Homemade chalks

Here’s a tutorial to make your own home made chalk.

Things you’ll need:

• Cornstarch

• Food colouring

• Water

• Bowl

• A measuring thing (we’re working on a 2:1 ratio so size doesn’t matter but you don’t want something too huge, maybe ¼ of a cup size)

• Something to mix with

• Cling film

• Toilet roll inner tube

• Tape

Instructions:

• Gather all your materials in an easy to clear space, since this can get messy

• Put two spoons of cornstarch, using your chosen measure, into the bowl

• Add one spoon of water to the cornstarch, and give it a good stir

• Add your chosen food colouring, a little at a time, since you can always add more, but you can’t take it out

• Be very careful with the food dye so it doesn’t stain your clothing

• Stir the mixture some more and add a little more water as required so that you have a thick paste in your bowl. As with the food colouring, it’s better to add only a little at a time.

• Next we’re going to make the moulds

• Wrap your toilet roll in cling film, line up the top edge of your toilet roll and roll in the cling film so it looks like it has a tail.

• Secure the tail to the tube using tape, and place another bit of tape over the bottom of the tube, so there is a strong leak proof bottom to your roll

• Pour your mixture into the tube. It’s a special type of liquid called a non-newtonian fluid, this means the more you try to move it the more solid it become, so gentle encouragement required. This is the same process that you may have seen people running on custard!

• Leave your tube to dry for at least 12 hours

• Take your chalk out of the mould and tadaa you have chalk!