Rock Pets and Other Rock Crafts

Kids love to paint especially when it is something other than paper. Rock crafts can be made into many things from pet rocks to steppingstones and even garden markers. Materials needed for this activity are rocks of various shapes and sizes, tempura paint, paint brushes. Optional materials include glue, permanent markers, and googely eyes.

If you have access to rocks outside, let the children pick their own. You can tell them to find rocks that they think have a special shape or would look good as a certain animal or bug (lady bugs and frogs are popular choices). If you are going to be making something larger like a steppingstone, garden stone, or vegetable marker, you can go to your local gardening or landscaping supply store.

Older children may like the added challenge of finding many small rocks and piecing them together them together to make a creature or object. If you do not have glue that is strong enough to hold rocks together clay will work as an adhesive too. With various shaped rocks you can build a car using an oblong rock for the body and four round rocks for the wheels.

Let the children paint their creations and let dry thoroughly. You should put the children’s name on the bottom of the rock for future identification. When the rocks are completely dry you can hand them over to their new charges if they are not meant to go outside. But if they are going to be going into the garden as a marker for a row of carrots or just decoration, they should be treated first so the paint does not wash away.

If you cannot find a child-safe sealant for the paint, finish the last step when they have gone to bed or are occupied with something else. Once the sealant is dry it can be put outside in its new home.