Featured Activity: Chalk Games
Published on July 22, 2020 - Updated on March 15, 2021
Hours of entertainment are at your fingertips with a simple box of chalk!
There are so many creative ways to entertain your children outdoors with this easy tool. Spreading love and encouragement through chalk messages around the neighborhood, and on the sidewalk outside places like hospitals and medical centers, is especially an especially popular pastime during this time of social distancing.
If you haven’t gotten your kids out to do that yet, give it a shot, it’s a truly uplifting experience, but if you’ve already done that there are countless other ways to create fun and creative games with just your chalk in hand. We’ve put together a few ideas for your family to stay active and entertained!
Bullseye
Draw a chalk bullseye with different numerical point values in each division. Using bean bags (you can even make your own with socks and rice or beans if choking is not an issue) or Take turns tossing them to earn points. Decide how many turns each person will have in advance and add the points up, You can make the point values higher as your children get older and children of different ages can stand at comfortable distances for each child. You can even make it a competition with themselves rather than against one another.
Follow the Line
This is a simple way to get exercise and have a little fun. Draw a continuous line with loops, sharp edges, and all sorts of different directions, so when you follow it you will be walking in a really silly way. You can even make two mirror images side by side and create a fun race out of it.
Self Portraits
Lay down and have a sibling or parent draw your outline. Then use a variety of fun colors do dress and decorate yourself as you wish.
Obstacle Course
It is almost as fun creating the obstacle course as it is to complete it. You can use your imagination, everything from run, crawl and hop sections, dance here, whistle a tune, or clap ten times. You can even use your hopscotch from earlier as part of the fun. Exercise activities are a great way to work in some extra exercise, such as five squats or twenty jumping jacks - the options are endless. It is really fun to do it in a public place or on a walkway where the community can also enjoy it.
Hopscotch
Draw a square pattern, generally two single boxes in a row followed by two boxes side by side followed by a single again and on. Number the boxes and come up with a marker to toss, such as a bean bag from the Bullseye game. If the bag lands entirely in a box, skip, that box when you are hoping. Do the entire thing using the same foot for the single boxes each time to practice coordination. It’s good exercise and great for developing balance.
Please send us your favorite chalk game ideas at share@happyly.com, and tag your highlights on Instagram @gethappyly! We love to hear from you! Refresh your chalk supply on our Gear Page!!
For more inspiration, check out another recently featured activity, Plan a Picnic and maybe you’ll uncover the perfect place to camp near you! Need a little more encouragement? Make time for Family Bike Rides or enter the rapidly growing world of Stand Up Paddleboarding.
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