Patriotic Rock Painting (With Free Printable Coloring Sheet)

Patriotic Rock Painting

Patriotic rock painting is a fantastic activity for creating festive fun at season parties, cookouts and picnics. It is so simple and requires little prep and few supplies/materials. DecoArt makes Multi-Surface paints that are PERFECT for painting on rocks. Patriotic rock painting works great with the Multi-Surface paints. I will share the colors in a bit. But first, look at these darling rocks.

A few years ago I designed an entire patriotic activity pack. I think these rocks are a perfect activity to go with it. Rock painting is always just so much fun!

I used five colors of DecoArt’s Multi-Surface paints . The rocks were first washed and totally dry.

True Blue
Blue Bird
Lipstick
Cotton Ball
Canary

First I use the darker of the blues on the rocks.

Then I added the lighter blue.

Next I added red.

Then I added white.

After these colors dried a little, I went back and added some details.

Why Painting with Kids is a Good Idea

Painting with kids is so much more than a craft project or simple activity. It is a way for kids (of all ages really) do many very important things. Here are some fabulous reasons to get kids painting.

It helps them convey ideas and share.
Painting gives kids an opportunity to express emotions — even ones that might be hiding deep inside.
It uses several senses to paint and through that kids make connections.
Exploring color, the process and the outcomes teaches cause and effect.
When kids made handmade masterpieces, it boosts confidence.

Preparation Steps for Painting with Kids

One of the biggest factors in creating successful paint crafts with kids lies in the prep. Here are four things you can do to prepare for a great time crafting.

Expect a little mess. Prep your area knowing that paint can spill, drip and splatter. Cover your work are with kraft paper before starting.
Provide aprons for the kids. If you don’t want to but them, they can wear old adult sized shirts as aprons.
Have paper towels nearby and ready if needed.
Know the dry time of the project before starting. If there are several steps, there might be a dry time involved. Have a puzzle or activity on hand to do during that in between time. You can grab free ones here on the blog.

Cheers to Patriotic Rock Painting!

Laura

PS: If you like painting patriotic projects, you might love this hand painted sign for the porch too!

Oh yeah, you might like this project too! Painting rocks for kindness is always a great idea. It is so fun to make them and to place them around your community for others to find. We once found one at a rest stop and it created so much joy. There is a whole rock painting community out there in this lovely world!