Crafts With Rocks for Kids

Use rocks to create unique craft items.

Tap your child's creativity and cherished rock collection by making crafts. If you use outdoor rocks, be sure to thoroughly wash them prior to turning them into decorative items. Invest in a tumbler to transform rough rocks into smooth stones. Making crafts with rocks is an ideal way to teach your child about nature while sparking her creativity. Allow children to make rock crafts during a birthday party; the kids can take their work of art home as party favors.

Rock Pets

Help your child make whimsical rock pets that they can take everywhere with them. Start with smooth, medium-size rocks. Paint the rocks with vibrant colors, such as yellow, red and blue. Spray the rocks with a coat of clear varnish after the paint dries. Enhance the pet rocks with plastic wiggle eyes, pieces of yarn, stickers, or any other decorative craft item. With a little pink paint and a curly pipe cleaner tail, a rock is turned into a pig. Children can glue faux fur on the rock to transform it into a hamster or mouse.

Halloween Spider Rock

Transform rocks into scary spiders which can be used as festive Halloween party favors. Children can paint a large oval rock with black paint, glue on a pair plastic googly eyes and wrap chenille craft sticks around the rock for spider's legs. Kids finish the project by cutting tiny fang shapes out of a paper plate or white construction paper and covering them with glue and red glitter to resemble blood.

Rock Necklace Pendant

Kids will enjoy transforming a medium-sized rock into a wearable craft. Children can find an interesting outdoor rock or choose a favorite from their collection to make this pendant. The center point of a 1-yard piece of yarn or leather cord is glued to the back of the rock. When the glue is dry, children wrap the yarn or cord around the rock several times. The ends of the yarn or cord are tied in a knot, forming a necklace.

Rock-enhanced Picture Frame

Rock-enhanced picture frames make creative birthday or holiday presents. Kids glue a selection of tumbled or natural stones around the perimeter of a plain wood picture frame. For an artistic look, children can use polished stones featuring vibrant colors and a shiny surface. Rough, unpolished stones will give the craft a natural, rustic appearance.

References

• Martha Stewart: Rock Crafts
• San Diego Zoo: Rock Owl Paperweights