Rock painting is a total home-run art project for kids of all-ages! Read below for all the details and inspiration!
Earlier this summer we had a family reunion, and before the trip started my cousin text me, “what’s a fun art project we can do with the kids?”
After a quick Pinterest scroll, I quickly found what looked like the perfect art project idea for our four kids ranging from 2 to 15 years old: painting rocks!
And it was a total hit!
Everyone had so much fun! They (including my 2 year old daughter) were entertained for over an hour and a half! It was adorable watching the older kids help my toddler daughter paint her rocks. And just to make this oh-so-easy art project for kids even better, we made some popsicles to enjoy beforehand. 🙂
Why rock painting is such an awesome art project…
- Fun for all ages!
- It’s super budget-friendly.
- You may already have all the supplies you need.
- Great activity to do outdoors or indoors.
- It’s sweet to have rocks as keepsakes or to give away as gifts.
Art project supplies: Items you’ll need (and probably already have!) for rock painting
- Rocks (of course you can also get some from your backyard too!)
- Paint (basic set, bold set, and glitter)
- Paint brushes
- Q Tips for detail or pattern painting
- Cup with water to clean brushes
- (Optional) Wet rags or baby wipes are helpful to somewhat clean as you go
- (Optional) Waterproof table cloth for easy cleanup
Rock painting ideas and inspiration kids will love
- My cousin’s two older daughters scrolled Pinterest (search rock painting ideas easy for the cutest ideas!) for inspiration on what to paint.
- Flowers
- Fruit or veggies
- Names/words! These can be inspiring words, family members’ names, what you’re growing in the garden, or greetings such as “Welcome” or “Happy 4th of July”.
- Patterns or mandalas.
- Ladybugs, bumblebees, butterflies, or frogs.
- Nature-inspired
- Seasonal or holiday-themed.
- Animal faces
- Rainbow, moon and stars, or sunshine.
Pro tips for rock painting with kids
- Lay out the supplies, look for inspiration together, and then let them take the lead!
- This doesn’t have to be a summer art project only! This makes a great year-around activity! You can paint seasonal (Fall leaves, Spring flowers) or holiday-themed (Christmas, pumpkins/candy corn, Valentine’s Day) rocks.
- If you really want to get fancy…
- In addition to paint brushes, feel free to use Q Tips for painting details.
- Make it a craft night with your girlfriends.
Creative ways to use your kids’ art project
- Decorations for the backyard
- Paperweights or keepsakes
- Sweet gifts to give to family, teachers, or your kid’s friends (birthday or Christmas present)
- Make your rocks waterproof by adding applying this!
I hope you enjoyed this post, and it inspired you for the perfect low-prep FUN art project.
And if you do this project, I’d love to hear how it went or see photos in the comments!
Next read: This must-read post on Everyday Motherhood
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