I'll bet you have a few sticks of sidewalk chalk stashed away somewhere (or more likely, a whole bucket of the stuff). It's inexpensive and kids love it. But have you ever thought about using it to promote active play? Try these games to get kids moving on your driveway, sidewalk, or playground.
- Draw the start and finish lines of a race. Then come up with different ways to get to the end: running, marching, galloping, using a bike or scooter, jump-roping, and so on.
- Use chalk to set boundaries for young kids playing with ride-on toys: Stop here! This gives them a little room to roam, while still keeping them as close to home as you're comfortable with.
- Create a sidewalk chalk activity course.
- Draw a hopscotch grid.
- Play outdoor Pictionary.
- Design a chalk maze, which kids can navigate on foot, skates, scooters, etc.
- Play four-square.
- Leave clues for a scavenger hunt on the ground, on tree trunks, on the side of your garage, and so on.
- Draw a target (on the ground or on a wall) and have kids try to hit it with beanbags or water squirters.
- Sketch a set of animal footprints on the ground with chalk. Have kids guess which animal made them, then imitate that animal.
- Keep score during informal games of soccer, HORSE, baseball, etc.
