Homemade Chalk

Food dye is one way to color homemade chalk.

Chalk allows children to express their creativity, but they can use it up in a hurry. An inexpensive solution is to make homemade chalk from plaster of Paris. Chalk can be colored and molded into shapes as well as sticks. Molded chalk shapes can be used to fill Easter baskets, Christmas stockings and grab bags instead of sugary candies.

Things You'll Need

• Plaster of Paris
• Water
• Container and plastic spoon for mixing
• Food coloring, powdered paints or fabric dye packets
• Cooking oil spray
• Plastic wrap
• Rubber bands
• Yogurt cups, egg cartons, toilet paper rolls, ice cube trays or other molds
• Large cookie sheets
• Vibrating surface such as a dryer
• Knife or skewer

Instructions

1. Coat the inside of your chalk molds with cooking spray, except toilet paper tubes. Turn the sprayed molds over and shake out any excess oil. Reinforce the walls of the toilet paper tubes with duct tape. Cover one end of cardboard tube with plastic wrap and twist a rubber band around the end of the tube to hold the plastic wrap in place.

2. Lay all the molds on a large, flat cookie sheet. Place the sheet with the molds on a vibrating surface, such as a dryer.

3. Mix two cups of plaster of Paris with 1 cup of water until it has the consistency of a milkshake. Don't use a container or spoon that will have contact with food. To color the chalk, add several drops of food coloring, one or two teaspoons of powdered paint or half a packet of fabric dye in the color or colors of your choice.

4. Fill each mold to the top. Steady the cardboard tube molds so they don't tip over. Tap each mold several times to remove as many air bubbles as possible.

5. Turn on the dryer and let it vibrate the molds for ten minutes to remove any remaining bubbles.

6. Leave the plaster in the molds until the chalk has set. You can use the chalk right away. If you plan to give it as a gift, allow it to age for two or three days in a dry place before wrapping it.

Tips & Warnings

• Make marbled chalk by drawing a knife or skewer through each drop of food coloring in the liquid plaster to create streaks. Make multicolored chalks by filling each mold 1/3 to 1/2 full with one color of plaster, then pouring a different colored layer on top. Pull a knife or skewer through the plaster to mingle the colors.

• Chalk powder can irritate the eyes, and eating large amounts of chalk can cause nausea and vomiting. Supervise young children when they use chalk. If you think your child may have consumed chalk, call the National Poison Control Center at 800-222-1222.

References

• Enchanted Learning: Sidewalk Chalk
• Medline Plus: Chalk