This crafts walkthrough stays in the order the work happens.
Tap into your creative side with these direct rock painting options for kids, plus lots of great tips for beginners who want to paint kindness rocks or rocks for decoration.
Need more fun summer activities for kids? Water activities for kids, solid backyard games, and forts to build with kids.
direct Rock Painting options for Kids
If you are already needing some fun and creative ways to keep the kids busy this year, you will want to read on. We are sharing our go-to direct rock painting options for kids. We will go over prepping rocks, techniques, and even what to do with the painted rocks when you are finished. These painted rock options will keep kids busy for quite a while and rock projects can be repeated throughout the summer.
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Rock Painting Preparation
Follow these steps for preparing rocks to paint:
- Find rocks to paint. You can purchase rocks at local garden centers, find them in your yard, on a vacation, hike, etc.
- Clean the rocks. Rinse with warm soapy water to remove any dirt or particles that could disrupt the painting process.
- Allow the rocks to dry completely before painting. If it is a warm sunny day, leave them out to dry in the sun on a towel.
- Grab your supplies. We suggest using acrylic craft paints because they dry quickly and are fairly inexpensive. Spray paint can also work for older children (or adults).
- Set up your painting space. Line tables with newspapers or butcher paper. Set out plates for paints and cups of water for rinsing brushes.
Rock Painting Supplies
For the most fun and easiest rock painting activity, we suggest getting:
- Acrylic paint pens and regular bottled acrylic paint
- A variety of paintbrushes and a paint palette for mixing colors
- low-cost plastic tablecloth for straightforward cleanup
- UV resistant clear coat for durability
- Mandala stencils and paint dotting tools
Not able to collect your own rocks, or need a LOT of rocks and quick? You can buy a great set of 120 rocks for painting here.
Rock Painting Techniques
Spray paint, brush paint, speckled, there are so many techniques for creating vivid rock painting masterpieces. Read more about different painting technique tutorials over at Painting to Gogh.
How to change up your rock painting:
- BRUSHES – Use a variety of brush styles and sizes. They can create different strokes and looks. They will also make it easier to cover an entire rock quickly, or add fine details.
- ADD TEXTURE – Use different materials to layer on lots of texture. Search of items outside or around your house. A sponge can create a neat look. Dip an object in paint and use it like a stamp. Look around outside for leaves, flowers, and more.
- MIX PAINTS – Create new colors by mixing paints to get that well fitted hue.
- STENCILS – Use or create your own stencils for a sharp look. Use a cutting machine to cut out stencils using vinyl. Or use any you might already have on hand. No stencils? Tape off areas using paint tape.
straightforward Rock Painting options
Go really direct by painting rocks one solid color. Then you can arrange them in a vivid colorful rock garden like the one above.
Another great way to get started with rock painting options, is to go abstract. Achieve this look by adding whatever colors you want to a rock and blending as much or as little as you like.
Or go for a marbled look by folding a paper in half. Add a small amount of paint in a few different colors. Squeeze the paper together and mix colors. Open and place the rock on the marbled paint.
Go direct with a bold message! Paint a rock one color and add your own special message.
Another good example of adding a special message. Add a name or word to a rock painted in one solid color.
One Color options
These rock painting designs are straightforward to do with just one paint pen!
Stick to a vivid natural rock and use only black to create a pretty outline. Here we see leaves, branches and more using just black for a strong look.
Again using only black, it is straightforward to create a direct scene on a natural rock.
Or try using only white, or white with a bit of black outlining. Flip around your paint brush and dip the end into the paint to create the stippilling effect.
Colorful Rock options
Create a whole family of focks with this clearly direct rock painting option! Paint each rock one color. and add eyes and a mouth using the end of a larger paint brush. So cute and direct!
These three rock art options are clearly direct! Paint smiling faces, flowers, or other small designs over and over again on a white background painted rock. Or go for a funny one and paint a yolk on a white painted flat rock.
Lots of great stone painting options here! A paw print, a bee, an angel heart. There are so many things you can do when painting rocks. Stripes, polka dots, and more!
Painted rock ladybugs are classic, and basics like owls, strawberries, hedgehog and fish rocks are straightforward to paint, too.
We especially love the rainbow rock in this set of pretty kindness rocks. Or show some school spirit by printing your school initials on a rock.
Words are so fun, especially when they are paired with another happy image like a sun, flower, smiling face, or bright colors!
Go patriotic by painting some stars and stripes! This is another clearly direct option. If you don’t want to go for starts, try dots!
Nature Themed options
Paint an ocean scene with a few direct shapes. Start with a sky and ocean in different blue shades. Add a half circle for a boat and a triangle for a sail. Add in a shark fin too! Or go for a complete underwater theme with a variety of fish and a coral reef.
These two front rocks are so fun with the different ways to show off a vivid sky! Think of sunsets and northern lights. And have some fun with different rock shapes, like the van or bus rock up at the top.
Flower rocks, butterflies, ladybugs, bees, caterpillars are all a cute way to add in nature inspiration into your rock painting options.
Use leaves or flowers in your garden for inspiration. Look at the objects in nature and try your hand at painting them on your rocks!
Another vivid flower rock painting that also incorporated words!
More rock art options:
- paint pebbles to look like M&M rocks
- paint a garden of pet cactus rocks: different greens plus added texture from dark green or black paint pens (and may
- use paint pens or dot tools to paint colorful circular mandala rock patterns
- for Christmas: paint Santa, a gift rock, a Christmas tree, or a string of colorful lights
- for Halloween: paint pumpkins, jack o’lanterns, or ghosts
- paint rock Easter eggs like this (instead of dyeing eggs)
Insider Tip: Don’t forget to seal your painted rocks!
Use Krylon UV Resistant Spray Sealer.
What to do with Painted Rocks
Now that you’ve painted a bunch of rocks, what do you do with all of them???
- Decorate your yard or flower beds with the painted rocks.
- Create a small rock path using them.
- Gift them to friends and family.
- Participate in a local rock treasure hunt. Hide your rocks and collect others you find. Learn more about this fun option at Parent Map.
- Use them as garden markers.
- Create an outdoor tic tac toe board using painted rocks and chalk on the sidewalk.
- Use them for playing hopscotch.
Grab you paint brushes and enjoy these fun and direct rock painting options!
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