24 Fun And Easy Rock Painting Ideas For Kids

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If your children love picking up pebbles and rocks on walks, and if your backyard is filled with rocks of all sizes and shapes, you may consider rock painting.

Rock painting is the art of painting rocks in different ways to make them pretty. Your child can decorate the rocks in any way they want and use them as display pieces or functional items, such as paperweights.

In this post, we bring you some easy and amazing rock painting ideas for kids. The activity will not only develop your child’s creativity but also keep them in touch with nature.

24 Rock Painting Ideas For Kids

Wherever you go, you are bound to find rocks and pebbles. Let your children collect them during their walks, clean them well once you get home, and paint them whenever they want. Try out these rock painting ideas.

1. Flower rocks

You can paint pretty and colorful flowers on rocks and give them as return gifts for birthdays or use them as stunning display items. You may pick the flower and color of your choice.

You will need:

• Rocks
• Acrylic paints
• Paintbrushes in different sizes
• Q-tips

How to make:

• Clean all the rocks and let them dry completely.
• Paint a dot in the center with a darker color.
• Then paint the petals one by one. If you wish to overlap the petals, make sure the previous layer dries completely before applying the next layer.
• Dip a Q-tip into yellow paint and apply pollen-like dots around the center.

2. Rock animal or bird puzzle

Make different animal or bird puzzles using painted rocks. This is a great craft to keep children engaged not only during the making but also afterward. You can carry it on car rides to keep your children entertained.

You will need:

• Rocks
• Acrylic paint
• Paintbrushes
• Googly eyes
• Yarn, feathers, pom-poms, etc. for decorating
• Glue (preferably hot glue and hot glue gun)

How to make:

• Choose an animal or bird you would like to make.
• Lay out your rocks in the shape of the animal you have decided on. It should be a simple shape.
• Decide which rocks should represent which body parts and color them accordingly. Cover the entire rock with the selected color.
• Let the rocks dry completely.
• Use decorative materials to add details to your animal or bird. For example, you can add yarn for a lion’s mane or feathers for a bird’s tail.
• Attach googly eyes to the “face” of your puzzle.
• Shuffle them up and let your children assemble the animal.

3. Melted crayon rocks

This craft is a cool combination of art and science. It allows you to teach the process of melting to your children while making amazing art. Parental supervision is necessary for this painting.

You will need:

• Rocks
• Crayons
• Oven
• Oven mitts
• Baking tray
• Newspapers

How to make:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, place the rocks on a baking tray and bake them for 10-15 minutes.
• While the rocks are in the oven, peen the crayons and break them into tiny pieces.
• Take the rocks out of the oven and place them on newspapers. Wear oven mitts at all times.
• Place different colored crayons on the hot rocks. Make sure you do not touch the rocks with your bare hands when placing the crayons.
• The crayons melt in the heat.
• You can use a single crayon or multiple crayons in different colors as you wish.
• Let the rocks cool for 2-3 hours before you handle them again.
• If you want to use these rocks for a specific purpose, such as paperweights, add a layer of clear nail polish so that the wax doesn’t melt again and rub off on the papers.

4. Rock mice

These adorable rock mice are easy to make and will melt your heart. You can even gift them to your friends on birthdays – they will be happy to get a new cute friend.

You will need:

• Rocks
• Acrylic paints in gray, pink, and black
• Paintbrushes
• Hot glue and hot glue gun
• Small googly eyes
• Pink and gray felt
• Pink yarn
• Scissors

How to make:

• Select a rock with a flat base and a rounded top. This will make the body of the mouse.
• Paint this rock gray, and let it dry completely.
• Cut two small ovals from the pink and gray felt for the ears.
• Fold each pink felt piece into a gray felt piece, pinch the bottom together, and use hot glue to secure.
• Attach these ears to the gray rock.
• Stick googly eyes using hot glue.
• Draw a pink nose and a black mouth using paints. Do not forget to add the whiskers.
• Cut a length of pink yarn and glue it to the back of the mouse for the tail.

5. Colorful ladybug rocks

If you look around in your garden, you will almost always find a cute little ladybug. These painted rock ladybugs are colorful and can add character to your garden.

You will need:

• Flat or round rocks
• Acrylic paints in black, white, orange, and other colors
• Paintbrushes

How to make:

• Paint the face of a ladybug using black color, and let it dry.
• Paint the body of the ladybug using different colors.
• Paint the eyes using white and black colors.
• Use the black paint to add polka dots all over the body.
• Place the ladybug rocks in your garden.

6. Animal face rocks

Fret not if you are not great at drawing and painting. You can still paint rocks with lines and curves that make up a cartoon animal. Choose your favorite animal and get painting.

You will need:

• Rocks
• Paintbrushes
• Acrylic paints according to the animals you choose

How to make:

• Take the color that matches the color of the animal you have chosen and draw a basic shape for its face. For example, you have to draw a circle for bears, cats, etc., a triangle for dogs, foxes, etc., and so on.
• Using a fine-tipped brush, paint the eyes, nose, and ears.
• Add any other details, such as whiskers and different colors, on the face.

