Chalk drawings on rock date back to the Stone Age. Did you know that chalk is a form of limestone that is over 50 million years old?

When exploring this technique, children connect with ancestral forms of expression and exciting aspects of art’s history.

This proposal can be explored to develop concepts such as pigment, permanence, communication, and belonging. At the same time, children build their flexible thinking, adaptability, and creativity.

What Could Lead Us to This Play Invitation

  • Children have been curious about archaeology, caves, and things from long ago;
  • Children are excited about creating messages and building stories;
  • Children have been drawing animals.

Materials Needed:

Setting up This Play Invitation

  1. Prepare a basket with the rocks in an inviting way.
  2. Add different colors of chalk.

    Tips: Flat rocks will work better, such as Mexican pebble rocks used for landscaping.

How to Create the Drawings

  1. Invite children to explore making marks on the rocks. Observe what captures their interest.
Child drawing on large flat rocks with chalk

FOR OLDER CHILDREN: It is interesting to discuss cave drawings as messages. What messages could the children draw on their rocks?

How to Nurture the Natural Unfolding of the Child’s Identity During This Play Invitation

  • Children have the right to know historical facts. The educator must expand children’s cultural references to help lead the child to discover other forms of expression.
  • Children have the right to work outdoors. There are many Play Invitations that can be offered outside the classroom, and educators should offer a variety of settings.

The Academic Learning Opportunities

  • LANGUAGE: Use language and symbols to build stories and messages.
  • SOCIAL: Develop concepts of history, time, and belonging.
  • ART: Explore new materials to create and communicate.

Extensions

Create paints with natural pigments like paprika, coffee, curry, and soil.

Suggested Resources

ONLINE GALLERY

Click here to view an online gallery of cave art.

Book Recommendations

A story about the excitement of being the first to make a drawing.

The story of an unexpected trip to the Stone Age.

A book about an adventure of discovering caves in southern France.

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