Create a Painted Rock Mosaic

Kids love paint, and they also love rocks. Combine the two and beat summer boredom with this fun and colorful activity! Make a mosaic out of painted rocks to help your child practice her patterns and shapes while learning her colors. This activity encourages your child to explore the world of colorful, creative mosaic art making, in a fun and simple way!

What You Need:

• Small rocks or pebbles
• Cardboard
• Glue
• Tempera paints
• Small paint brush
• Pencil
• Old t-shirt or smock

What to Do:

1. Take a nature walk with your child and help her select a bucket or cup full of small pebbles and rocks. Try to find as many different shapes as you can!
2. Line your workspace with newspaper to avoid any mess, and put the smock on your child.
3. Make a small puddle using at least 3 different colors of paint on a large paper plate.
4. Invite your child to dip the rocks into the paint, covering as much of the rock as she can.
5. Make piles based on colors and allow them to dry. (You may need to flip the rocks over halfway through the drying time to ensure that both sides of the rock are entirely dry.) If any spots were missed, use the small paint brush to touch up the colors.
6. Hand your child a pencil and invite her to draw shapes in a pattern or design onto a piece of cardboard.
7. Label three areas on the cardboard with the name of each color you used to paint the rocks.
8. Lay the cardboard flat on the ground or table. Glue each rock to the area labeled with the matching color. For example, red rocks would go under the "Red" area, blue rocks under the "Blue", and so on.
9. Let the glue dry, and you've got a beautiful painted rock mosaic! Extend this activity by experimenting with different patterns and materials. Encourage your child to try new designs and use other items such as yarn, paper, or ribbon!