Chalk Filled Balloons

One of our favorite ways to create art in the summer is with varying homemade chalks.
Sidewalk chalk is fantastic in that it is super inexpensive to make, and there are endless ways to make it. I was so excited when I thought up this next activity, and Rosie and Jewel had such great fun. Today, we filled balloons with sidewalk chalk to create SPLAT art. Read on for the easy recipe tutorial.

Wow kids of all ages and try balloon SPLAT painting!

How to Make Chalk-Filled Balloons

Materials

Note: We used party balloons, and that allowed each balloon to be thrown several times before bursting. If you want your balloons to pop more easily use water-balloons. Both work great!

Method

Begin by filling a water-balloon pump roughly half way with cornstarch.
Add several drops of food coloring.
Fill the pump the rest of the way with very warm water. Then, secure the lid and shake the pump vigorously until the ingredients are combined.

Repeat this process for each color of chalk balloons that you wish to make.

Filling the Balloons

Attach a balloon to the end of the water pump, fill the balloon with the desired amount of chalk, remove the balloon, and then carefully tie it in a knot.
Repeat this process, filling balloons in varying colors as desired.

Rosie and Jewel helped me fill 30 balloons, and it only took about 10 minutes. Then, it was time to PLAY!

Balloon Chalk Play

Rosie and Jewel had so much fun with this activity! They loved throwing the chalk-filled balloons at the pavement to create art!

As the balloons popped they made beautiful splat rainbows.

Extend the Fun

Add baking soda to the balloon pump when making your chalk. Simply use roughly equal parts of baking soda and cornstarch to fill the pump before adding water, and that will give you erupting chalk!

Once all of the balloons were popped I surprised the girls with a few spray bottles of vinegar. They then delighted in spraying their street art to make it FIZZ!

This activity was lots of fun and one we will definitely be doing again! Maybe next time we will try to make chalk balloons that glow!

MORE CHALK RECIPES FOR KIDS

Tips & Resources:

To fill balloons with sidewalk chalk you will need a water-balloon pump. If you do not have a pumping station you can find the one that we have on Amazon here.
Worried about staining? Use washable watercolors in place of food coloring when making your chalk.
Once Rosie and Jewel were done playing they helped me gather any remaining balloon fragments. Then, we got the hose out and they had fun all over again washing the mess away!