Drawing Outdoors: Creative Chalk Activities for Kids

Chalk is a summer staple in many family households. It is inexpensive, easy to use, and it takes children away from their devices for a while. For some parents, though, drawing time ends far too quickly. Their children doodle a couple of things before complaining that they are “tired” or “bored.” If you have faced this problem in the past, you came to the right place! We have created a list of unique and fun chalk activities that will keep your little ones entertained all summer long!

Chalk Mural

Encourage your child to create a “chalk mural” rather than small, individual drawings. A chalk mural is a series of related drawings that fill up a large space (a few squares on the sidewalk, a section of the driveway, etc.). You could begin by looking at some photos of murals created by professional artists! If your child still isn’t sure where to start, brainstorm some ideas and themes together. For example, maybe they could make an animal mural with drawings of all of their favourite creatures in the forest or jungle! You can also use this activity to promote cooperation and collaboration; if your child has cousins over or wants to play with their siblings, try to get everyone on board!

Alphabet Board

To prepare for this activity, divide your driveway (or another open drawing area) into 26 squares. Have your child write one letter of the alphabet in each square, or do this for them if they are not writing yet. Then, challenge your child to fill each square with a drawing. The image they draw should be of something that begins with the letter in the square. For example, if they are drawing in the “C” square, they might choose to draw a cupcake, cat or caterpillar. This activity can be split up over a period of time. For instance, your child could work on 4 letters a day for several days. It is an awesome activity because it involves both creativity and literacy skills, and the end result is a personalized visual dictionary!

Starting Point

This is a game you can play with a pencil and paper, but it works just as well with chalk! Draw something small on your driveway or another chalk-friendly surface. Tell your child that this is their “strating point” and encourage them to make a drawing that incorperates your image. This works particularily well if you draw something abstract like a squiggle, but it’s also fine to draw an animal, shape or character. The purpose of this activity is to motivate children to think outside of the box. By building off of an initial “starting point” they need to think imaginatevly, creating their own story or narrative. This activity is especially engaging for kids who “never know what to draw” because the first step is the parent’s responsibility. Once your child’s drawing is complete you can make up a story together. You could also ask them to explain why your initial image inspired their larger drawing.

Pictionary

Sometimes, all you need to do is play a classic game of pictionary! You can follow the traditional rules when playing the game with chalk. Ask your child to draw something and try to guess what it is before the timer (on your phone or another device) runs out. Then, switch roles, and have your child guess what you are drawing. It may seem simple, but adding a “challenge” component can make drawing with chalk more interesting and enjoyable. In order to make the game more engaging, you could brainstorm unique categories, like superheroes or amusement park rides!

Scavenger Hunt

Design an exciting scavenger hunt for your child! Use chalk to write the names of objects you would like them to look for. A few ideas to start with are something small, something green, a branch, a rock and a toy. Instead of collecting the items once they find them, your child will draw them using chalk! By the end of the scavenger hunt they should have drawings beside all of the words you wrote down. This game is extra fun when played in pairs or groups of siblings, becase each child can attempt to draw something different for every category. In other words, if you have three children, they can all draw a different object for “something green.” Just be pepared… once the kids undersand how to play they will be designing chalk scavenger hunts for you!

Draw to Music

On a sunny day, it’s so nice to sit outside and listen to some music with your family. With this activity, you can enjoy a relaxing afternoon while also keeping your kids occupied! Ask them to divide their outdoor drawing area into several sections (the number of sections depends upon the number of songs you play). Then, tell your children to use one section per song, drawing based upon how the song sounds and makes them feel. Prompt them to use different lines, colours and shapes for each song. For example, if you play an upbeat song, they may choose to draw the sun using warm colours like orange and yellow! This activity encourages creative freedom and gives children the chance to make art without worrying whether or not their drawing is realistic.

Where’s Waldo?

This activity is inspired by the Where’s Waldo books and character. To begin, ask your child to draw a specific scene. They should select a setting, like the mall, the beach or the park, and draw it with as much detail as possible. Once their drawing is complete, ask them to hide a character somewhere within the scene. Their character could be Waldo, or it could be another imaginary character they come up with. As the parent, your challenge will be to locate their character within the scene. Kids will love trying to stump their parents, and additional characters or elements can be added to make the game more challenging. This activity is awesome because it develops imagination and creatvitiy and can last an entire afternoon, especially if your child decides to create multiple scenes!

Chalk Obstacle Course

Obstacle courses are a favourite activity among many children. Chalk is the perfect material to use because it allows for endless themes and creative designs. Collaborate with your child to draw a chalk obstacle course on your driveway or sidewalk. You can even incorperate a drawing component into the course itself! For instance, once you reach a certain step, you could be required to write or draw something in order to continue the course. There are so many possibilities when it comes to drawing with chalk, which means that this activity can be reused again and again. Julia made an amazing post about obstacle courses today, so be sure to check that out for more specific ideas!

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