Sidewalk chalk games

Sidewalk chalk is a staple in our house once the weather gets nice and finding games that entertain both my 3 and 5 year old children outside is golden! These low prep, fun sidewalk chalk games can be created in a matter of seconds and played for hours. It’s a win-win! Plus, many of the chalk games can be used as educational tools. 

5 Sidewalk chalk games for kids

The only materials needed for these games is sidewalk chalk, backyard toys, and nature.

1. The Color Game

This game is as simple as using sidewalk chalk to draw 5-8 different colored circles. I typically do rainbow order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black, and white circle. Now, simply sit your butt on a chair and watch the magic happen. Instruct the kids to run around the yard looking for things to fill in each color specific circle. There is one very important rule. The game is not won until there are at least 8 items in each circle. Warn the kids that this might take awhile. Oh and there is a prize! The prize at our house is typically a small handful of mini marshmallows!

To allow more kids to play, either make the colored circles bigger or add multiple circles of each color. Oh and I always tell the kids that anything outside is fair game, but bringing things from inside outside is not allowed.

2. Shape game

The shape game is perfect for the toddler crowd. Now that my son is 5, he enjoys playing the teacher role and telling the younger ones which shape to find. For a classroom of toddlers either make each shape larger or add more than one of each shape.

Pro tip: To make this game more challenging for older kids, do the same thing with numbers or sight words.

3. Sidewalk ABC’s

This chalk game is as simple as drawing each letter of the alphabet on the sidewalk and having kids draw an item that starts with that letter. The game is not over until every letter has an item. I recommend popsicles as prizes! This game is perfect for a classroom or birthday party since multiple kids can spread out over the entire sidewalk.

4. Sidewalk obstacle course

It’s like hopscotch, but better! Pro tip: Make the obstacle course go in a circle! For a bigger group, consider making 2 of the exact same obstacle courses next to each other and have relay races! Here are a few ideas for the chalk obstacle course:

• Leap like a frog to lily pads (draw lilly pads)
• Pop the bubbles (draw bubbles)
• Skip/tip toe down a squiggly line
• Hop over a pile of rocks or sticks
• Spell your name (draw each letter all of the kids names)
• Walk backwards (draw a line)
• Follow the paw prints (draw paw prints)
• Crab walk (draw 2 straight lines)
• Jump spin (draw a swirl)

5. Scavenger hunt

You don’t need a fancy chalkboard to make this game happen, use the concrete! Simply write a list of 3-20 things for kids to find in nature. The first kid or team to bring back all of the items wins! A few ideas for the nature scavenger hunt include:

• Black rock
• Feather
• Rolly polly
• 1 stick longer than your arm
• 1 pink flower
• 1 heart shape
• The letter “M”
• A white flower

Have you ever played any of these chalk games? I’d love to hear more fun, easy games you play with your kids or classroom!