7. Stamp rocks

Make these stamps from rocks. They are extremely easy to make, and you can customize them according to your needs.

You will need:

• Rocks
• Foam stickers or craft foam
• Paint or stamp pad
• Hot glue and hot glue gun

How to make:

• Stick the foam stickers on the rocks.
• If you don’t have stickers, cut craft foam in any shape you wish and stick it on a rock with glue.
• Dip it in paint or use a stamp pad to make prints.
• You can also make similar ones, and let your children play matching games with them.

8. Farm animal rocks

You can make a farm-themed rock collection with this idea. You can also use these rocks to play, or display them in your garden.

You will need:

• Rocks
• Pictures of farm animals
• Paintbrush
• Mod Podge
• Paints (optional)

How to make:

• Paint a rock with a thin layer of Mod Podge.
• Place a picture on it and cover it with a layer of Mod Podge again.
• Let it dry completely.
• You can paint the rocks in different colors before you stick the pictures of the animals.

9. Fairy rocks

Make stepping stones for your garden with this craft. They are pretty, and you can use them as display pieces too.

You will need:

• Small rocks
• Acrylic paints
• Paintbrushes
• Glitter

How to make:

• Paint the rocks in different colors and sprinkle some glitter on them. This will give the rocks a fairy-like quality.
• Let the rocks dry completely and place them on your garden path.

10. Rock people

If you have young children, they will enjoy doing this activity and playing with the rocks when they are done.

You will need:

• Smooth flat rocks in big and small sizes
• Thick white paint
• Pencil
• Acrylic paints in different colors
• Paint pens
• Sharpie
• Mod Podge

How to make:

• Select bigger rocks for the bodies and smaller rocks for the faces.
• Paint all the rocks you have chosen with white paint. Let them dry.
• Draw details on the rocks with different paints, paint pens, and a sharpie.
• Cover with Mod Podge, and let them dry completely.
• You may place the heads and bodies in different combinations to make different rock people.

11. Shake painted rocks

Children love shake painting because it involves a lot of wriggling and jiggling. Let them get some exercise while getting their rocks painted.

You will need:

• Rocks
• Plastic container with lid
• Cardboard
• Acrylic paints
• Hot glue gun
• Googly eyes
• Marker

How to make:

• Make sure the rocks you have chosen fit into the plastic container.
• Squirt small amounts of different-colored paint into the container, put the rocks inside it, close the lid, and shake well.
• Remove the rocks and leave them to dry.
• You can use them as paperweights or make animals out of them.

12. Pet rocks

If your children love animals, involve them in making cute pets from rocks. These are super easy to make, and you can make them any way you want.

You will need:

• Round rocks
• Googly eyes
• Felt
• Yarn in different colors
• Tacky glue
• Scissors
• Thick paints

How to make:

• Paint the rocks in a layer of thick paint. Use different colors for different rocks. Let them dry.
• Apply tacky glue to the upper part of each rock and stick some yarn on it.
• Cut a triangle or a circle for the nose and stick it.
• Use glue to attach the googly eyes.

13. Owl rocks

Owls are majestic and wise birds. Their unusual appearance also makes them a child’s favorite. These rock paintings will allow your child to create their very own rock owl.

You will need:

• Rocks
• Acrylic paints
• Paintbrushes
• Sharpie
• Thick paints

How to make:

• You may use oval or round flat rocks for this project.
• Coat the rocks in thick paint and let them dry.
• Draw the eyes, beak, and wings of the owl using the Sharpie.
• Paint the parts in different colors according to the owls you want.
• Add details using the Sharpie.

14. Bee rocks

These busy bees are so adorable and easy to make that your children will want to make more at every opportunity. You can use them as paperweights or even as handmade return gifts.

You will need:

• Flat rocks
• Yellow, black, white, and blue acrylic paints
• Paintbrushes

How to make:

• Paint the rocks in yellow.
• Add black bands on them.
• Paint the tiny wings in blue.
• Add eyes and a smiley mouth using a fine-tipped paintbrush.

15. Tic-tac-toe rocks

Tic-tac-toe rocks are pretty and functional as well. You can carry them anywhere and use them to keep your children occupied for a while.

You will need:

• Rocks
• Thick paints in two different colors
• Acrylic paints
• Paintbrushes
• Large sheet of paper

How to make:

• Take ten rocks.
• Color five rocks in one color and the other five in a different color. Let them dry completely.
• Using acrylic paints, paint crosses and zeroes on the rocks. Every rock of the same color must contain a similar symbol. For example, if you paint a white rock with an ‘X,’ all the white rocks should carry the symbol ‘X.’
• Draw a grid on the paper and start the game.

16. Pumpkin rocks

If Halloween unleashes the inner artist in your child, you can let them paint these cute rocks to impress your visitors. Display these cute pumpkin rocks at your door, or you could even give one each to trick-or-treaters.

