Rock Water Painting

This easy, mess-free and taste-safe activity is perfect for young toddlers. They can paint, watch the stone dry off and then paint again.

It’s super simple and easy to set up.

You will need:

– a rock (preferably a larger one)

– a small container with water  (provide only as much as you are willing to clean up)

– a brush (we love the IKEA MALA brushes!)

– a small cloth for spills

Rock water painting is a great way to introduce a young toddler to the idea of painting – holding a paintbrush, dipping it in water and then making strokes on the stone.

It helps young toddlers refine motor skills, strengthen hand and finger muscles, practice the pincer grasp, and begin to learn a sequence – all foundational skills for writing and arts later on.

Be sure to include a small cloth to wipe any spills.

My daughter was 18 months at the time we first did this activity. She first examined the stone in detail and then became fascinated by the small splash the paint brush was making on the water for a little bit. Once she was done discovering that I reminded her she could start painting on the rock. It’s such a calming experience.

Be sure to keep your expectations low as at this age attention spans are especially short. The goal is to let the child explore new materials and become familiar with the process of painting, without a huge mess.

Cleaning up is part of the learning process, so make sure to encourage your child to tidy up after they finish playing. Model how to do it until your child feels confident enough to initiate the tidying up process independently.

Happy exploring!