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6 Ways to Turn Your Child's Rock Finds into Real Treasures
by Candace Krieger

Description: Ideas for using rocks your kids find for creative craft projects.

The kids have been outside, and they have been at it again. That’s right, they have collected an entire bucket full of precious rocks, and now you have the unique dilemma of what to do with them. After all, you can’t very well run around the neighborhood trying to sort them back into your unsuspecting neighbors’ rock beds. And it is very likely that the kids will inquire about their finds about 10 minutes after you toss them. So why not use those beauties and have some fun together with these activities that turn their rock finds into some real treasures.

1. Make a Pet Rock. The idea of a pet rock has been around for a long time now, but you can add your own personality and put a twist on this project. Wash off your rocks and then let the creative juices flow. Use any variety of pipe cleaners, feathers, paint, googly eyes, cotton balls, fabric pieces, and anything else that you have around the house that you could glue onto your new pet. Finish the project by naming your new family pet rock, like Slate for a boy rock or Rockette for a girl.

2. Make Moon Rocks. You could go two different ways with this project. You could use this as the perfect opportunity to do a bit of research into what actual moon rocks look like and imitate them with paint and glitter. You could also use your imagination and create your own moon rocks that have not yet been discovered. With some paint, sparkles, and glitter, you could create some very unique moon rocks that are just waiting to be found.

3. Make Rock Masterpieces. This project will require close supervision, but will be worth it. Start by preheating your oven to 250 degrees and washing your rocks well. Then “bake” your rocks for 1 hour. Take your rocks out and place them on towels. Let your kids wear oven mitts and color on the hot rocks. The crayons will start to melt and will make the drawing easier. When you are finished with your masterpieces, allow the rocks to finish cooling and drying completely before your kids show them off.

4. Make Rock Paperweights. With all of the loose papers flying around the house, a few fabulous paperweights will surely come in handy. This project is simple and fun for kids of all ages. Wash your rocks and place them onto a sheet of wax paper. Cut or tear tissue paper into small pieces. Then paint diluted glue onto the rock and stick on your tissue paper. You could also use this as a fun project to show your preschoolers how colors change when you put a new color on top. 5. Make a Rock Garden. This project will really live on since you will use live cactus plants. You will need a bowl or container that is big enough to hold the cactus plants and rocks that you have chosen. You can either fill it with dirt and replant your cactus plants, or you can leave the cactus plants in their containers and fill the bowl with some gravel or sand to keep them in place. Once your cactus plants are secure, use your rock treasures to decorate your container. Be sure to check the watering requirements for your cactus plants, since they will vary from plant to plant.

6. Make a Rock Souvenir. This is an excellent project if your kids like to collect rocks from different outings or trips. The first step is to fill a plastic container with plaster of paris. You can use whatever size container you would like, depending on the size of the rock or rock collection that you want to display. When the plaster is dry, pop it out and paint it. Use a permanent marker and write on the location and date of the find, and then glue on your rocks. You could dedicate a shelf in their room for their rock trophies.

With these six activities, you are sure to have some rockin’ good times! Kids love to use the things that they find to make into fabulous treasures, and these are great ways to spend fun time together doing just that. Enjoy!

Candace Krieger is the happy mother of four young children and proud owner of a fun website dedicated to providing parents with hands-on, high quality nature toys that nurture a child’s sense of wonder. Find more fun nature exploring ideas and great deals at http://www.kidsinthewild.com.

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