Looking to spend some fun time crafting with your kids? Want a project that doesn't require a ton of special supplies? Then you're going to love these Thanksgiving Rocks!
Thanksgiving will be here before we know it and these Thanksgiving Rock Art Ideas are super fun!
You can go out and hunt down your own rocks or you can purchase them. When we're out hiking, we often look for rocks for these kinds of projects. When my son was younger, he collected rocks from anywhere we went. They were his treasures. At one point he had 2 Home Depot 5 gallon buckets filled with rocks he had collected and he also had 2 egg cartons that he kept his favorite rocks in. 😂
When you have that many rocks, it just makes sense to do something with them. And rather than just drawing faces on them all, we started painting some of them.
Rock art is a fun way to spend time together as a family and express your creativity. We often hide our rock creations along trails or leave them at local rock exchange markers.
If you decide to hunt for your own rocks, make sure your rocks don't come from a protected natural area. We often find great ones near rivers and streams.
If you're not up for hunting down rocks or if you can't find any good ones near you, you can snag rocks on Amazon. You can also visit a local garden center or a local landscaping company. Many of them will sell rocks by the bucket-full.
While you may be tempted to grab those super smooth rocks you see at craft stores, I recommend you avoid them. They are designed with a protective coating on them. The protective coating can make it difficult for paint to stick to them.
How To Paint Thanksgiving Rocks
Make sure your rocks are clean and dry before starting.
Next, you'll want to lightly sketch your design in pencil onto the rock.
Once you've sketched your designs you'll want to start painting. I prefer to work on one object of the rock at a time and leave plenty of time for each color and object to dry. I typically do multiple rocks at a time so that my paint has time to dry between each portion of the rock.
Remember, rock art is supposed to be relaxing and fun. Enjoy yourself! Be creative! And don't stress!!! Use our painted Thanksgiving rocks as inspiration or do your own thing!
Rock Painting Tips & Tricks
For starters, you'll want to make sure your rocks are clean and free from dirt and grime. I like to use water and a dish brush to clean our rocks. I typically keep some Dollar Tree dish brushes on hand for projects like this.
Once your rocks are clean and dry, you can begin creating your designs. I find it's helpful to lightly trace your design with a pencil first.
If you want to paint your rocks, acrylic paint works best.
If you’d like to glue anything to your rocks, I swear by E6000 {FYI: it is important to seal your rock with sealant prior to gluing items!}
I also recommend sealing your rocks after you’ve finished decorating them. You can use whatever finish you’d like (glossy, matte, etc). These can be found online or in your local craft stores.
Rock Art Supplies
- Rocks
- Pencil with eraser
- Pens
- Paint
- Paintbrushes
- Paint Pens
- Gel Pens
- Sealant
- Glue
- Glitter
- Any fun decorations that you’ll want to glue onto the rocks {I'm a big fan of pompoms and googly eyes and this kit has both}
Pin These Thanksgiving Rock Art Ideas for Later!
