Ingredients:
1 cup plaster of Paris
1 cup water
Powdered tempera paint
Molds for chalk*
*Molds can vary from paper towel rolls (cut to desired length and covered on one end with plastic wrap, foil, duct tape or something similar), muffin or cupcake pans, dixie cups, cookie cutters, small sand molds, soap molds, ice cube trays film canisters, clean prescription pill bottles, deodorant lids greased w/ butter or popsicle molds. Line tubular molds such as popsicle containers with waxed paper before filling and the dried chalk should slide out easily.
Directions:
In a large bowl, mix the water and plaster of Paris together. Add the powdered tempera paint to the mixture. Once the paint has been mixed in well, set it aside for a few minutes. Pack your mixture into the empty toilet paper tube, or mold. Let set for 24 hours. Peel off cardboard or remove from mold. This can take anywhere from several hours to a day (or maybe longer), depending on the size of the mold. Remember: The bigger the mold, the longer it will take to dry. Once the mold is dry, remove the chalk. If the chalk is still moist, let it air dry for another 24 hours.
Variations:
Scented: add essential oils
Glittery: add glitter
Sidewalk Chalk Paint
Ingredients:
2 TB of cornstarch
2 TB of water
5 drops of food coloring.
Directions:
Add the cornstarch and THEN the water so it mixes up a little easier.
Double recipe: 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1/4 cup water, 10 drops food coloring.
Outdoor Watercolor Paints:
Ingredients:
watercolor paint traysplastic spray bottles
water
Simply pop the paint out of the tray and place it into the filled water bottle. Shake it until the color mixes into the water. Your kids can "paint" a wall, fence or large piece of paper taped to a fence by spraying it. The watercolor paints wash off easily with water.