Rock Painting: Kid Crafts Meet the Outdoors

This kid craft idea is just one of many multi-faceted activities for young children that combine adventure, exploration, exercise, and arts and crafts.

Because some children just naturally collect and save rocks when they play outside, it makes sense to use those rocks in a craft for kids. By using rocks kids found in crafts they can keep their special rocks for a long time.

The first part of this kid craft involves getting outside and getting some exercise with your active toddler.

Next time you are outside with your children, go on a treasure hunt for some rocks. Or, make it a point to go outside for the actually purpose of collecting natural materials. Bring along a sturdy backpack or canvas bag that can get dirty.

Materials for Rock Paintings

a backpack or canvas bag as mentioned above
rocks! (see below)
an active imagination

Finding Rocks to Paint

There are some types of rocks that are easier to paint on than others. When you collect rocks or other natural materials for kid crafts Large flat rocks or smooth rocks work best.

Large flat rocks can become fish, a lizard, a turtle, or any other animal children can imagine.

Other types you can use are ones that are round, small, or have interesting shapes. Small can become ladybugs or flowers.

Very small ones can even be painted and glued together to make larger creatures.

When rock hunting with kids for kid craft materials, encourage the child to "look" for shapes within the rocks. Does that one look like a little gold fish? Maybe it looks like a shark?

Equipment for rock paintings

brillo pad or rough sponge
recycled newspaper or magazines
paint brushes of all sizes
acrylic paint
acrylic gloss medium or varnish (adults only)

Kid Craft Prepartion of the Natural Materials

The rock needs to be washed and sometimes scrubbed, if the rock was found in water, for example.

Next, dry off the rocks.

Have an adult paint the entire rock in black, on the top, and on the exposed sides. Don't worry about the bottom. By painting the rock in black, you already have a background on the natural object, and whatever fish image you paint will look more "real."

Kid Craft: Rock Painting

When the black background is dry, paint any image you want on the rock. Let it dry. An adult can varnish the rock if it will be placed back outside.