One piece of chalk can go so far if you have a few simple ideas up your sleeve. Get the kids moving outside, have some fun and even teach them a thing or two in the process (think numbers and alphabet). Here’s 7 chalk games for kids to keep you busy.
Who doesn’t love sidewalk chalk? With the lovely sunny days we’ve been having recently, it’s the perfect chance to get outdoors and have some fun. There’s so many different games you can try with the kids. From Snakes & Ladders to a great obstacle course, it’s the perfect way to keep the whole family busy time and time again. The gift that keeps on giving, check out these great chalk games for kids.
1. Snakes And Ladders
This is an oldie, but a goodie. Games are so much more fun when they are giant and drawn in chalk! You can choose how big to make your game board…really depends how much patience you have. Even better, set the kids to work on it. Get them to number each one and make sure there’s the same amount of squares in each row. It’s a great little maths lesson in the process.
Here’s the fun part: you get to choose where the snakes and ladders go. Let the kids have some fun drawing them in, and choose to have as many or as few as you like. It’s your game after all.
Finally, you need a dice. With such a big board game, it makes sense to have an equally big dice! Head to the recycle bin and pull out a big box that is closest to a cube (another great maths less for the kids). Get them to draw the numbers, in dot form, on each side. It’s simple, it’s easy, and the kids will have so much fun throwing it up into the air to play.
As long as it doesn’t rain, you can get days and days of fun out of this activity. It’s one of the best chalk games for kids.
2. Obstacle course
Are you needing a way to break up the home learning and to give the kids a movement break? There is nothing better than an at-home obstacle course. Send them outside to do a lap or three in between learning to wake them up and help them concentrate better.
You can have some fun together coming up with ideas for the obstacle course, and even chop and change every few days to keep things nice and interesting for the kids. You can watch the video above for some ideas to get you start, then encourage the kids to use their imagination to add in some more!
3. Snail Hopscotch
This is a great game for a younger child learning to count to 20 and back. But it can be adjusted for older kids as well.
First, set kids the challenge of hopping all the way up to 20 without taking a break and counting along the way. Younger kids can do some jumps instead. Let them take a break in the middle and do the same on the way back, this time counting backwards.
To mix things up, ask them a maths question at their level (simple addition for Kindy, times tables for older kids). If they get it right, they can move forward two spaces. If they get it wrong, they have to stay on the same square until their next turn. It can be a race to the end! On the way back, change addition sums to subtraction.
4. Chalk games for kids: walking note
This is a beautiful way to make someone’s day! Next time you head off on a walk together, be sure to bring the chalk with you. Make a pitt stop and write a message on the ground for the next people to walk on by.
The whole family can chip in with a lovely message, a drawing, anything they like, to help bring a little light into someone’s day.
5. Bullseye
Bullseye! The game is simple, but kids will have so many fun with it. Start by making sure you have some bean bags handy for throwing at the target. No beanbags? No worries, you can get crafting instead. Go and find some old socks (as many as you like for the game) and fill it up with rice, beans, sand… anything you have handy. Tie a knot in it and you’re good to go!
Now to get drawing. Use different coloured chalk starting with the bullseye in the middle. Draw as many circles as you like around it. Once again, this game can be adapted to suit the level your child is up to. For young kids, keep the numbers small, so they can add up their points. For older kids, make it a challenge with bigger numbers for them to add.
Use the chalk as a marker and see who can get the closest to bullseye!
Use various colours of chalk and draw concentric circles with a bullseye in the middle. Within each circle, write point values if kids want to brush up on their math skills or simply use markers to see who can throw an item closest to the bullseye. For markers, use chalk, stones or on hot summer days, wet sponges or water balloons.
6. Corners
To play this game, you’ll need to have at least three players. But it’s so much fun mum and dad will want to get involved too! Start by drawing a large square with a circle in the middle. Make each corner of the square a different colour.
One person is the counter, and they have to stand in the circle with their eyes closed and count to 10. If you don’t trust them, pop a blindfold on! While the counter is counting, players have to skip around the square and choose a corner to stand on once the counter gets to 10 (more than one person can be in each corner). With the blindfold still on, the counter calls out one of the four colours.
If anyone is standing on that corner, they are out. The game continues until only one person is left, and they are the winner.
7. Chalk twister
Last but not least, this is one of the best chalk games for kids the whole family will want to have some fun with. Create your own chalk twister board with at least four colours and four shapes. It can be as big or as small as you like!
Have mum or dad call out the instructions for kids to place their right or left hand or foot on one of the coloured shapes. Kids have to keep their balance while they make the move. You can bend the rules, or make up your own ones as you go. For example, if they are on a blue square, they have to roar like a Tiger! If they are on a yellow triangle, they have to hop on one foot.
It’s a great game to have some laughs.
Extra Games
Of course, there’s plenty more you can do with chalk as well. Try one of these chalk games for kids:
- Chalk shapes: draw different shapes and tell kids which ones they can hop on
- Hopscotch
- Trace around a family member
- Chalk drawings (have a drawing competition)