Sidewalk chalk art is a wonderful way for children to express themselves! Not only are the stakes low — the art will be washed away in the next rainfall —but the medium lends itself well to experimentation, as children are given a large canvas to pour their imagination into to.
However, artistic block can happen to the best of us! If you are sick of drawing the same flowers and animals with your child, then you’ve come to the right place.
Here is a list of new and exciting things for kids to draw with sidewalk chalk.
1. Kindness is Free, Sprinkle it Everywhere
What could be better than walking down the street and seeing an upbeat, happy message? That is how the people who walk down your sidewalk will feel if you greet them with this motivational message that reminds us of the importance of being kind. This example shows a color palette of white and pink, but your child can recreate it in the colors of their choice!
2. Outer Space
What kid doesn’t have an interest in outer space? Heck, what adult doesn’t? We love the way that this chalk art from Ammo the Dachshund allows your child (or pet) to become part of the celestial scene with their very own space suit helmet!
3. Butterfly Wings
You will see in this list that art that allows you to become part of the landscape is a bit of a trend. And, knowing kids, the fact that they will be able to immerse themselves in their artistic scenes is sure to be a winning attribute! We love this tutorial that shows how you can draw yourself your very own butterfly wings.
4. Stained Glass
Stained glass is one of the most beautiful artistic creations out there! While it is difficult to replicate this delicate art form in the form of sidewalk chalk, it is not downright impossible. Here’s a hint: it’s all about the shading. This is the perfect sidewalk chalk idea for older children who are developmentally beyond the simple shapes and pictures —you can get inspiration here.
5. Koi
Koi are known for bringing beauty to ponds, so why not let them also bring a touch of color and vibrancy to your sidewalk or driveway? They aren’t the easiest fish to draw, but they are certainly among the most beautiful. This example makes them look so realistic.
6. Buzz Lightyear
Buzz Lightyear is a loveable character from the Toy Story series, and if he happens to be one of your child’s favorites, you’ll want to show them this sidewalk chalk idea. The best part about it is that it’s easier than it looks! Find out how over at Pop Sugar.
7. Sidewalk Chalk Farm
Why stop your sidewalk chalk drawing at one item or one character if you could instead create an entire town? This idea from B Inspired Mama is so creative because it shows you how you can create an entire town that will come alive right from your sidewalk.
8. Colorful Walkway
If you have a driveway or walking path that is made up of brick laying, then this is the perfect idea for you! Your child can create a magical pathway that looks like something right out of a storybook by coloring each brick a different color. It is very easy to do and is sure to keep them busy for a long time!
9. Beautiful Flowers
Flowers can easily be written off as too simple or too ordinary to qualify as a novel sidewalk chalk idea, but there are just so many different things that you could do with flowers. This example that we found on Twitter is proof of how beautiful sidewalk chalk flowers really can be!
10. Shark
Sharks are suddenly a favorite animal of many kids out there, and we are willing to bet money on the fact that it has something to do with that “Baby Shark” song. No matter its origins, though, many kids will be delighted to draw a shark! See a dramatic example of how to draw a shark over at Pop Sugar.
11. Shooting Stars
What could be a prettier sight to behold than that of a shooting star? It may be difficult to spot one that is in the sky, but you can create your own beauty by drawing shooting stars on your sidewalk or driveway. You can create your own color palette, or you can mimic the vibrant color seen here.
12. Peace Signs
Peace signs were popular in the 1990s, and we are glad that they are coming back! A colorful peace sign makes for a fun chalk art project that is sure to spread joy and well-being around your neighborhood. We love the idea found here.
13. Sidewalk Chalk Mosaic
Mosaics are generally associated with rocks or stones, but did you know that it is actually possible to make a beautiful mosaic with sidewalk chalk! We think it is genius that this idea from Designing Tomorrow makes use of painters tape.
14. Balance Beam
If you have a kid that is interested in gymnastics, then this is the sidewalk art for them! Your little one can pretend that they are competing in the olympics by pretending to perform on the balance beam that can be drawn-on with chalk. Find the idea from A Journey With the Johnsons.
15. Monarch Butterfly
Butterflies are one of the prettiest, if not the prettiest, insects in the world. So it would make sense that they are a wonderful option for sidewalk art! Monarch butterflies, which are nature to North America, are especially beautiful. Learn how to draw one with chalk here.
16. Bubbles
What child doesn’t enjoy playing with bubbles? While bubbles are fun, they are not always the ideal toy, as they can be quite sticky and make quite the mess! If your child wants to play with bubbles, perhaps a good compromise can be found through creating chalk art that mimics bubbles! See an amazing example of this here.
17. Sidewalk Chalk Board Game
While a pretty picture is great, the only thing better is sidewalk art that you can interact with! This tutorial from Views From a Step Stool will show you how you can make a fully-functional board game that will spell out fun for the entire family!
18. Slushie
If we were to count down some of the best things about the summer months, enjoying a cold, refreshing slushie would have to be on there! That’s why an illustration of a slushie is the perfect summer item to draw on your concrete. Get inspiration here.
19. Pizza
Pizza may be a year-round food, but there is something about sitting around an outdoor dining table eating pizza on a hot summer night that is pure perfection! Kids can show their love and enthusiasm for pizza by drawing a delicious slice using sidewalk chalk.
20. Hello Sunshine
If there was one symbol that was synonymous with summer, it would be a sun! You can welcome the summer sun with open arms with this beautiful “hello sunshine” greeting. It’s a design that is sure to brighten up your entire day!
21. Watermelon
Watermelon is not only a delicious summer snack, but its vibrant pink and green colors mean that it is very fun to draw, as well! You can even use a stencil from Momtastic to draw the perfect watermelon shape on your sidewalk.
22. Turtle
A wise child once said, “I like turtles”. We especially like turtles when they are beautifully drawn with sidewalk chalk! You can draw inspiration from this beautiful turtle drawing to create your own version — although we will warn you that this isn’t a good art idea for beginners as it will take a great degree of skill.
23. Magical Unicorn
If there is one fictional animal that children love the most, it would have to be the unicorn! And what’s not to love? They’re bright, vibrant, and beautiful. If you are looking to get the most out of your rainbow spectrum of chalk colors, you will want to mimic this beautiful unicorn. Your creation will look even better if you can get your hands on metallic chalk!
24. Snowflake
We have been focusing a lot about summer activities, but what if you are somebody who prefers the colder winter season (yes, they exist). You can draw your own winter wonderland using sidewalk chalk by perfecting how to draw the perfect chalk snowflake. This is a great idea for driveways that are made out of black asphalt.
25. Umbrella
Rainy days call for pretty umbrellas! An umbrella is a fun thing to draw with sidewalk chalk, as it is an easy shape to mimic and you can make it as colorful as you’d like. Here is a cute umbrella to use as a reference.
We hope that you and your little ones are able to create your own creative masterpiece based on one of these ideas! Remember, the most important part is to have fun while you create. Then there is no such thing as a poor design.