In this article: 11 sidewalk chalk games and activities to get kids off the screens, out of the house, and enjoying the outdoors!
Sidewalk chalk is one of the best art supplies you can get. It’s inexpensive and lasts forever! Plus there are tons of options when it comes to using sidewalk chalk.
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Kids (and parents) can draw, play games, and have a ton of fun!
We often add a pack of sidewalk chalk to Easter baskets or Christmas stockings so we always have a ready supply. Keep reading to see just some of the sidewalk chalk games and activities we love to play!
11 Sidewalk Chalk Games and Activities to Get Kids Playing Outside
Nothing is worse than the dreaded “I’m boooorrrreddddd” coming out of the mouths of your children. Okay, well maybe one thing is worse- screen zombies sitting on tablets or computers all day long.
Here are 11 ways to use sidewalk chalk. Most are simple, modifications to indoor or pen and paper games. So grab your kids and your chalk and have some fun outside!
Color Hop
The color hop is fun for all ages, but it’s especially good for young kids just learning their colors. This sidewalk chalk game will get the kids moving, so it’s a great large muscle activity. Here’s how it works.
Draw large colored circles all over your walk or driveway. Fill them in completely. Make sure the colors are all sorta near each other, so it’s easy to hop from color to color.
Then start calling out colors. Your child needs to leap, jump or hop to the color called. You could add another layer of fun by making it like a Mother May I game or asking them to skip, fly, hop on one foot, etc to each color.
Chalk People
Kids have always been fascinated with tracing their bodies. It’s just so fun to have a life-sized replica of yourself to color!
This sidewalk chalk activity is easy, and pretty self explanatory.
Have your child lay down and trace their outline with chalk. Then they can color themselves in or draw some clothes and features.
Tic Tac Toe
My kids love tic tac toe. And it’s their goal to beat me (which is impossible to do!)
Tic tac toe on paper is wasteful, but tic tac toe in sidewalk chalk is not!
Our sidewalk is always filled with rows and rows of tic tac toe boards drawn in chalk. Run out of space? Just wait for the rain or spray with a hose!
Sidewalk Chalk Hang Man
Another indoor game that you can bring outside by using sidewalk chalk is hangman.
Hangman is a family favorite because we all try to think of the most obscure thing that no one will ever guess. We’ve even had themed games such as Harry Potter Hangman.
Hangman is a great sidewalk chalk game for the same reason as Tic Tac Toe. It’s easy to erase and move on and it get everyone thinking and having fun outside!
Hop Scotch
A hop scotch board drawn in sidewalk chalk is sorta iconic. We’ve seen them draw on sidewalks, driveways, and blacktops for decades.
But it’s a great sidewalk chalk game that gets the kids moving, playing and laughing together.
Shape Maze
A shape maze is similar to the color hop, but with a few modifications. Choose a shape and then draw shaped all over your driveway or sidewalk. Make sure whatever shape you chose appears the most.
Then challenge your child to walk through the maze of shapes by ONLY stepping on one particular shape.
Creative Family Fun has explains how this activity works, including pictures and modifications: Driveway Shape Maze
Related Reading: How to Make Sidewalk Chalk Paint
Dots and Boxes Game
Did you play this game as a kid? I remember spending many early mornings and lunch time’s playing the Dots and Boxes game when I was in school. But with a little prep work you can bring this fun game outside using sidewalk chalk!
Just fill your space with evenly spaced dots. And then take turns drawing one line. If you are the one to create a box, mark it with your initial (or color). Keep going until all the boxes have been made.
Don’t remember this game? Here are the Dots and Boxes Instructions.
Checkers
If you want to play this sidewalk chalk game, you might want make sure it’s not going to rain anytime soon!
First you will need to create your checker board. A checker board is 8 squares by 8 squares for a total of 64 squares.
You can make your sidewalk chalk checker board as big or as small as you wish.
Then gather your players. You can use rocks, bottle caps, toy cars, paper plates– use your imagination!
Wet Sponge Bullseye
This is a fun activity for a hot summer day! Start by drawing a target out of sidewalk chalk on your driveway or sidewalk.
Grab a bucket of water and some sponges and have some target practice!
You can make it a competition, change your distance, and just have fun getting wet!
Outdoor Classroom Day has the full details on how to create your sponge bullseye board.
Obstacle Course
This sidewalk chalk game is sort of like hopscotch on steroids!
Take your chalk and design a massive obstacle course. Here are a few tasks you can include in your sidewalk chalk obstacle course:
- Hopping
- Touch your toes
- Zig zag
- Jump a gap (or “river”)
- Follow the line (make it twisty!)
You can try timing it and see who can complete the course the fastest!
Pictionary
And finally, another indoor board game that can be used as inspiration for an outside sidewalk chalk game: Pictionary!
Create your own cards or use your Pictionary game cards. And take turns drawing and guessing.
Sidewalk chalk adds a new level of difficulty since drawing detailed drawings on a bumpy sidewalk can be tough!
More Family Fun Ideas
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10 Dice Games for Kids and Families
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