Sidewalk Chalk: Outdoor Fun and Games [Paperback]

Jamie Kyle McGillian (Author), Blanche Sims (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up

With colored, neon, glittered, swirly, or even plain white chalk, and the ideas in this charmingly illustrated book, the sidewalk's your canvas! Make your own chalk, write your favorite sayings, draw pictures, or play games (such as hopscotch) that include one or more kids: there are so many different suggestions, you won't run out of fun for days. Chalk the town with the holiday calendar creations in these pages--or create silly rebuses to catch the eye of everyone who walks by. (There's an example to start you off.) Bring out the animals for a sidewalk safari: just copy a small part of your favorite beast (like a lion's mane) and challenge your friends to figure out what it is. Whoever guesses right finishes the picture. The hippo-phant drawn here will give you a clue to what crazy things you can do. Plus: "chalk talk," where real kids reveal their favorite forms of "chalky" fun!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-6-From how to make your own chalk to a multitude of activities using it (or the cheap kind you buy at the store), the ideas in this book range from creating a town on the sidewalk to creating neighborhood time lines. Sims's colorful artwork looks like chalk drawings. The combination of simple easy-to-read text and childlike illustrations will attract young readers to this sidewalk world. McGillian even gives youngsters permission to get messy because the chalk comes off them with simple washing, and "nature will take care of the sidewalk." She even includes an environmental message: this activity saves trees because it doesn't require paper. This delightful book encourages use of the imagination, and may inspire outdoor programs.
Cynde Suite, formerly at Horry County Memorial Library, Surfside Beach, SC
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

All it takes to have fun for days is just chalk and this treasure chest of really cool games and activities! There are so many different, fun things you can do with chalk on the sidewalk or in the playground--like writing messages, competing at chalk toss, and drawing a treacherous obstacle course with a narrow road to follow on blades, bike, or scooter. Chalk it alone or with pals--the ideas are endless.

"The combination of simple easy-to-read text and childlike illustrations will attract young readers to this sidewalk world.... This delightful book encourages use of the imagination... --School Library Journal

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Sterling; 1 edition (March 28, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 140270609X
• ISBN-13: 978-1402706097
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,776,979 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful and creative, June 29, 2005

By 

J. Cadenhead "constantly chasing kids" (Dobbs Ferry, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sidewalk Chalk: Outdoor Fun and Games (Paperback)

This a great book! I received it as a gift for my daughter who is almost five. The games are thoughtful and creative. It contains wonderful activities to help your child grow (mentally and physically). It even includes a history on chalk and instructions on how to make your own. It would make a terrific addition to any child's library or gift. Also, I'd revise the age suggestions. You could probably use this book from age 2 to early teens.

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome book, great ideas, January 9, 2010

By 

kdmtry (CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sidewalk Chalk: Outdoor Fun and Games (Hardcover)

This book is full of awesome ideas and examples of fun things to do with chalk. Though you can think of your own ideas, it's nice to have something to reference when you're drawing a blank or your kids can peruse the book themselves for what they might want to do. I recommend it.

3.0 out of 5 stars Not what I was looking for, June 15, 2009

By 

Ulyyf "Connie" (NYC) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sidewalk Chalk: Outdoor Fun and Games (Hardcover)

I was hoping for something with more creative games. This book had a lot of commonly known (I knew them, anyway) pencil-and-paper games for chalk (like dots, or tic-tac-toe), and a lot of suggestions of different ways to vary drawing with chalk on the sidewalk - things I mostly already knew about.

And some of the sections that could've been expanded weren't. Hopscotch, for example - there are more variations in hopscotch than you can shake a stick at, you could practically write a book on hopscotch *alone*, but they gave it (I guess figuring everybody knew it but that not everybody knows about hangman...?) one page, with a picture of exactly one version of a hopscotch diagram and one version of hopscotch rules. I could (and have) get more information on chalk games through google.

Though the information on making my own sidewalk chalk was nifty, and not something I would've thought of on my own.