This activity is appropriate for 2 years old and older. Not only does this activity give you and your child a chance to be together, it's environmentally friendly and offers a chance to talk with your child about recycling.

Here's what you will need:
Egg shells
Pestle and mortar to grind the egg shells (crushing them with a bowl also works)
Plaster of paris
Water

Here's how to make it:

1. Remove all the membranes from shells.
2. Crush and grind the shells to a fine powder.
3. Mix in two parts flour or plaster of paris for every part shell powder.
4. Mix in enough water to make a stiff paste.
5. Mould into shape.
6. Wrap in plastic and leave.

Here's what you can do while you make it:
While making the chalk talk with your child about the different ingredients and their qualities - touch, smell etc. As you combine ingredients talk about what's happening as things are added. This activity is also an opportunity to talk about environmentally friendly materials, recycling, and reusing things that normally go into the garbage can!

Here's what you can do once it's ready:
This is great chalk for use on outdoor surfaces such as driveways and sidewalks. Go outside to make pictures with your child, or use the chalk to create games such as hopscotch or tic-tac-toe! If you want a smaller surface, use the chalk on colored construction paper.

Hints: For coloured chalk, add powdered paint before the water. Clean, dry egg shells keep well. Save them up for a big batch!

Comfort, Play & Teach™ Message

		Comfort: Spending time with your child making and then using the chalk to draw pictures or make games tells your child that he is important to you and makes your child feel loved.
		Play: Once the chalk is made and ready to use, together you and your child can make up different games and activities using the silly putty. Encourage your child to use his imagination to come up with different ways to use the silly putty.
		Teach: Any activity that involves mixing is a great "teach" moment. Talking to your child about the different ingredients, their qualities and what happens when they are put together are just a few of the things you can explore. This activity also lets you talk about environmentally friendly materials and the concept of recycling and reusing.

For Ages: 2 years and older

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