I thought I'd do a bit of tidying up on the blog (I feel like I do it all day long at home, so I might as well do a virtual tidy up too!) and post some drafts that have been sitting in the wings for a long time.
A couple of years ago I was introduced to story stones by Hannah from Paint On The Ceiling. I love story stones as much as my children do. They are wonderful for language development, fostering creativity and providing the perfect setting for imaginative stories. And they are so much fun to make!
Zoe, Lily and I have made quite a few story stones since first discovering them. While we have kept lots for us to use at home, they make a wonderful gift for children aged 3 years to 8 years old. They are also a great craft activity when we have visitors in that age range.
We don't live near a river to provide us with beautiful stones, so I usually visit my local $2 shop and buy a bag. There are usually about 20 stones in each small mesh bag. Hardware stores also sell river stones, but they are a lot more expensive (and usually come in a lot larger quantities!).
I like to use Posca paint pens for story stones. They are mess free and come in a great range of colours. I bought mine online, but they are also available in good craft stores and art supply stores.
Once we have painted our ideas on each stone I give them a quick spray with some varnish to protect the paint (otherwise the paint wears off very quickly). This is a great activity to do on a hot day; the varnish will dry really quickly.
And then we play!
I'd never heard of story stones but I love the idea and yours are so fabulous! Thanks for sharing which pens you use and the tip about varnish.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful idea!! I love the myriad of gorgeously decorated stones; so much scope for imaginative play!! How happy do they all look bundled together in that pretty tote of yours!!
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