At-home STEM Activities: Washable Sidewalk Chalk Paint
As we move into warmer and sunnier spring days, outdoor activities in our yards and driveways become an option while we are all social distancing. One classic outside activity is drawing with sidewalk chalk. Playing with chalk is a great way to get creative, and we can add an extra educational element by creating our own chalk paint!
With younger learners, you can use the process of making the paint to explore color mixing, division, and ratios:
If we only have red, yellow, and blue food coloring, how can we create a rainbow of colors to paint with?
If we have 8 tablespoons of water and cornstarch, how many different colors of paint can we make if we use 1 tablespoon of water and cornstarch for each? 2 tablespoons of each?
If we want to double the recipe, how much or each ingredient should we use? If we want to triple the recipe?
What will happen if we use more water? More corn starch?
Washable Sidewalk Chalk Paint
Materials:
7 Tablespoons cornstarch
7 Tablespoons water
Food coloring
Muffin tray
Spoon or other utensil to mix the paint
Paint brushes
Instructions:
Put 1 tablespoon of corn starch in 7 of the muffin tray cups. Add 1 tablespoon of water to each and mix together.
Add the appropriate food coloring to each cornstarch mixture to get the colors you want and mix.
As the paint dries, the colors brighten. When you’re ready to clean up, the chalk paint easily washes away with water.
