Family Rock Painting with Toddlers

I just finished leading my monthly craft with the toddlers (and mommies) in my playgroup. We did Family Rock Painting, which is painting rocks with the names of everyone in the family. These are the rocks that I made at the event! My little guy did a nice smooshy paint rock and I forgot to take a pic, but it was super fun for him!

The toddlers were given paper plates with rocks on them, washable paints and brushes and they really went to town! I was so lucky that I had Grandpa as a babysitter or I never would have gotten any done...

I had made these examples but I forgot them... drying, at home! TG for technology because hubby snapped a pic and sent it. Thanks to him, all my mommies had the pic on their phone before our event!

First, we primer a nice shape on the rock, with white acrylic or washable paint. I like a nylon, angled brush. When it dries, I do a second coat (top right rock).

Then a first coat of a light color... for the mommies, I had acrylic paint in a myriad of colors.

THEN, do a second or third coat, depending on your paint or color... I used a Q-tip to make perfect polka-dots! 

Yo can do hearts, stars, dots, swirls or stripes! Just have fun!!! Then a name can be painted with a VERY SMALL brush or Sharpie. Paint takes a little more practice, but after a few names, you will get the hang of it and can even do script.

SUPPLIES For the toddler activity:

• Rocks
• washable paints (if you buy bulk, use egg cartons cut in half or thirds for palettes!)
• paintbrushes
• paper plates (to contain the mess)
• newspaper (to go under paper plates for more mess)
• painters or masking tape (to tape down newspaper that contains mess)
• cups with water for brushes
• paper towels (for mess)
• baby wipes (for poop. and mess)

This is the paint we used for the toddlers, which made it super easy:

Crayola 54-0125 18 Count Assorted Colors Washable Kid's Paint

SUPPLIES For Mommy and Me activity (where Moms get to paint):

• all of the above
• acrylic paints (we are not sloppy. we don't need washable!!!)
• sharpies (to write family names if the paint freaks us out - it's hard, ok?!)
• pencils (to sketch the name before you write it in Sharpie and mess it all up)
• toy cars (for bored toddler after 10 minutes of painting)
• babysitter (so you can paint while your toddler plays with babysitter and cars... just keep painting, quickly, before fighting over cars begins)

Here is an pretty good brush pack for this activity:

Loew-Cornell Brush Set Value Pack

Enjoy!