DIY Rock Painting Kits
This past year, my 9-year-old granddaughter wanted a rock painting kit for Christmas. I bought her a 4+ star rock painting kit online. She was very excited when she received it.
In April, another granddaughter was celebrating her 11th birthday. She also loves arts & crafts, especially painting. I started my search for gifts, particularly rock painting kits. I decided that rather than buying her a store-bought kit, I would make her a rock painting kit.
Painted rocks have been very popular in recent years. I have been painting peace pebbles with my grandchildren for the past several years. I have tried lots of different paints and markers and learned what works best for us.
When I decided to make a rock painting kit, I searched for materials on sale or using a coupon at Michael’s, JoAnn’s, and online. I even printed sample ideas for her from pictures of the painted peace pebbles that I painted. I found a sturdy, plastic storage bin at Target to put all of the supplies for painting rocks.
My granddaughter ended up with a much better kit than if I had bought one at the store. The materials will last longer. The plastic bin is sturdier than a cardboard box. She even has enough materials to use for other projects since the quantity is larger.
If you are struggling to find a quality gift for kids or adults, you might want to make them a rock painting kit just like I did. I have even included a digital copy of 60 rocks that I painted for inspiration and the cover label. Just print them and include them in the rock painting kits.
Download the FREE Rock Painting Samples and the Cover Label I used, by filling out the form below!
Below are the materials I have used and what I purchased. There are many different types of painting supplies, but I can only recommend the ones I have experience with. That is not to say the others are not good. I would love to hear what paint supplies you have used that worked well. Please share in the comments below!
Materials
- Plastic shoebox – I bought one at Target for $5.99. It was a little more costly, but I wanted one with the latches on the ends.
- Acrylic Paints in assorted bright and metallic colors. I just bought an assortment of what I could find in the colors I wanted to get. (My favorite paints for rock painting are Patio Paints by DecoArt, but I could not find them in our stores. They are available online at Michael’s.)
- Artistro Acrylic Paint Pens 12 pack – I have purchased the 30 pack of both Artistro Acrylic Paint Markers in the extra-fine tip and Tooli-Art Acrylic Paint Pens in the medium tip on Amazon for us to use. For the kit, I bought the 12 pack.
- Plastic tablecloth – I had an extra one from when I recently bought 5 for $5 at Party City. I always keep them on hand for crafting. I can cut them to the size I need and reuse them until they get too messy.
- Samples of 60 painted rocks for inspiration printed on cardstock
- Paint Brushes – Michaels had a great set for $2 and another set on clearance for $3.
- River Stones – I bought two sets: 5 lbs. of darker rocks at Michael’s and a smaller bag of lighter rocks at JoAnn’s. I have also seen them in the past at The Dollar Store. Fortunately, I live on Lake Michigan and can easily walk along the lake and get beautiful smooth stones that I can also use when painting my peace pebbles. You may be able to find them when you are on a walk or hike in your community.
Sample of painted rocks 
Some of the supplies in the kit 
Finished kit with label attached to the lid
Add all of the supplies to the shoebox. I wanted to have a label, so I created a label and printed it onto 8″ x 10″ cardstock. I had a roll of clear Con-Tact shelf liner that I use for lots of different craft projects, so always keep a roll on hand. To make the cover label water and spillproof, I covered the label with clear Con-Tact paper. Then I glued the label to the cover of the plastic shoebox using Mod Podge.
TIP – I spray paint my painted peace pebbles with clear acrylic spray paint, such as Krylon or Rustoleum. They are usually less than $4 at the hardware store. I tried using the original Mod Podge and the outdoor type. It remained sticky and did not work well. I do not recommend it. However, I have not tried the Mod Podge Spray Sealers.
TIP – I tried using Sharpie Permanent Markers for detail work. The grandchildren liked using the markers because it was easier than painting for smaller designs or details. However, I do not recommend them as they faded in the sun even after they were sprayed with several coats of sealer. The Acrylic Paint Pens have not faded in the sun. The brands I use are specified in the list of materials above.
We made a Peace Pebble Garden in our front yard. It became a fun project to share with anyone passing by our house. Anyone can take one or more of our peace pebbles, or bring a peace pebble they painted to add to our garden and then share with others. Enjoy!
To get more information including Free Activity Guide for the Peace Pebbles PLUS to see fun ways that we painted the peace pebbles and made a little Peace Pebble Garden in our yard, click the button below:
Remember, to sign up below to get your FREE Rock Painting Kit Samples with 60 designs plus the Cover Label!
Heartfully,
Sue
P.S. You can share your ideas, and even pictures of your painted rocks in the comments below!