Repurposed River Stones

River stones are one of those things that kids love picking up, but when they get home the stones are soon abandoned and forgotten, collecting dust in a corner. Put these rustic gems to good use with a DIY project or two – here are some ideas:

• Get the kids to paint and decorate the stones to look like all sorts of creatures and critters – from ladybugs and frogs to cute little bumblebees.
• Make fun doorstops out of stones, either by using one big river stone or stacking them up (which is where the flatness comes in handy) and gluing them together.
• River stones make the ideal paperweights – which teacher or dad wouldn’t like a personal gift for their desk?
• Use river stones to make your own games like naughts and crosses and dominoes.
• Paint the stones in fun and funky colours, and use them during maths hour to teach counting, multiplication and so forth.
• Use painted stones to identify herbs in the garden. Simply use a slim brush to write the name of the herb on the flat side of the stone.
• Small river stones are ideal for chunky mosaic, whether it be making a small table or decorating a mirror frame.

Original images and their credits available on Pinterest