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.
Here are 10 cool things to do with stones…
Make pet rocks
Tell stories with them
Make a memory jar with them
Make message gifts
Build with them
Make a village!
Paint them
Skim them
What a treasure trove of ideas all which cost practically nothing.
Huge thanks to the creative contributors.
All photos used with permission. Pleas ask at the original source if you wish to use a photo.
Parenting Pin It Party Badge Happy First Birthday Monday Parenting Pin It Party! #52
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
Kirsty recently posted..The Tiger Who Came to Tea Activity
My friend had them as place settings for their wedding on the beach! Fabulous ideas here!
Donna @ Little Lilypad Co recently posted..I have learned ……
LOVE these ideas! The little houses are GORGEOUS! Thanks for the inspiration x
Katy Hill recently posted..It’s Not Raining, Daddy, It’s Happy!
Fab round up. Pinned
Jen aka The Mad House recently posted..#My Happy Place
So many nice activities! I really like the make a village one 🙂 Pinned
otilia recently posted..Fish In The Dish #FridayFoodie
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.
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.
Donna@MummyCentral recently posted..Our family holiday in Egypt
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.
Mummy Barrow recently posted..#HDYGG — Part II
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/
Chris at Thinly Spread recently posted..Castles, Castles Everywhere and Walking in the Footsteps of Dylan Thomas – Visit Wales Part 3
Gorgeous, I am determined to make the girls a stone village this year! Well help them make one of course 🙂
Mari recently posted..Innocent Magic Tricks – Metal Merging
These are brilliant ideas…. painted stones always look so pretty. Which is the best paint to use though? Acrylic? :o)
older mum in a muddle recently posted..The Listening Walk
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.
Mum of One recently posted..Happy First Birthday Monday Parenting Pin It Party! #52
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