We are getting into more storytelling around here, the kind that you make up as you go along. It seems to agree with long winter afternoons, a cup of tea and a warm wool blanket. Painting stones to use to tell stories is probably more of a spring or summer activity, but on one particular clear day in the park we spotted some perfect rocks for painting and we seized the opportunity.
All you do is prepare for an outdoor adventure with a crafty 'treasure' bag (we always have one at the ready!) and hunt for smooth rocks. When you return home, wash the rocks and let them fully dry. Next, it's time to paint. I chose to use acrylic because it sticks well and the colours are vibrant, however it is tricky to paint in detail (at least for me it is) so I would use small paint brushes, toothpicks and Q-tips. You could use a theme, like farm animals or winter, and paint objects that remind you of that theme. This time, we chose to freestyle and paint whatever came to mind. Here's a sample of what we came up with:
A sun, heart, moon and stars, rainy day, fall scene, bunny rabbit, dog, tree, snow storm and a few more. I put all the stones into a drawstring bag and randomly pick one at a time, alternating story telling between myself and Finny. She had to see me do it a few times alone before joining in, but after that she was letting her imagination run wild. I would definitely do this again, maybe grouping the stones into themes or subjects, according to what we are focusing on.
I'd like to come up with more ways to encourage imagination and creative expression through unplanned activities such as this, it's great fun for both parent and child!
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