This Fizzing Sidewalk Paint recipe is by far one of our kids’ most favorite play recipes of all times. This outdoor paint activity works great for kids of all ages and adds a little fizzy to artful science!
Make Fizzing Sidewalk PAINT
Sidewalk chalk is fun, painting is fun, and making things fizz is also fun! Let’s do all three!
This is a really simple recipe to create sidewalk chalk “paint” out of food coloring, baking soda and cornstarch.
We have made the standard sidewalk chalk paint before, but this recipe is better – it fizzes when you spray it with vinegar.
Related: Exploding baggies science experiment for kids
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Supplies Needed to Make Fizzing Sidewalk Chalk Paint
- A container of baking soda – we used an 8 oz box
- 1/2 cup of cornstarch
- Warm (almost hot) Water
- Food coloring
- Vinegar
Video: How to Make Fizzing Sidewalk Paint
How To Make Awesome Fizzing Sidewalk Paint
Step 1
Mix the dry ingredients and then add water, stirring until it’s not too thick. I think we used about a cup.
This paint dries very quickly – but washes off with ease!
I love the brilliant colors.
Step 2
Now for the fun!
Spray the paint with a bottle of vinegar and watch the fizz appear.
Our Experience with Fizzing Sidewalk Paint
To say this activity was a hit is an understatement. They are thrilled.
And clean up was a bucketful breeze.
Ways to Extend Learning Through Play
Want to add more “learning to this activity?
Talk about the reaction between acids and base chemicals. This is a fun way to incorporate chemistry into your preschoolers life (or just enjoy the fizz).
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If you make fizzing sidewalk paint, tell me about it!
Fizzing Sidewalk Paint Recipe for Kids
Make this easy fizzing sidewalk paint to make beautiful chalk pictures! This fun sidewalk chalk paint activity is great for kids of all ages and budget-friendly.
Materials
- A container of baking soda – we used an 8 oz box
- 1/2 cup of cornstarch
- Warm (almost hot) Water
- Food coloring
- Vinegar
Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients and then add water, stirring until it’s not too thick. I think we used about a cup.
- Spray the paint with a bottle of vinegar and watch the fizz appear.
More Sidewalk Chalk Paint & Outdoor Fun from Kids Activities Blog
- Let’s make homemade sidewalk chalk.
- This sidewalk chalk board game is so much fun to play outside.
- Have you ever made homemade bathtub paint?
- These outdoor games for kids will have everyone breathing fresh air and giggling.
- Let’s make edible paint.
- This chalk paint recipe is so much fun!
- These rock painting ideas are so fun to make and hide for others.
- Outdoor art is way more fun than indoor art!
- Let’s draw a chalk race track for kids.
- Sidewalk chalk art ideas for kids.
- How to make a neighborhood chalk walk.
- Need more homemade paint ideas for kids? We have ’em!
How did your fizzing sidewalk paint turn out? Did the kids have a really good time playing outside?
so much fun. wondering if you could add glitter to it.
What a fun idea! The downside is that it is something that can’t be cleaned up off the sidewalk, but if you used something fine that didn’t need to be picked up afterward, I bet it would work.
Can anyone advise on clean up? I’m concerned about the food coloring… Will it stain surfaces like cement driveways, or tile grout? I know that baking soda and vinegar are a classic cleaning combination, so its just the food coloring that worries me… anyone have any experience to share? 🙂
Can I make the paint in advance or does it need to be used right away? If so, how long does it last? Thank you!
Hi, just love this idea! Could you tell me the measurements for the UK – ie. not sure of ‘container’ of baking soda. Thanks very much! (so great to find a creative mum’s website for the UK so can easily get hold of things suggested!)
Nice, I’ll also try to make learn my kids about chemistry. It is a good activity but should be done under guidance.
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what is the shelf life of this stuff? I’m thinking of gifting it for kids of mommy friends for christmas and I want to make sure they will be able to use it!
Thanks!!
Just did this with my 5 and 2 year olds and it was fun. I forgot that I used 1/2 the baking soda, so it was too runny and didn’t fizz all that much, but next time I’ll just make it stronger. They still enjoyed painting and I made up for the somewhat-low-fizz factor by making a ‘volcano’ using my salad dressing mixing bottle (narrow neck) and red and yellow food colouring with LOTS of baking soda. They loved the ‘volcano’. Thanks for the great idea!