Craft Basket
Homemade Eggshell Sidewalk Chalk
Crushed eggshells become real chalk you can draw with outside — a small science-into-art experiment.
Ages 3-620 min plus 3 days drying prep
What you'll need
- 6-8 clean, dry eggshells
- A mortar and pestle or a zip-top bag and a rolling pin
- 1 teaspoon of flour
- 1 teaspoon of very hot water (adult handles)
- A drop of food coloring
- Toilet paper tubes cut in half, lined with wax paper (the molds)
- A small bowl and spoon
How to make it
- 1
Save eggshells from breakfast for a few days. Rinse them well and let them dry.
- 2
Together, crush the eggshells in the mortar until they become a fine white powder. This takes real muscle — take turns.
- 3
Measure out 1 tablespoon of eggshell powder into a bowl.
- 4
Add the flour and hot water. Stir into a thick, smooth paste.
- 5
Drip in one drop of food coloring and mix until the color is even.
- 6
Spoon the paste into the wax-paper-lined tube molds, packing it down with the back of the spoon.
- 7
Let the chalks dry on a windowsill for 3 full days until rock hard, then peel off the paper and take them outside to draw.
Tip
The chalk will feel damp on day one and chalky on day three. Patience is part of the magic.