How to Make Floating Chalk Prints: Process Art for Kids

Floating chalk prints are as easy to make as they are beautiful! Turn your chalk into beautiful art with simple materials and directions.

Table of Contents:

1. Floating chalk prints are a SUPER COOL way to use chalk
2. My preschoolers and college students love making floating chalk prints
3. Materials
4. How do you make floating chalk prints?
5. How do you make chalk art stay?
6. You have to make floating chalk prints
7. FAQ

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Floating chalk prints are a SUPER COOL way to use chalk

Elevate your chalk game by turning it into stunning floating chalk prints.

You can use blackboard chalk, sidewalk chalk, chalk pastels…you name it.

This is one of my most favorite process art projects for kids, and it will be of your favorites, too!

Related: Our GIANT 10-foot coloring page banners can be colored in with anything you love, including chalk!

My preschoolers and college students love making floating chalk prints

One of the reasons why I am so smitten with this activity is how it’s not “just for kids.”

This technique is equally enthralling for adults (trust me, you’ll see what I mean when you try it, too).

Grab your chalk because it’s time for it to shine!

Are you looking for more process art activities? Try these!

• Baking Sheet Printmaking – Friends Art Lab
• 3-Ingredient Homemade Paint – Tinkerlab
• Chalk Paint Outdoor Art – Busy Toddler
• Rainbow Drawing Activity for Exploring Lines – Friends Art Lab

Materials

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• Chalk – see note below*
• Shallow container of water – think shallow tray or casserole dish
• Paper – cardstock and watercolor paper work best, but construction paper is excellent, too
• Popsicle stick – or something similar like a plastic spoon

The 411 on chalk

Not all chalks are created equally, but having used all the chalks to try this project over the years, whatever you have will work!

Sidewalk chalk – the most common chalk that people have on hand, and it works great (it’s what I used here!)

Skinny chalk – I always think of this as blackboard chalk, and it’s fantastic

Chalk pastels – the most vibrant, but they’re a specialty item and not a standard art supply

How do you make floating chalk prints?

I love how simple this activity is!

• Fill a shallow container with water – make sure not to fill it to the top

• Shave chalk over the water – hold the chalk in one hand, rub a popsicle stick up and down the piece of chalk, and observe as it flecks and lands on the water, repeating until you have as much color as you want

• Lay a piece of paper on top of the water and lift to reveal your print – and it’s okay if a little bit of water gets on the back of your paper

So easy!

Note: Typically, the more vibrant your piece of chalk is, the more color you’ll get on your paper. For example, in the pack of sidewalk chalk, I use the darkest blue over the lightest blue.

How do you make chalk art stay?

Chalk is flaky and dusty and easily smears on paper when you color it straight.

However, floating chalk prints usually don’t smear the same way.

If yours do smear and you want to make them as smear-resistant as possible, spray with a thin layer of hairspray.

You have to make floating chalk prints

These are fun for home, in school, at daycare, with friends, with neighbors, on a playdate, with family…anywhere!

The only hard problem is trying to stop.

FAQ