Since my son was little, we’ve had a bucket of colorful chalk to keep him busy outdoors during the warmer months. My now 7-year-old loves to teach me how to draw robots and Angry Birds characters, and I’d like to think our neighbors appreciate the designs we add to the sidewalk.

Whether you have an aspiring artist in the family or simply want another way to get your kids off screens, sidewalk chalk is a fun and affordable way to keep kids entertained and get them outdoors this summer. Here are some ideas: 

Trace your bodies. Go ahead, lie down, and have your child trace your body. Then, do the same for them. Decorate yourself with wild hairdos and colorful clothing. Add a speech bubble and ask them what your go-to saying is—their answer might surprise you!

Play a game. Who doesn’t love a little competition? Get creative and try tic-tac-toe, Twister, four square, line tag, or long jump. You can also use rocks for games like shuffleboard, checkers, or target practice. We love to play “Guess what I’m drawing,” our version of Pictionary. 

Draw a family mural. Get everyone involved and create a colorful chalk mural on your driveway or patio. Choose a theme and assign a section to each person. Or, draw a family portrait where everyone draws a different family member—be prepared to laugh!

Draw a life-size connect-the-dots. Head outside before the kids and draw a simple connect-the-dots design with big numbers and spaces. Get creative with a themed picture, like a dinosaur, flower, or their favorite animal. Keep the designs simple for younger kids and try more complex challenges for older children. 

Play hopscotch. Did you know there’s more than one way to play hopscotch? Use chalk to make a colorful court. Check out this Parents.com article for unique ways to play the classic game. 

Inspire your neighborhood. Writing uplifting words and sayings on your sidewalk is a simple way to spread positivity and brighten someone’s day. Plus, watching people stop during their walk to read your words is fun. Some ideas: “Today is a new day,” “You are enough,” and “Believe in yourself.” 

Practice word + number skills. Sneak in some learning this summer and use chalk for writing numbers, letters, and words. Our soon-to-be second grader is working on sight words and reading skills, and writing in chalk is way more fun than pencil and paper, right? 

Draw a maze for cars and trucks. Put on your problem-solving hats by creating a maze from start to finish. Have your older kids design the maze and encourage them to get creative with twists, turns, and dead ends. Let younger children choose a starting point and help guide the maze’s path. When the maze is complete, let the younger kids drive their vehicles to solve it. When it’s time to go inside, make clean-up time fun with a “car wash.” Let them drop their vehicles in a bucket of soapy water and spray them clean with the hose.

Create a mosaic masterpiece. If you’ve never tried making a mosaic with chalk, this website has instructions. Remember, there’s no “wrong” way to do it! After you have the design taped, color in the spaces. Once all the spaces are colored, it’s time for the big reveal. Ta-da! Don’t forget to snap a photo before it rains. 

Free time with chalk. Last but not least, ditch the rules and the outdoor chalk how-tos. Let your kids do their own thing. Some of the best artwork is made with complete creative freedom, don’t you agree? 

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