chalk paint

Chalk Paint

~ Melanie ~ Leave a comment
Chalk paint is so easy and can be done in a few quick steps with ingredients you probably already have on hand. It’s a great activity for right outside in your front or back yard. 
DIY Chalk paint - using 3 supplies you probably already have on hand

Happy Friday!

Summer may be over (WAAAHHHH!) but it’s still hot out and we can still do things outside for a while. Until it snows. Which, in Illinois, could very well be in 2 days.

All summer I had been itching to make D some chalk paint. It is seriously crazy simple. So today we got home from the worst Wal-Mart trip ever (ugh) and we went to it. He had so much fun with this and I just sat back and took pictures. He made me take pictures of everything. Seriously. I had to delete about 16 that weren’t going into this post – I’ll spare you the boringness. He painted pretty much everything in the backyard and then made me take a picture of it. And I couldn’t fake it, because he needed to see the picture after I took it. Remember when we couldn’t see pictures we took until we had the film developed? Ahh, those were the days.

Here is my set up:

Chalk paint supplies laid out on table - cupcake tray, sponge brush, measuring cup, corn starch, water and food coloring

Supplies for DIY Chalk Paint

  • A jumbo muffin tin (I got mine and Hobby Lobby – DUH – and used a coupon – DUH) but you can use anything really – paper cups, plastic cups, whatever. I just wanted it to look nice for you guys 😉
  • Water
  • Cornstarch
  • Food coloring
  • Sponge brushes
  • Measuring cup (I used 1/4 cup)
close up of step one of chalk paint - cornstarch in muffin tins

It’s 1 part cornstarch, 1 part water and then your desired food coloring. Honestly. That’s it. I did 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/4 cup water. Add the water and mix it together until the cornstarch dissolves.  I used the back of the paint brushes because, well, pregnant and lazy and I forgot something else to use.

Close up of chalk paint before color - just cornstarch and water

After it dissolves, add the food coloring. This I mixed with the brush part.

Close up of colored cornstarch and water for diy chalk paint - yellow, red, blue and green

I got these colors by using 8 drops for each color. (The green was already mixed) If you want deeper colors, just add more coloring.

child painting on deck with diy chalk paint

Just look at the pure joy on that child’s face! You should also see the joy on my face – something that occupies my insane son.

child painting with diy chalk paint with dog in the background

 

close up of child painting with chalk paint

Apparently we have a lefty on our hands?

When it first got painted on, I immediately wanted to add more cornstarch because I felt like it was really watery, but it dries up (quickly on a hot day) and makes really great colors.

close up of chalk paint painted on the sidewalk

 

close up of chalk paint painted on the sidewalk

 

close up of the letter L written in chalk paint on the sidewalk

 

close up of a dog laying in the grass watching child play with chalk paint

So stoic, Shadow. This is probably him relaxing after chasing his tail, rolling in the grass and sneezing or eating said grass.

overhead image of a boy toddler playing with chalk paint on the patio

The aftermath!

child with chalk paint on his face

War paint! I am not sure how it got on his face….

close up of chalk paint messy in a cupcake tin

He literally was painting every surface in the backyard – including the sliding glass door. Yikes. But no worries, it was easy to clean.

I have to say, I am very impressed at the lack of color mixing!

And because children feet and hands are so cute….(and he made me take pictures of them)…

child's feet covered in chalk paint
child's hands covered in chalk paint

This was such an EASY, cheap and fun activity. D loved it. Enjoy it!