Turn Broken Sidewalk Chalk into Colorful Chalk Paint

Is your chalk bucket filled with broken pieces and tiny stubs that no one wants to use?

Before you toss them, give those colorful chalk pieces a whole new purpose. With a little crushing, sorting, and water, ordinary sidewalk chalk can become bright homemade paint for outdoor art, cardboard creations, and colorful family projects.

This simple activity is a great way to enjoy the warm September weather, reuse supplies you already have, and encourage children to experiment with color and texture.

The original crushed-chalk paint idea comes from Allison Sonnier’s Crushed Chalk Paint Recipe at Learn Play Imagine. 

What You Will Need

• Broken or leftover sidewalk chalk
• Resealable plastic bags
• A rolling pin, rubber mallet, or small hammer
• Small bowls or washable cups
• Water
• Spoons or small whisks
• Paintbrushes
• Heavy paper, cardboard, or a washable outdoor surface
• An old tablecloth, tray, or drop cloth
• Aprons or play clothes

Before You Begin

This project includes two different activities: making the chalk powder and creating with the finished paint.

For younger children, an adult should handle most of the crushing. Children can still help sort the chalk pieces, choose the colors, add small amounts of water, stir the mixtures, and create the artwork.

Keep the chalk inside a sealed bag while crushing it, use gentle pressure, and avoid opening the bag until the chalk dust has settled.

Step 1: Sort the Chalk by Color

Gather all the broken chalk pieces and sort them into color groups.

You can keep each color separate or combine similar shades. Light blue and dark blue can create a new blended blue, while red, pink, and purple pieces can produce a completely unexpected color.

Sorting the chalk gives children an opportunity to compare colors, make decisions, and predict how different shades might look when combined.

Step 2: Crush the Chalk

Place each color group inside a separate resealable bag.

Remove most of the air, seal the bag tightly, and place it on a sturdy surface. Gently roll over the chalk with a rolling pin or tap it with a rubber mallet until the pieces become a fine powder.

A few small chunks are perfectly fine. They can add extra texture to the paint.

When using a hammer, place the chalk bag inside a second bag or under a folded towel. An adult should closely supervise or complete this step.

Step 3: Turn the Powder into Paint

Pour each chalk color into its own bowl or cup.

Add a very small amount of water and stir. Continue adding water a few drops at a time until the mixture becomes smooth enough to spread with a paintbrush.

There is no exact water measurement because the amount needed will depend on how much chalk you crushed and the texture of the chalk. Starting slowly will help keep the paint from becoming too watery.

When the mixture is too thick, add a few more drops of water.

When it becomes too thin, add more crushed chalk.

Step 4: Start Creating

Take the paintbrushes and chalk paint outside or set up a protected indoor art space.

Children can paint on:

• Heavy paper
• Cardboard
• Paper grocery bags
• Uncoated paper plates
• A chalkboard
• Sidewalks or driveways that have been tested first

Different surfaces will create different results. The paint may look darker while wet and become softer or more chalky as it dries.

Always test a small area before painting on an outdoor surface, particularly when using brightly colored chalk.

Creative Ways to Use Homemade Chalk Paint

Paint a Giant Family Mural

Give each family member a color and invite everyone to add something to one large picture.

One person might paint the sky, another might add flowers, and someone else could create animals, houses, or people.

The goal is not to make a perfect picture. The fun comes from creating something together.

Explore Color Mixing

Place two small amounts of chalk paint in a separate cup and mix them together.

Ask children what they think will happen before combining the colors.

Try:

• Red and yellow
• Blue and yellow
• Red and blue
• White and blue
• Two different shades of the same color

Children can record their color discoveries on paper or create a chart of their favorite combinations.

Create an Outdoor Nature Picture

Use the chalk paint to create:

• Flowers and gardens
• Trees and changing leaves
• Woodland animals
• Farm animals and barns
• Butterflies and insects
• Rainbows and clouds
• An imaginary outdoor world

Children can also look around the yard for inspiration before they begin.

Make Painted Paper for Future Crafts

Cover heavy paper or cardboard with different chalk-paint colors and textures.

Once it dries, cut the painted paper into:

• Leaves
• Pumpkins
• Flowers
• Bookmarks
• Greeting cards
• Collage pieces
• Gift tags

One afternoon of painting can create art supplies for several future projects.

Experiment with Art Tools

Paintbrushes are only the beginning.

Try applying the chalk paint with:

• Sponges
• Cotton swabs
• Craft sticks
• Toy-car wheels
• Pinecones
• Leaves
• Small twigs
• Fingers

Ask children to compare the marks made by each tool.

What Children Are Learning

This playful art activity encourages children to explore:

Color recognition and sorting

Children group similar colors and notice differences between lighter and darker shades.

Cause and effect

They discover how solid chalk changes when it is crushed and how adding water transforms powder into paint.

Early science skills

Children make predictions, test mixtures, adjust the amount of water, and observe what happens as the paint dries.

Fine motor development

Sorting, stirring, brushing, and experimenting with tools help strengthen the small muscles used for writing, cutting, and everyday tasks.

Creative problem-solving

Children decide how to mix colors, change the paint consistency, and use unfamiliar materials to create artwork.

Resourcefulness

The activity demonstrates that broken or overlooked materials can often be reused in imaginative ways.

Helpful Tips

• Wear play clothes or aprons.
• Work outside or protect the table and floor.
• Add water slowly.
• Use separate brushes for each color or keep a rinse cup nearby.
• Make only as much wet paint as you plan to use that day.
• Store unused dry chalk powder in labeled bags or containers.
• Test outdoor surfaces before beginning a large project.
• Wash hands when the activity is finished.

Create, Play, and Learn Outdoors

Sometimes the best creative activities begin with materials we almost threw away.

Turning broken sidewalk chalk into paint gives children the freedom to mix, experiment, make a little mess, and discover something new. It is also a wonderful excuse to step outside, enjoy time together, and fill an ordinary afternoon with color.

At Little Dreamers Club, we believe children learn best when they are free to create, explore, and follow their imaginations.

Create. Play. Learn.

Project inspiration:

This activity was inspired by the Crushed Chalk Paint Recipe created by Allison Sonnier at Learn Play Imagine, https://www.learnplayimagine.com/2012/06/sidewalk-chalk-body-paint-and-chalk.html. We added our own Little Dreamers Club safety recommendations, learning connections, and family art ideas.