IT'S "GRATE" TO PAINT
Why play this way?
People have been creating beautiful paint for thousands of years. Now your little one will make and use their very own paint too! The hands-on process of grating and mixing is a fine motor workout and a playful scientific experiment. Your little artist will delight in the end result: a brand new material with which to work their creative magic, and explore concepts of design & composition.
SET THE STAGE FOR PLAY: 10 Minutes
Ready
Pieces of chalk
Muffin tin
Tool to create chalk powder (grater or metal sieve)
Mixing bowl
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup cornstarch
Paintbrushes
Painter’s tape
Set
Sort your chalk by color & choose a piece to grate.
Grate it & put the chalk powder in your muffin tin.
Repeat with your other chalk pieces to create a colorful array of powder.
Mix cornstarch and water in a bowl.
Add some of your mixture into each muffin tin cup and stir until you reach a paint-like consistency.
Head outside with your materials and find a concrete canvas. (On indoor days, use cardboard, cardstock, or paper as a painting canvas).
Play!
Create a colorful masterpiece with your new chalk paint.
Experiment with different brush strokes and techniques.
Blend chalk paint colors together to create new shades.
Add on designs with any dry, un-grated chalk pieces.
Play!
Make a design with painter’s tape on a dry surface.
Completely cover your design with chalk paint, then remove the tape to reveal the negative space.
Find another dry surface and use pieces of painter’s tape to outline various shapes.
Paint only inside the tape lines, then remove the tape to reveal your shapes.
How else can you play with your chalk paint?
