Who knew that a global pandemic would make our kids appreciate the art of playing outside, especially the joy of sidewalk chalk? If only it wasn't sold out everywhere! Fear not, you can instill even more analogue childhood memories by making your own sidewalk chalk. Trust—it's easier than you'd think (and 80 percent less complicated than that sweater you're trying to knit). While there are few methods you can use, our favorite, all-natural way involves an ingredient you most definitely have on-hand: eggshells. Without further ado, here's our recipe for homemade sidewalk chalk.
Don't Toss Eggshells in the Trash—You Can Use Them to Make Homemade Sidewalk Chalk
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Published May 17, 2020
Ingredients for homemade chalk
4 - 5 eggshells (cleaned and dried) - Boil the eggshells to kill any germs and make sure to remove the membrane from inside the shell.
1 tsp flour
1 tsp hot water
Food coloring
Paper towels
How to make homemade sidewalk chalk with eggshells:
1. Bake the eggshells at 200 degrees for 20 minutes to dry them out.
2. Using a food processor or coffee grinder, blend the eggshells into a fine powder. You can also have the kids do this using a mortal and pestle, ya know, to get in some fine-motor coordination practice.
3. Using a spoon, mix the flour and water in a bowl until you make a sticky paste.
4. Add in a tablespoon of your eggshells and a drop at a time of your food coloring of choice. Mix it together and add more drops (slowly) until you get the color you desire.
5. Mold the the chalk into any shape you like—balls, small sticks or bigger logs are most popular (and useful). If the batter is too hard to shape, add a little more hot water.
6. Repeat and make as many individual chalks as you can with your eggshells!
7. Let your chalk set with one of two methods:
The non-bake method: Wrap your chalk in a paper towel and let set in a cool, dry place for three days.
The baking method: Place your chalk on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 90 minutes at 150 degrees. Rest your chalk for 24 hours before using it.
7. Use your chalk on cement or sidewalks (avoid chalkboards as this chalk will leave scratch marks)! If your chalk is still super-flaky, let it rest another day.
Ready, set, get hop-scotching (and then make an omelet).
