This DIY magic chalk painting activity changes colors. You heard me right. As toddlers and preschoolers squirt the magic chalk from their squeeze bottles to strengthen fine motor muscles, they also witness color combinations and chemistry changes that will make everyone go, WOW! Add this to your outdoor activity summer list ASAP.
What makes this kid activity so fun
Magic + preschoolers = serious entertainment
My only disclaimer is that this activity does get messy. You may want to make sure some rain is coming following the magic chalk creations.
For us, this messy painting activity was worth it. It has been a year since we first tried it, and I still hear, “Remember that time we squirted colors on the driveway? Can we pleeeeeeeasseee do that again?”
RELATED: This is a lot like painting, only with squirt bottles. Find 40+ easy painting ideas with kids here.
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Supplies
Chalk painting for my boys was simple but required a little setup in advance. It gets a little messy, but everyone will remember this one. (and if you are sure you prefer clean ideas for kids, I’ve got this list of low-prep preschool activities for you)
Pro Tip: Put on clothes and shoes (or barefoot) that you don’t mind getting messy.
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From the kitchen:
- Baking soda
- Corn starch
- Food Coloring
- White vinegar
Additional items you can use for many activities:
Squeeze Bottles
Strengthen those little hands with squeezy bottles. You can fill these with paint, water, whatever!
Funnels
The kids are all about using funnels to pour, tip, and help my little one understand velocity and transferring liquids. One of our favorite sensory supplies!
How to make DIY squeezable chalk paint
Full credit for the idea found at Growing a Jeweled Rose. I followed her simple instructions on making this magic chalk. I made a few adjustments that I added below.
You will need six squirt bottles. The ones in the supply list can be washed out and used again for other activities. Set aside three squirt bottles for a different set of instructions.
Instructions for three squirt bottles:
- Get your funnel.
- Use the funnel to add equal parts corn starch and baking soda to fill the squirt bottles 2/3 of the way.
- Add 3-5 drops of red food coloring to one squirt bottle.
- Add 3-5 drops of blue food coloring to one squirt bottle.
- Add 3-5 drops of yellow food coloring to one squirt bottle.
- Fill the three bottles to the top with warm water.
- Stir, cap the bottle, and shake well until mixed.
Instructions for the remaining three squirt bottles:
- Get your funnel.
- Add white vinegar to the remaining three squeeze bottles.
- Add red food coloring to one bottle with vinegar.
- Add blue food coloring to one bottle with vinegar.
- Add yellow food coloring to one bottle with vinegar.
- Stir, cap the bottle, and shake well until mixed.
Next, head outside and enjoy squirting the squeeze bottles and the chemical reaction!
What is My Preschooler Learning?
This fun science activity for kids teaches children chemistry, making predictions, and process art!
- Chemistry – Why is this happening?
- Inquiry – What will happen when we mix these two colors?
- Fine Motor – Squeezing the bottles (helps with handwriting strength and pencil grip)
- Predictions – I think I can make purple using these colors.
- Process Art – Free choice of creativity and design when squirting the chalk paint
Tell me how I can use these squirt bottles again
If you have been to Days with Grey before, you know that we like to reuse supplies repeatedly. To have everything in one place, I added the entire collection of sensory supplies so you can take inventory and gather what you need. Here are a few more activities to do with kids using the squirt bottles:
We LOVE activities with chalk!
Sometimes, we work on prewriting with movement using chalk, sometimes, we use chalk to practice number sense, and other times we love to chalk SO much that we paint the entire wall using chalkboard paint.
Are you ready to get messy with this epic painting idea for kids?
FAQ
Yes. Use a surface you do not mind having some color residue on. I found our driveway took a few rain showers to get completely washed away. You may want to keep a scrub bucket of soapy water nearby to help. Kids may love that extension!
You will need six total. Make two groups of three and follow the instructions.
The best outdoor activity for kids gets children moving. Our favorites include activities that encourage balancing, running, hopping, or water play. These gross motor activities are fun ideas to do outside.
