Stay Creative This Summer With This Rock Painting Activity

Summer vacation fills my heart as a mama, and also makes me feel nostalgic for the days that I was home on school break as a kid. Summer holds so many of our best childhood memories. That’s why it means so much to me to create special memories for my children. We only have so many summers while they are little, after all.

If you’re anything like me, I am forever looking for simple and fun screen-free activities for my kids to break up those summer days at home. We spend the majority of our time outside, but for an afternoon break from the sun or those rare rainy days, it doesn’t hurt to have something up your sleeve to keep them occupied!

Encouraging Creativity

Every chance that I get, I do my best to encourage creativity and art time with our kids. The home that we just moved out of had a large art table next to the kitchen, with tons of art supplies and crafts! Our new home is going to have an entire school and art room, with large built in desks, lockers, and plenty of storage for art supplies. This is such a dream for me, as an artist and former art teacher.

Making art should be accessible for all. I think sometimes we let perfectionism get in the way. It’s really important to foster a love for art in our children, and for them to know that the process is far more important than the end creation. If they feel joy while making, that is what matters most!

The Impact of Art

I see such a difference in my kids when they take time to be creative without being too focused on the outcome. Art can truly feel like a form of therapy — it really is good for the soul! We have a list of craft ideas and art projects that we keep in rotation, and rock painting is one of them! Simple, fun, and something cool to display or hold onto!

Rock Painting Steps

What you’ll need:

Rocks (we normally grab small ones, but any size will do!)

Paint (acrylic works well)

Paint brushes

A cup of water

A palette or paper plate

What to do:

Clean rocks well and dry them

Put paint colors out where they are easy to dip into!

Grab your kiddos and encourage them to be creative!

There really aren’t any rules for rock painting, to get a rock painting ideas aesthetic. You could choose a theme, or just let your kids imaginations run wild. The more colorful the better! These would be super cute to display near a swing set, in the garden, around a special tree in your yard… You can add a coat of sealer to be extra safe.

A few themes that could be fun to prompt your kiddos that are struggling with ideas for rock painting: weather (think sunshine, clouds, rock painting patterns, raindrops, rainbows, lightening, wind, snow, etc.), animals (the possibilities are endless!), shapes (a great practice for preschoolers), favorite foods, rock painting flowers and plants, summer activities, sports, rock painting quotes, family pets, the letters of their name… There’s no wrong rock painting ideas or rock painting ideas easy here!

I love how inexpensive and simple this craft is, but still fun, and the results are super cute! Rock painting ideas for kids are endless! So roll out some craft paper, collect some rocks, squeeze out some paint, and get creating! enjoy!