Chalk Outline Pictures - Fall Leaves!

Molly(4) had a little friend over today so I wanted to try a quick and simple art project! I found this one in an AWESOME library book around Halloween time, called Fun-To-Make Crafts for Halloween by Tom Daning. There were so many great ideas in this book, and many of them good not just for Halloween! The one we did today was originally supposed to be ghosts but I made it leaves instead so it would be appropriate for Fall.

First, I cut out some leaf shapes from a paper grocery sack (the book called for poster board but I used what I had, in my usual fashion!). I just drew mine out and cut them, but one fun idea to extend this project in warmer weather is to gather some leaves from a nature walk or your neighborhood and trace them on your paper to cut them out! Next, I had the kids draw on the leaf shapes with chalk and try to fill the whole thing up. You kinda need to use a lot of chalk for this.Finally, place the shapes on plain paper (we used white but this would look really cool on black construction paper!) and hold them in place!! Use a wadded up paper towel and rub from the center of your shape out onto your paper. When you've gone all around your shape, lift it up and what's left is a neat outline!


To keep the chalk from rubbing off when you're done, lightly spray it with hair spray. It dries super fast.

Reasons this project was so fun for the kids: they get to wad up a paper towel; they get to scribble hard all over the shapes; and I also let them tear up the paper we used as a table protector afterward! ;O) My son, Ben (1) got to participate in this project quite a bit, too! Although he mainly chose to take the chalk out of the container.... and put it back in.... then tear up the paper. LOL!