Puffy Sidewalk Paint

If you’re searching for an enjoyable activity to engage the children, this Puffy Sidewalk Paint guarantees loads of excitement! This Puffy sidewalk chalk paint recipe is made with common household ingredients. You can create a child-friendly sidewalk paint that will keep the kids entertained for hours in just a few minutes. My children absolutely adore this sidewalk paint!

Puffy Sidewalk Paint Recipe

This Puffy Sidewalk Paint offers a fun twist on the beloved pastime of coloring with sidewalk chalk. It takes the fun factor up a notch, providing an experience that kids will love and it will get them spending time outside! The best part is that you likely have all the needed ingredients already in your pantry, making it a convenient and cost-effective DIY project.

I love that I can whip up a batch of this easy sidewalk paint in just a few minutes and then send the kids outside to have some fun. Drawing with sidewalk chalk is one of my kids favorite summer time activities. I like making it even more fun by making them some homemade chalk paint for them to draw with. 

Outdoor activities for Kids

• Summer Scavenger Hunt Printable
• Trampoline Games for Kids
• Water Balloon Games for Kids
• Summer Would You Rather Questions for kids
• Ice Cream in a Bag

What is Puffy Sidewalk Paint?

Puffy Sidewalk Paint is a type of paint specifically designed for outdoor use, particularly on sidewalks and pavements. It is a popular craft and art activity for children, allowing them to create colorful and textured designs on the ground.

The “puffy” aspect of Sidewalk Paint comes from the addition of an expanding agent, such as shaving cream, which gives the paint a three-dimensional, raised appearance 

Tips And Variations for Making DIY Puffy Sidewalk Paint Recipe

• Consistency: Adjust the consistency of the paint to your preference. If you want thicker and more puffy results, add a bit more flour to the mixture. For a smoother texture, add a touch more water.
• Mixing Colors: Experiment with mixing different food coloring shades to create new and exciting colors. Encourage your children to explore color combinations and see what unique hues they can come up with.
• Squeezable Bottles or Small Containers: Use squeeze bottles with nozzles. You can use paint brushes but the paint works better when it is squeezed from the bottle. 
• Stencils or Templates: Introduce stencils or templates to the activity to help children create more intricate designs. They can place the stencil on the ground and apply the puffy paint within the designated areas, resulting in well-defined shapes and patterns.
• Outdoor Games: Turn the puffy sidewalk paint into a fun outdoor game. Create hopscotch or target patterns using different colors. This adds an element of play and can be a great way to combine creativity with physical activity.
• Use washable paint instead of food coloring. If you don’t have food coloring or you want to use something that makes less mess use washable paint instead. If you are going to be using this  DIY sidewalk paint on white sidewalks I do suggest using paint over food coloring.
• Add dish soap. To make it easier to clean up you can add 1 tablespoon of dish soap to each batch of sidewalk paint that you make. You will want to use a liquid dish soap, I have found that there is not really any brand that makes a difference.
• Glow-in-the-Dark Paint: For an extra special touch, use glow-in-the-dark paint. Mix it in with the regular puffy paint recipe, and once it’s dry, your artwork will illuminate at night, creating a mesmerizing effect.

How long does puffy sidewalk paint take to dry?

The drying time of puffy sidewalk paint can vary depending on factors such as the weather conditions and the thickness of the paint application. On average, it takes a few hours for the paint to dry completely. 

How do I clean up puffy sidewalk paint?

Cleaning up puffy sidewalk paint is relatively easy. If the paint is still wet, you can rinse it off by pouring water over it. For dried paint, use a scrub brush or a garden hose to remove any paint that does not come off when you spray it with the hose. If needed you can also squirt some dish soap onto the driveway or sidewalk before spraying it with the hose. 

Can I store leftover homemade sidewalk paint?

No. Puffy sidewalk paint can not be stored. If you leave it in the squirt bottles it will make a huge mess as it will expand and come out of the bottles. 

Supplies Need for Homemade Puffy Sidewalk Paint Recipe

When you are making the sidewalk paint you will want to make different colors. I suggest using a different bowl and a different bottle for every color that you are using. You will need to use these measurements for shaving cream, flour and water for each bottle of sidewalk paint that you are making and then the food coloring of your choice of color. If you are wanting to use washable paint instead of food coloring you can and will need about 

• 1 cup Flour
• 1 cup Shaving Cream
• 1 cup Water (as needed)
• 5-20 drops of food coloring of your desired color (DO NOT USE gel food coloring, you must use a water based food coloring to avoid staining light colored surfaces)
• Mixing Bowl
• Spoon
• Ziploc Bag or Funnel (I prefer a Ziploc bag)
• Squirty Bottle

How to make Puffy Sidewalk Paint Recipe

In a large mixing bowl add 1 cup of flour. Add the cup of shaving cream into the flour. 

Fold the shaving cream into the flour, mixing it as best you can. It is ok if the mixture has lumps.

Next add the water. Start by adding 1/3 a cup of water and stir. Continue adding water 1/3 of a cup at a time until the flour mixture is a pancake batter-like consistency of thick and stiff, but creamy.

Add in 5-10 drops food coloring and stir it in until the color is consistent throughout. If you want it darker you can add more.

Add the sidewalk paint to a Zipclose bag and then cut off one corner. Remove the top from the squirt bottle and squeeze the paint into the bottle and put the lid back on the squirt bottle. You can also use a funnel instead if you want to. I prefer to use the ziploc bag because you can force the thick mixture down a lot more cleanly.

Repeat the process for the next color that you want to make until you have all the colors made that you want to. Be sure to rinse out the mixing bowl or use separate bowls for the different colors.