Throw an Art Show Sidewalk Party for Children

In my town, school is officially out for the summer and that means that eventually parents are going to start hearing phrases such as "I'm bored", and "There's never anything to do around here". Well, if you are a parent who lives in a neighborhood with a lot of kids and sidewalks then I may have a solution to your problem...at least for one day. Pick a Saturday, round up the neighbors and have a sidewalk chart art show.

This is a summer craft project that will not last, except in pictures, but with a little planning and cooperation it could be the start of a yearly tradition in your neighborhood. Make sure you have enough chalk for all the children in the neighborhood and allot them a certain amount of space on the sidewalk in front of their home. Give them as much time as they need to create their masterpieces and then have a few impartial judges hand out awards; if possible, make up enough awards so that each child gets one. You could print up certificates for participation, judge the artwork by age or make up silly awards and prizes to hand out so that the children will have something to remember the day by.

Don't stop with just an art show, make a day of it; have sack races, baseball or basketball games, watermelon eating contests, cookouts, snacks, homemade ice cream, snow cones, drinks, pool parties, fireworks….block party, anyone?? Your art show/block party could even be used as a way to raise money for a local charity; have a bake sale, lemonade stands, hold a raffle - the possibilities are limited only by your imagination. An important bonus of a charitable party is the lesson your children will learn about giving to help others and that giving can be fun. You can strengthen this lesson by allowing the children to help decide what charity to give the proceeds to; for example, a local children's hospital, a library or an animal shelter.

If you want to stop hearing how bored your children are, make sure you get them involved in planning the day; give them a chance to use their imagination and I promise you that the more input you allow them to have, the more interested they will be in the project. Perhaps older children would like to set up a scavenger hunt for the younger children and the parents could set up a hunt for the older children; that way everyone gets in on the fun.

As I said earlier, if you are lucky enough to live in a neighborhood with a lot of kids and sidewalks, then a sidewalk chalk art show and block party could take a regular boring Saturday and turn into something magical and special that your children will remember for many years to come.