Make Painted Pet Rocks

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Have your kids ever painted pet rocks? This simple kids craft shows you how to make a pet rock.

Kids bored? Playdate coming over? Rainy weekend?

If you need a fun kids activity that takes almost no planning, but will keep your children happily entertained for a nice chunk of time, here is an idea — have your kids make their own pet rocks!

I am a child of the ’70s. One day my father returned home from a business trip with a gift for me — a Pet Rock. It was in a card board box that read “Pet Rock,” with breathing holes, straw, and an elaborate instruction manual, “The Care and Training of Your Pet Rock.”

I.Loved.It.

So the other day, when Susan’s daughters, Julia and Sophia, were over for a playdate with my daughter Olivia, I told them about my childhood “Pet Rock” and suggested to our girls that they could make their own pet rocks.

They thought it was a great idea and so we quickly gathered our supplies…

[Tweet “As a child of the ’70s, I loved my “Pet Rock”. Your kids can make their own! #KidsCraft”]

SUPPLIES

Rocks
Cardboard boxes
Paint and paint brushes
Construction paper (optional)
Markers and stickers (optional)
Tissue paper (optional)

STEP 1 — Paint Your Pets

After your kids have chosen their rocks, set them up with paint and paint brushes and let the fun begin.

[Tweet “#CraftTip – Between diff colors or layers of paint, use hairdryer to dry paint so colors don’t blend”]

STEP 2 — Build Their Homes

After your kids have painted their new pets, it is time to build their homes.

We used cardboard boxes. Sophia chose a smaller box that was already a nice shiny black and so she decided to only use stickers to decorate hers. I helped Julia cover her box with construction paper and then she decorated hers with drawings and stickers.

STEP 3 — Time to Play

After a nice long craft session, the girls were finished their pets and boxes.

We used tissue paper to cozy up their pets’ houses and then it was play time.

Soon it was time to for Julia and Sophia to go home and they were thrilled to bring home their new pets. It was a perfect play date craft!

And if your kids want to keep painting, here are more rock painting ideas.

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Written and photographed by Janice Croze, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom and owner of Janice Croze Photography