Nature Play: 10 cool things kids can do with stones

Today – things kids can do with stones

things kids can do with stones

I have always loved collecting stones, as a child (and still today) my pockets often have at least a few precious stones in.

I love the feel of them, the shape, the lovely earthy colours. My children love this too and we have had so much fun playing with stones we have found.

It is, of course, an ancient and natural practice to communicate,  play and create art with stones. It is about being outside, working with the elements, appreciating the natural world…with not a hint of plastic in sight.

Nature play is the best and nature provides the very best crafting materials.

Things kids can do with stones

Make pet rocks

Tell stories with them

Make a  memory jar with them

Make message gifts

Build with them

http://inspirationlaboratories.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Stone-Craft.jpg

Make a village!

Paint them

Build a dam

Tic tac toe

http://www.muminthemadhouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/tic-tac-toe.jpg

Skim them

 

What a treasure trove of ideas all which cost practically nothing.

Huge thanks to the creative contributors.

All photos used with permission. Please ask at the original source if you wish to use a photo.

 

Can you think of more cool things kids can do with stones?
If you like nature craft and play you might also like my post on things kids can do with sticks

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18 Comments

  1. Kirsty
    May 8, 2014 / 10:06 pm

    What a great collection of ideas. Stones are so tactile and we love painting them. Thank you so much for including our stones activity x

  2. May 9, 2014 / 11:21 am

    My friend had them as place settings for their wedding on the beach! Fabulous ideas here!

  3. May 9, 2014 / 11:53 am

    LOVE these ideas! The little houses are GORGEOUS! Thanks for the inspiration x

  4. otilia
    May 9, 2014 / 2:54 pm

    So many nice activities! I really like the make a village one 🙂 Pinned

  5. Nikki Thomas
    May 9, 2014 / 7:21 pm

    There are some brilliant ideas there Becky. I love the idea of story telling with them and the home made tic tad toe. We have a lovely collection of pebbles that we collected from the beach last summer and I shall see them in a whole new light now.

  6. May 9, 2014 / 11:42 pm

    If there are two things my boys love playing with outside, it’s sticks…. and stones. This gives me some great ideas for what to do with the rocks they bring home from the park.

  7. May 10, 2014 / 3:50 pm

    Oh how I love that noughts and crosses board. How beautifully simple is that?

    Doyou know I have never learned to skim a stone? I just cant do it. Mr B did 16 bumps with one stone once. I was in awe.

  8. Chris at Thinly Spread
    May 11, 2014 / 8:01 am

    Ahhhhh…heaven. Beautiful post Becky, thank you so much for featuring our little village – you’ve reminded me that we need to add to it, a perfect thing to pass the time on this gloomy Sunday! We saw the Stone Balancer on Lyme Regis beach a few years ago – I must dig out the photos, he’s fab! http://www.stonebalancing.com/

  9. May 11, 2014 / 9:19 am

    Gorgeous, I am determined to make the girls a stone village this year! Well help them make one of course 🙂

  10. May 11, 2014 / 10:43 am

    These are brilliant ideas…. painted stones always look so pretty. Which is the best paint to use though? Acrylic? :o)

  11. Mum of One
    May 13, 2014 / 7:40 pm

    Ah, thank you for the birthday wishes and what a fantastic post. I recently painted an entire alphabet set of stones for the boy and he loves them 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing with the Monday #pinitparty. I have pinned.

  12. May 17, 2014 / 8:10 am

    These are such brilliant ideas! At the moment my children just like shovelling gravel into a wheelbarrow, or just into a heap, but they will one day have the fine motor skills for some of these ideas. Thanks for the inspiration! #parentingpinitparty

  13. Pingback: 7 thrifty craft tips to see you through the summer | Baby Budgeting

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