Let your kids paint with water! This easy and mess-free painting activity can be done anytime and anywhere.
Updated April 2025
Looking for a fun art activity that’s super easy and mess-free? Try painting with water on a chalkboard easel! Kids love it, and you don’t need any paint—just water and a brush. It’s calming, creative, and perfect for indoors or outside.
Half the fun, it seems, is the ephemeral nature of the art. As the water dries, the artwork disappears—so kids can keep painting again and again!
Whether your child wants to draw pictures, practice writing, or just explore mark-making, this is a go-to activity you can do anytime with minimal prep.
How to Paint with Water on the Chalkboard
MATERIALS
- A chalkboard easel (or any chalkboard surface, or a dark rock, the sidewalk, etc.)
- A cup of water
- Paintbrushes (any size or style)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Set up your space
Place your chalkboard in a spot where your child can comfortably reach and move around. We love to do this activity outside, so you don’t have to worry about where the water goes!
Set out a cup of water with a variety of paintbrushes.
- Start painting!
Let your child dip the brush in the water and start painting directly onto the chalkboard. They can write their name create patterns, draw pictures, or just make freeform designs.
We did multiple rounds with this, letting each kid paint with water, then drying the board and switching kids.
That’s all there is to it!
As an optional extension, you can start with a chalk-covered surface. As the water glides over the chalk, it creates darker, more dramatic marks and blends the colors a bit. Or you can draw with chalk on the wet surface. The options are endless!
Do your kids like painting with water?
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