Chalk is something that the majority of people will have used in their childhood. I remember the days of drawing hopscotch on the pavement. It doesn’t have to be just for kids though. It’s so versatile that it can be used to make all sorts of artistic creations.
As this is a fairly long post I have added a contents list to make it easier to navigate.
- How is Chalk a Mindful Activity?
- The Mindful Chalk Project
- What Chalk to Buy
- Ideas for Chalk Designs
- Flowers
- Positive Quotes
- Interactive Drawings
- Gratitude
- Love
- Silhouettes
- Games
- Animals
- Mosaics
How is Using Chalk a Mindful Activity?
Some of you may be thinking what has chalk got to do with mindfulness? The amazing thing about mindfulness though is that you can do anything mindfully. You just need to remember to connect with the present moment. Ultimately you want to make that your default mindset.
You may be wondering how you can use chalk mindfully. I would encourage you to really engage with what you are doing and what you are feeling. Try following these steps:
Look at the chalks in front of you. What do you notice? Think about the colours you have. Which colours are you drawn to? Is there a colour that you like the most?
Pick up one of the chalks. Notice how they feel. Do you like the feeling? How do they make your hands feel?
Put the chalk to the pavement and start to create. To begin with try some ‘free’ drawing without planning what you are going to draw and see what you end up with. Sometimes free drawing without a plan can feel really liberating.
Notice how you feel about your creation.
The Mindful Chalk Project
I have been planning and preparing The Mindful Chalk Project for some time now and am really pleased to finally be able to run the event. The aim is to spread positivity to both individuals and communities through art.
Your creation(s) can be done at your own property, on the pavement, or elsewhere. Bear in mind and respect local laws when doing it outside of your own property though.
What Chalk to Buy
I recommend buying non-toxic chalk to keep this project environmentally friendly.
For more intricate designs, you may like to consider some chalk pens which enables you to get better accuracy and precision into your chalk writing or drawing.
You can buy chalk in most art shops, large supermarkets and online stores such as Amazon.
Ideas for Chalk Designs
Here are some ideas on what you could do for the event. You can share what you do online to spread positivity with the hashtag #themindfulchalkproject2023. There is a chance to win a prize. Details can be found on the competitions section of the website.
Flowers
Flower drawings spread the joy of real flowers, but without the hay fever! Big or small, flowers are a beautiful uplifting thing to draw. This can be a popular one with the kids as they can be really simple to do.
Positive Quotes
You could write a few words or a paragraph depending on how confident you feel. Some ideas for some short positive things to write are:
- You are beautiful
- Be strong
- Choose love
If you want to try something a bit longer, you could write one of these:
- “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.” Christopher Robin
- “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” Unknown
- ”Never look down on anybody, unless you are helping them up.” Jesse Jackson
There are more mindful quotes here if you want further inspiration.
Interactive Drawings
There are some really clever ideas out there for interactive chalk designs. Here is one of them:
Some other ideas could be drawing a superhero cape and then getting in the scene, or drawing some balloons and laying down and holding them.
Gratitude
Perhaps write ‘I am grateful for…’ and finish it with what you are thankful for. Or you could try writing ‘Thank you’ to somebody.
Love
You could draw some hearts which is a nice simple thing to do, or you could add a message with it.
Silhouettes
A fun activity for the kids can be drawing around them to make their outline or silhouette.
Games
There are all sorts of games that can be done with chalk. For example, noughts and crosses, hopscotch and many more.
Animals
Try drawing your favourite animal or perhaps a pet. You could snap a photo of the pet next to the drawing!
Mosaics
Mosaics are a simple one that can be done by anybody. You can draw simple squares, or do other more intricate designs if you choose.
Happy Chalking!
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