You will need:

• Circular flat stones
• Orange and black acrylic paints
• Paintbrushes
• Sharpie
• Paint pens

How to make:

• Apply orange paint to the rock thoroughly. Let it dry.
• Draw the eyes and mouth of the pumpkin with a fine-tipped brush.
• Draw other details, such as lines and swirls, using the Sharpie.
• You can also use paint pens to add details such as crooked smiles and cheeks.
• You may also paint other Halloween-related items such as mummies and zombies.

17. Minion rocks

If your child loves bananas, there is a high chance they know the minions too. Minions are easy to make because they come in two colors and look unbearably cute.

You will need:

• Rocks
• Acrylic paints in yellow, blue, and white
• Black marker
• Paintbrushes
• Pencil

How to make:

• Apply 2-3 coats of yellow paint on the rocks. Apply each layer only after the previous layer has completely dried.
• Paint the overalls in blue.
• Trace the mouth and eyes with a pencil.
• Use white paint to fill in the eyes and use a black marker for drawing the mouth.
• Paint the teeth using white paint.
• Draw glasses using the marker.
• You could also make different one-eyed and two-eyed minions.

18. Fish rocks

If you want to create an underwater scene for your fish tank or want to create a collage for display, you can consider this idea. Besides being simple and pretty, you can also use it to teach your children about different fishes.

You will need:

• Rocks and small pebbles
• Paint pens
• Markers
• Hot glue gun

How to make:

• Draw and paint different shapes and patterns on the rocks along with the eyes and mouth.
• Select smaller pebbles to make the fins and tail of the fishes.
• Use hot glue to attach them to the body. This step needs adult supervision and assistance.
• Put them in a fish tank or place them on blue construction paper.

19. Cactus rocks

If you have always wanted a cactus pet but aren’t sure whether you can manage them, you can make your cactus rock. They are zero maintenance and give you equal joy.

You will need:

•  Rocks
• Mini flower pots
• Googly eyes
• Glue dots
• Green, bright green, and white acrylic paints
• Paintbrushes

How to make:

• Paint the rocks in green or bright green.
• Using a fine-tipped brush, paint white dots, hash marks, or tiny lines on the rocks.
• Attach the googly eyes to the rocks using glue dots.
• Decorate different cacti in different ways to make a cute cactus garden.

20. Doodle rocks

If your child loves doodling or drawing, here’s a perfect rock painting idea for them. They can make any pattern and create a beautiful painted rock.

You will need:

• Rocks
• Thick white paint
• Paint pens
• Fine-tipped gel pens

How to make:

• Apply a coat of white paint on the rock. If the rock is naturally light in color, you can skip this step.
• Use paint pens of different colors to draw doodles and color them.
• Use fine-tipped gel pens to add finer details to the shapes.

21. Lion rocks

Here’s an extremely easy rock painting idea if you have younger children. They can make their pet lion easily while also improving their motor skills.

You will need:

• Rock
• Yellow acrylic paint
• Orange yarn
• Small googly eyes
• Hot glue and hot glue gun
• Marker

How to make:

• Color the rock in yellow paint.
• Cut the yarn into one-inch pieces (Fold the yarn over a few times and snip both folds to make several pieces at once).
• Apply hot glue in a circle on the edge of the rock (Adult assistance is required for this step).
• Stick the yarn pieces on the rock in a circle.
• Stick googly eyes.
• Draw a nose and mouth using the marker.

22. Oil pastel rocks

If you are looking for something different to do with rocks, you can color them with oil pastels. They are virtually spill-free, so you can experiment with young children too.

You will need:

• Rocks
• Oil pastels
• White acrylic paint
• Paintbrush
• Sealant

How to make:

• Apply two layers of white paint on the rock. If the rock is naturally light in color, you may skip this step.
• Draw and color with oil pastels.
• Apply two layers of sealant after your art is done.
• You may use colorless nail polish in place of sealant.

23. Truck rocks

If your children are fans of trucks, you can make them paint their favorite trucks in bright colors on rocks. They can even add them to their vehicle collection and play with them.

You will need:

• Flat rocks
• Acrylic colors and paintbrushes
• Black marker
• Pencil
• Thick white paint

How to make:

• Apply white paint all over the rock and let it dry.
• Draw the shape of the vehicle you want to paint with a pencil.
• Color it with acrylic colors.
• Outline the entire vehicle and internal shapes with a black marker.

24. Hedgehog rocks

If you have wanted a pet hedgehog for ages or you are a fan of Sonic the Hedgehog, you can make these cute, non-prickly hedgehogs that will sit in your pocket. This is similar to the ladybugs idea given above.

You will need:

• Round and flat rocks
• Beige and brown acrylic paints
• Black marker

How to make:

• Color the front part of the rock beige and the back part brown.
• Apply 2-3 coats as necessary.
• Paint on a nose in brown.
• Use a black marker to draw eyes, nostrils, and triangular spines.

These rock painting ideas for kids are a great way to keep them engaged while teaching them the importance of nature. They are also eco-friendly and reusable and make excellent gifts. So, let your children explore the world of rocks with these ideas. They are sure to come up with some amazing ideas to beautify your home and garden.

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