Rock Painting

ROCK PAINTING

Time Frame: May want to break this up into two different times. 2+ hours.

Activity: W.O.N.D.E.R

Area of Learning;: Numeracy

“Go on a rock hunt. What shapes and sizes of rocks can you find? What are the different ways you can use rocks for counting? Can you paint on rocks? What can you paint?”

Take your child on a nature walk to find different rocks. You may want to drive down to the river or a park where there are a lot of options. Take some time to play with the rocks, and to talk about shapes, sizes, colors and markings on the rocks. Which ones would be the best to paint on? Flat or round? You can conduct this activity on location, or bring the rocks home first.

Process

 Collection and Exploration:

1. Drive or walk to a location(s) where you can collect 20 or more rocks.

2. Speak about what sorts of rocks you may want to choose (size/shape/color/pattern).

3. Give yourselves time to just explore and play with rocks. Guiding ideas: can you stack them? What sorts of rocks are good for throwing? For stacking? For lining up? For writing on? For painting on? 

Materials

• Container or basket for collection

• Rocks (flat surface)

• Acrylic paint

• paintbrush

• container of water

• paint shirt

Painting: 

1. Select a series of rocks together to paint on. 

2. Assist your child in painting numbers 1-10 on 10 different rocks.

3. On another 10 rocks, assist your child in painting dots to represent the numbers 1-10

4. You should have 20 rocks, 10 with numerals, 10 with dots to represent the numerals.

5. Allow for some drying time (Free play while waiting) 

6. If time permits, allow child free time to paint on other rocks.

Numeracy Practice:

1. Practice number recognition; Can your child recognize each number? Are they able to count the dots?

2. Practice counting up, counting down, include some movement if you wish. (clap this many numbers, stomp this number, jump this many numbers)

3. Practice matching the numerals with the dots

4. Line up the rocks horizontally, vertically, in increasing numbers, decreasing numbers. Try stacking the numbers in order. 

5. Ask “What else can we do with these rocks and numbers?” 

Extension - Making 10

You can extend this activity by making two groups of rocks. For example, the first group will have 2 rocks, the other group will have 8 rocks. That makes 10. 

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Child role

Find a container that can keep all of your rocks safe 

• Look for rocks! What do you like about rocks? What do you notice about their size, shape or texture? 

• Share your findings 

• What colors will you use to paint your rocks? 

• Paint numbers 1-10. Help your parent paint dots.

• What do you know about numbers? Tell me the numbers you know. What can we do with the numbers on the rocks? 

Parent role

• Help guide the rock collecting by differentiating rocks with flat surfaces vs. rocks with textured/round surfaces. 

• Guide your child to talk about attributes of rocks (size/shape/color/texture)

• Observe and share in exploring rocks and collecting them.

• Assist your child in painting the numbers and dots onto each rock

• Guide your child to match, recognize, play with the numbers you have made. 

• Allow for free time to watch them play and talk about the numbers.

• End the time by letting them continue their own ideas with the current rocks or leftover rocks. (free play)