her Stanford professor husband Mike and their four children. She writes about parenting through education, creativity, and play. Mama Smiles - Joyful Parenting is a space to share crafts, hands on learning activities, and family outings that enrich lives and bring families together.
We trace feet and make foot paths around the driveway, sidewalk. Much eye/feet coordination goes on as we try to step on each footprint.
Sidewalk chalk is one of our favorite summer art tools. We have made our own fizzy chalk, made cities, traced each other, practiced spelling and math, and so much more. Love it.
Princess loves to be traced and then fill in all the details.
We haven’t done that in ages – thanks for the reminder!
My girls also love playing with sidewalk chalk. My oldest has been using it to experiment with color mixing. She colors with yellow and then colors blue on top to make her favorite – green chalk dust.
What a great way to explore color mixing!
I always enjoy Emma’s creativity. Anna also likes to get her cars out and draw towns, parking lots, etc.
My kid loves chalk too. He’s into basic scribbling right now and he loves comparing colors (“light green… dark green!”).
How do the ants like their new home?!
We’ll have to try the just after rain technique!
We had some children in our neighborhood last year who were fantastic artists with chalk. I loved their imagination. They weren’t even my kids and I have pictures of their artwork on my facebook page!
I am a lover of chalk too! (I myself, am actually a lover) I agree…I love to watch them turn their creation into imaginary 3d images!
That is so precious!! I love how they treat the creatures around them as if they were pets. Too cute!!
We have brick paving so no chalk here.
So fun! I love drawing chalk circles around ants, they can’t get out. It’s fun! LOL!
Really? I didn’t know that! Maybe that’s why my kids never actually get ants IN their houses!
Fun! My kids love drawing with chalk, too. Seems like they always get a game of hopscotch going.
It’s really great to give kids time to enjoy their playtime by letting them enhance their creativity. Kids love to play with colors. Would love to try this out with my kids.
I love the chalk on a wet pavement idea. I will have to suggest it the next time we have a rain (which I hope is soon- we could use the water in Texas this summer as usual!)
It’s a lot of fun!
Oh, how fun!! I love the ant homes! Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday!!