Have you noticed beautifully painted rocks in random places this summer? You’re not the only one! It is becoming a very popular hobby to paint rocks and even add encouraging sayings and hide them in parks, outside of stores, or restaurants in hopes of brightening the finder’s day. Once you find a rock, you can re-hide it to pass along the fun. There are several Facebook groups dedicated to showing off the rocks you have painted and the rocks you have found. There is Alabama Rocks, Happy Rocks Birmingham and several other groups for specific counties. It is a great craft to do with the kids. I know my kids were thrilled to think that someone would find the rock that they painted.
Here’s a guide to get you started:
1. Find rocks!
You can go with the rocks from your backyard. You can buy some at Lowe’s, Home Depot, or Walmart Craft stores have them. We found ours at Dollar Tree!
2. Wash the rocks.
A little warm water and a little dish soap will clean them right up and give you a clean canvas to paint on. Let your rocks dry. We set ours on a dish towel on the back patio. The Alabama summer sun dried them quickly!
3. Paint a primer coat on your rocks.
I’m going to say this is probably the most important step if you’re planning on really adding detail to your painting. You can use white acrylic paint for this. Especially if you have dark colored rocks like we did. But we did skip this step because my little artists just could NOT wait to paint!
4. Acrylic paint is best.
And very inexpensive! You can find it at Walmart and craft stores. Use different size brushes for variation. Sharpies tend to smear so paint pens work well to add words or small details. You can fix mistakes with a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol. Let them dry completely before step five.
5. Use a brush or spray sealant.
It can be found at Walmart or craft stores. Once its dry you’re ready to hide it and brighten someone’s day with it.
Enjoy spreading random rocks of kindness! Use #BirminghamMommyRocks in your painted rock photos on Facebook or Instagram! We would love to see them and might even re-share on our social media!
About Abby:
Abby is a Writer, Wife and Homeschooling Mama to 3. She live in Springville, AL with her Family. You can read more from her on her blog: Mommy’s Got a Blog
