Jenna Mugridge

While I’m sure you’ve heard of painted rocks, the question stands: Have you heard of story stones?

I had not, until a few short weeks ago while searching for ways to paint fall themed rocks. My son and I have been planting painted rocks around our neighborhood for people to find, and we stumbled upon the idea for story stones during a quick google search.

Now, we’re having so much fun telling stories with our stones, that we’ve been creating them nonstop. So naturally, I’m ready to share the untold benefits of playing with story stones, and how EASY they are to make!

For some clarity, Story Stones are pictures painted or glued onto smooth pebbles, used as an aid in storytelling.

They can either represent a known story to be placed in order, or they can be a themed selection of images that prompt children to create their own stories.

Storytelling through story stones can be an excellent tool for developing skills such as social communication, creativity, logical thinking and support learning through play objectives.

Stories are an inclusive way to help children learn no matter what their abilities!

For our homemade stones, we coat the printable images in modge podge to seal to them to the stone. So far, it’s been working great! And, it’s a craft my 4 year old can do alongside me.

I decided to create a Fall themed printable to inspire stories about all the exciting pieces that make autumn such a special season. Watch this imagination running wild!

Simple directions:

1. Cut the images out
2. Use Modge Podge to glue the image to the stone (the entire cut-out should be glossed over, front and back)
3. Let dry for an hour or so
4. The fun begins!

The modge podge we use for our stones is linked above!

There are so many ways to enjoy these creative pebbles and promote imaginative play. Try adding them to a sensory bin, or categorizing with flashcards. We like to create narratives with our stones outside under the sunshine.

Let us know how you use your story stones in the comments below!

For more nature based learning, check out these 7 Nature Activities and Ideas for Outdoor Exploration for kids!

Spring has (basically) sprung in our neck of the woods, accompanied by all of the outdoor activity we love about warmer weather. Yet with this lovely season of growth and renewal comes a fair share of rainy days as well. With that in mind, we decided to capture and bottle up our own spring scene for the days that outdoor play isn’t optimal. This Spring scene terrarium activity is the perfect creative undertaking, and a wonderful way for kids to exercise the imagination.

A terrarium is typically a glass vessel that contains real plants and soil, sometimes used to illustrate how an ecosystem works. Because the real ingredients can get a bit messy, we’ve come up with our own kid-friendly version that is also re-usable. We’ve decided to focus on the aformentioned, blooming season of Spring as our theme.

The best part is, all of the supplies needed to make this springy terrarium can be purchased at the dollar store for a whopping $5. Unless of course, you already have these basic supplies around the house! The base is play-dough, and can be used multiple times to create new spring filled environments. Have kids dream up their own sunny scenes, and add elements they find laying around the playroom or just outside the door.

Below you’ll find everything needed to create a Spring Scene Terrarium for kids. May the fun ensue!

Dollar store shopping list:

1. Glass jars
2. Play-dough
3. Green moss (found in seasonal section)
4. Rocks (or go outside and find your own!)
5. Various spring elements (butterflies, flowers, bunnies, eggs, etc.!)

Directions:

1. Pack the play-dough at the bottom of the jar
2. Add the rocks for texture
3. Place the green moss on top of the rocks as the third layer (you can add more rocks later if desired!)
4. Insert spring elements. Be sure to press them into the play-dough so they stay put
5. Close the jar and your spring scene terrarium is complete!

The play-dough serves as a great foundation and sticking element so the eggs, butterflies, flowers, etc. stay nicely in place. Each terrarium creation has it’s own theme. You could use bugs, easter, or fairy garden as concepts; the possibilities are endless. I love watching my son’s imagination run wild while coming up with new ideas. Don’t forget to display them proudly as Spring decor until the next idea comes along!

Stickers could also be a fun way to add life to the terrarium. Use a sun sticker, clouds or rain drops to capture typical Spring weather patterns. Include a conversation about the changing seasons for educational value.

As you can see, we’ve done this more than once!

The finished products!

One proud little artist happy with the end result. A sweet Spring Scene Terrarium!

For the sunnier Spring days, check out these 7 Ideas for Nature Activities and Exploration!