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:
- Cut the images out
- Use Modge Podge to glue the image to the stone (the entire cut-out should be glossed over, front and back)
- Let dry for an hour or so
- 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!
