‘Chalk the Walk’: Families come together to decorate library sidewalk
Karen Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Harper Siembak-Hess draws a rainbow as her brother, Hudson Siembak-Hess, looks on.
Chartiers-Houston Community Library hosted a Chalk the Walk event, where families drew pictures on the sidewalk in front of the library building.
A Great White shark drawn by a child during Chartiers-Houston Community Library's Chalk the Walk event.
Karen Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Colorful artwork drawn by chalk artists big and small at a recent Chalk the Walk event at Chartiers-Houston Community Library
Karen Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Chartiers-Houston Community Library hosted a Chalk the Walk event to provide a creative activity for parents and children.
Hudson Siembak-Hess, 2, shows of his artistic skills at Chartiers-Houston Community Library's Chalk the Walk event.
Karen Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Hudson Siembak-Hess and his sister, Harper Siembak-Hess, 5, spent part of a recent afternoon drawing on the sidewalk in front of Chartiers-Houston Community Library.
Hudson Siembak-Hess uses sidewalk chalk during a Chalk the Walk event at Chartiers-Houston Community Library.
Harper Siembak-Hess, 5, draws using sidewalk chalk.
A Great White shark drawn during a Chalk the Walk event.
Karen Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
A drawing from the Chartiers-Houston Community Library Chalk the Walk event.
Karen Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
Little artists created sidewalk chalk art during the Chartiers-Houston Community Library’s Chalk the Walk event.
One of several chalk art pieces drawn by children during the Chartiers-Houston Community Library's Chalk the Walk activity.
The Chartiers-Houston Community Library got a lot more colorful last week, after families participated in a sidewalk chalk art project.
The Chalk the Walk event aimed to provide a creative outlet – and bring a bit of cheer – for chalk artists big and small, while complying with social distancing mandates in place amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Becky Siembak, who accompanied her children, Harper Siembak-Hess, 5, and Hudson Siembak-Hess, 2, said the chance for the kids to make colorful creations was a welcome activity.
“We’re always looking for things to do with the kids,” she said. “We’re lucky, because we live in the neighborhood and we frequent the library a lot, so it’s been really good for our young kids. We’ve done so many different things already, and sometimes it’s hard to find things to do.”
Families signed up for half-hour sessions, where they were provided with paper bags filled with sidewalk chalk.
Little artists put chalk to the sidewalk in front of library, where they drew sharks, rainbows, self-portraits and positive messages.
Jessica Ali and her family moved to Chartiers Township a month ago, and two of her children, Rowan, 9, and Molly, 7, were eager to head to the library.
The library reopened on a limited basis in June, and Ali said her children pop in to select books and do activities.
“It’s been great. If they want to come and do something instead of sit in front of the TV, I’m all for that,” said Ali.
The library has offered online programs and activities for children throughout the pandemic, and library manager Laura Swanson said as many as 40 families have signed up for the library’s weekly emails, which include a link to live, interactive activities.
“We have such a family-oriented community and there are so many families with younger kids who are looking for something to do. We’ve been trying to get creative,” said Swanson. “We’ve missed doing our in-person programs since the shutdown, so it’s been fun to provide something like Chalk the Walk to bring the community together again.”
Chartiers-Houston Community Library is open from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays.