Super-sized sidewalk chalk!

Have you eaten way too many Pringles in quarantine and have a giant bag of plaster laying around? Make some giant sidewalk chalk!

Supplies

Materials:

2+ Pringles cans

Plaster of Paris

Duct tape

Tempera paint (optional, make sure it's washable and non toxic)

Water

Empty milk jug (not pictured)

Tools:

Bucket

Stir stick

Plastic cups (for scooping/measuring)

Cutting device

Can Opener

Step 1: Prep the Pringles Cans

Eat all the Pringles!

Once the cans are empty, use a can opener to remove the bottom of one Pringles can so that it is now a Pringles tube!

Step 2: Make a Mega Can

Attach the two cans together top to top with duct tape so you have one very long can. Connecting them top to top will make it easier to get off at the end. Make sure its sealed really well so plaster won't leak out of the seam. It's easier with a second person to help line up the cans.

Step 3: Make a Wide Mouth Funnel

Cut the top off of a milk jug to create a wide mouth funnel for pouring the plaster into the cans.

Step 4: Mix the Plaster

We mixed roughly 6 plastic cups of plaster powder with about 4-5 cups of water for a good pourable plaster mixture. The exact proportions aren't super important, just make sure that it isn't too dry or too thin, err on the side of it being too dry so you don't have to worry as much about leaks. If you want to make colored chalk add in about a half a plastic cup of tempera paint into the mix before adding the water. Make sure the paint you use is non toxic and washable, so you don't stain the concrete or harm the environment. Paint marketed towards kids usually meets these standards.

Step 5: Fill the Molds

Use the milk jug funnel from earlier to help fill the cans. This is definitely easier with a second set of hands to steady the cans and funnel. Be sure to work fairly quickly as plaster only has a 5-10 minute work period before it starts to cure. Fill it all the way to the top!

Find somewhere to leave them upright for about 20-24 hours to fully cure.

We tried lining the cans with wax paper, but it ended up giving a worse finish and made it harder to demold at the end than just the plain can.

Step 6: Demold Your Giant Chalk!

Start by removing the duct tape from the middle and then tear away the Pringles tubes from the plaster! The cardboard was still a bit damp and made it easy to tear off along the seam of the mega can. The chalk will also still be slightly damp and need another 24 hours or so to fully dry.