Gratitude is always in season, but it understandably takes the forefront once November rolls around and the Thanksgiving holiday approaches. Even so, it can be hard to shift from the busyness of everyday life and truly focus on gratitude. That’s where gratitude-centered activities like these painted Thanksgiving rocks can help.
The cool thing about these rocks is that they can be used in a couple of ways. You still paint them all in advance, but the idea is to have everyone in your family write something they’re thankful for on one rock each day leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday. Finally, share what’s written on each rock as a part of your Thanksgiving celebration.
Another variation is to have Thanksgiving guests write on the pre-painted rocks. This way, the activity becomes a lovely holiday memory to share with others.
When you finish, the rocks can be passed out as a reminder of Thanksgiving or displayed as a family keepsake. Either way, this painted Thanksgiving rocks activity is a great way to bring creativity and gratitude together.
Fun and Easy Painted Thanksgiving Rocks
Ready to get started on your painted Thanksgiving rocks? Here’s what you’ll need.
Thanksgiving Rocks Supply List*
- Garden stones (Heads up, polished/glossy stones will not work! Look for stones with a natural finish.)
- Acrylic craft paints (We used orange, lime, yellow, white, and red, but any colors will work.)
- Paintbrush (optional)
- Wax paper or parchment paper
- Sharpie markers
- Mod Podge (optional)
*Some links are referral links for recommended items; this means I could receive compensation if you take action through one of these links.
Once you gather the supplies, you can get started on your Thanksgiving rocks.
Step 1 – Add the base coat.
Begin by considering how you’d like to paint your rocks. The painting process for rocks with a single color goes a bit quicker, but adding other colors can also be fun.
Once you have an idea of how you want your rocks to look, place some wax paper or parchment paper on your work surface. Then, paint the top and sides of your rocks with acrylic craft paint. When the top dries, turn them over and paint the bottoms.
Step 2 – Add the flourishes.
After the rocks are completely dry, consider using more paint colors to create designs. This is an optional step, but it’s a nice opportunity to add some creative touches to the rocks. So, be sure to leave room to write on at least one side of the rock,
With that said, keep in mind that less is more when it comes to patterns and drawings. After all, a busy design can make it hard to read what is written on a rock. So, be sure to leave room to write on one side of the rock.
Need some design inspiration? Light paint drizzling like you see in our Jackson Pollock and Helen Frankenthaler projects works well for this step.
Step 3. Add the words.
Finally, if you wish, seal your paint by using an old sponge or paintbrush to add a coat of Mod Podge to the rocks. Remember to allow stones to dry before writing on them.
Once the rocks are prepared, use a Sharpie marker to write on them. When you finish them all, you can incorporate them however you wish into your Thanksgiving celebration.
As always, we invite you to share your painted Thanksgiving rocks with us. Be sure to share in the Facebook group or tag us when you share it on Instagram so we we can see them!
