Ring in the new year with this New Year’s chalk art. It’s SO FUN and looks seriously impressive when it’s finished! This easy kids art project turns simple soft pastels into bright, firework-like colour bursts, with bold silhouettes that pop right off the page.
Use our printable templates to place the numbers or letters exactly where you want them, then colour around them to create a clean stencil effect. It’s a creative New Year’s craft for kids that works beautifully for classrooms, parties, or a cozy at-home art session. Keep reading and follow our step-by-step tutorial to make your own today!
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DIY New Year’s Chalk Art Silhouettes
Materials:
- Free Printable New Year’s Chalk Art Template (find more links below)
- Black paper
- Soft pastels (or chalk pastels)
Equipment:
See the craft in action:
Instructions:
Step 1: Find what you need
- Gather your supplies and materials.
Step 2: Add templates to the paper
- Download our free printable New Year’s chalk art templates! Find the link in the materials list above, with more details below the tutorial.
- Cut out the numbers or letters of your choice.
- Arrange the templates on black paper.
- Add loops of painter’s tape to the back of the templates. We cut our tape in half to make thinner loops that will fit.Then set the templates back in place on the page.
Step 3: Add colour around the templates
- Use soft pastel to colour from the edge of the template onto the black paper, pressing firmly and extending the colour out about 1/2 inch.We used 2 shades of blue for this number.
- Repeat with the rest of the numbers, using different colours for each. Make sure you fill in the center of the “0” and “6” as well.Then blow off any excess dust.
- Use your finger to smudge the chalk outwards, away from the template. Use a light touch and continue until you’re happy with how it looks.
- Repeat around the rest of the numbers. Be sure to clean your hands between colours.
Step 4: Remove the templates
- Remove the templates from the paper, peeling them up carefully.
- Optional: Use a Q-tip to brush away any chalk dust that’s inside the silhouettes.
- Your New Year’s chalk art is complete!
Helpful Tips:
- Keep a damp paper towel nearby: Chalk pastel dust loves to travel! Wipe fingers between colours so the shades don’t mix into one mystery colour.
- Have fun with colour: Try layering light and dark versions of the same colour for a glow effect, or make a bold rainbow burst around your template.
Download our free New Year’s chalk art templates:
Click on the photos or links below to download our free, printable New Year’s chalk art templates! The PDF files will open in a new window. Then simply print the template of your choice on 8.5 x 11 (letter size) printer paper or cardstock.
>>> Happy New Year Template <<<
To make these patterns even more useful, we’ve included templates for every year all the way up to 2035! That means families, teachers, and party hosts can print a fresh design year after year without having to search for updated pages. Find these links below the picture!
2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030
2031 | 2032 | 2033 | 2034 | 2035
What chalk is best for making this New Year’s craft?
Soft pastels, also called chalk pastels, are the best option for this craft. They’re super pigmented, meaning the colour shows up really well, and they blend beautifully.
Regular school chalk or sidewalk chalk will also work for this craft, but the colours won’t be as bright.
Can I make my own New Year’s chalk art templates?
Yes, you can make simple templates in most word processors (like Microsoft Word or Google Docs). Here are the instructions for MS Word:
- Type your words or numbers in a large font with thick letters (Arial Black works great).
- Go to “Text Effects and Typography” (the glowing “A” icon, found on the “Home” menu).
- Choose “Outline”, set it to black, and increase the weight (thickness) to at least 3 pt.
- Back on the “Home” menu, set the “Font color” (the “A” with the red bar beneath it) to white.
Then print, cut out, and you’ve got a DIY stencil-style template!
What other words would be fun for New Year’s chalk art?
If you want to switch up your art project, use the instructions above to make templates that say:
- Celebrate
- Cheers
- Countdown
- NYE
- Midnight
- Sparkle
- New Start
- Hooray!
- Hello 2026
And that’s it — your New Year’s chalk art is ready to shine! This is one of those projects that looks extra “wow” when it’s finished, but still feels easy and relaxing while you’re making it. Whether you go bold with rainbow bursts or keep it simple with a few blended colours, the silhouette effect makes every page look like a mini celebration.
So grab your soft pastels, print a template (or make your own!), and have fun creating a bright New Year’s masterpiece at home or in the classroom. Here’s to starting the year with creativity, colour, and a little bit of chalk-dust magic!
Here’s even more New Year’s craft ideas:
New Year’s Eve Wine Bottle Decor
Now available
Low-Mess Crafts for Kids Book
72 cute and fun crafts that kids and parents alike can enjoy. All with as little mess as possible!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books-A-Million | Indiebound | Amazon Canada
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