Champion trophy stone for games nightOne tall rock that stands up. Gold cup shape on dark blue, the word CHAMPION, a blank band for this week's name.
Bunting row of triangle stones along a low wallSeven triangular stones. One bright color and a white pattern on each, set point down in a row like bunting.
Day-in-order story stones from sunrise to bedtimeSix stones. A rising sun, a toothbrush, a bowl, a school bag, a ball and a moon over a bed, one each on pale blue.
Checkers pieces in two stone colors24 flat round stones. Twelve painted red, twelve left dark, a gold crown on the back of each for kings.
Domino set on 28 flat oblong stones28 flat oblongs. Black with a white middle line and white swab-dot pips, from double blank up to double six.
Four-in-a-row counters in two colorsTwo equal piles of small round stones. One pile red, one yellow, plain on both sides; play on a chalk grid.
Gold nugget stones for a backyard treasure huntTwenty lumpy pebbles. Gold all over, a number on the underside of each so the finder can count them back in.
Jigsaw picture across nine pushed-together stonesNine blocky stones in a three-by-three square. Paint one big fish across all of them, then mix them up.
Matching pairs with hidden pictures24 small flat stones, alike on top. Twelve pictures painted twice on the undersides; the tops stay one plain color.
Memory tray set of ten everyday thingsTen palm-size stones. One object each: key, cup, sock, spoon, hat, leaf, shoe, clock, kite, bell. Cover and take one.
Numbered stacking tower of eight flat stonesEight flat stones that step down in size. One rainbow color each, its number in white, biggest stone is 1.
Odd-one-out line of look-alike beetlesSix oval stones. Five beetles painted the same; the sixth has one spot too many. Line them up and ask.
Racing car pebbles for a chalk trackSix long oval stones. A different bright color each, white number circles on top, black wheels low on the sides.
Swap-around monsters: heads, bodies and feet stonesTwelve flat stones. Four heads, four bodies and four pairs of feet in clashing colors, each ending level at the edge.
Tic-tac-toe set of suns against moonsTen flat pebbles of one size. Five yellow suns on blue, five white crescents on navy; four twigs make the grid.
Story and learning stones 12
Alphabet stones with both casesTwenty-six flat pebbles. A capital on the front and the small letter on the back, vowels in a second color.
Butterfly life cycle on four stones laid in orderFour stones. An egg on a leaf, a striped caterpillar, a green chrysalis on a twig, the adult with wings open.
Color-word stones lettered in their own colorEight pebbles on white. RED in red, BLUE in blue and so on, with a plain swatch of the color on the back.
Day-in-order story stones from sunrise to bedtimeSix stones. A rising sun, a toothbrush, a bowl, a school bag, a ball and a moon over a bed, one each on pale blue.
Doors set: who lives behind each oneSix tall stones. Six doors: round green, tiny mouse-size, castle, spaceship hatch, igloo arch, tree hollow.
Fairy-tale story stones in a drawstring bagSix stones. A castle, a lantern, a frog, a crown, a forest and a wolf, one each, in pen on a pale base coat.
Farm story stones with a barn and a gateSeven stones. A red barn, a gate, a tractor, a hen, a cow, a pig and a bucket; green dabbed along each bottom.
Number stones with matching dots underneathTen stones. Numbers 1 to 10 on top, the same count of swab dots on the underside for checking.
Seaside story stones from a beach walkSeven stones. A bucket, a crab, a boat, a wave, a shell, a gull and a lighthouse on sand-colored paint.
Space story stones on blackSix dark stones. A rocket, a moon, a star, a ringed planet, an astronaut and a comet in white and one bright color.
Weather stones for a morning chartSix round stones. Sun, cloud, rain, snow, wind and a lightning bolt, each on sky blue with a white rim.
Who, where and what stones in three colorsTwelve stones. Blue: knight, cat, robot, baker. Green: cave, ship, tower, shop. Orange: storm, leak, lost key, fog.
Garden 12
Bug hotel signboard and room numbersOne large flat rock and six pebbles. HOTEL lettered on the rock, numbers 1 to 6 for the gaps beside it.
Bunting row of triangle stones along a low wallSeven triangular stones. One bright color and a white pattern on each, set point down in a row like bunting.
Compass stones for the corners of a bedFour pointed stones. N, E, S and W in white on red, the point of each turned outward from the middle.
Dry pond of fish in a gravel bowlNine oval stones. Orange, white and spotted fish seen from above, all painted swimming the same way around.
Fairy doors leaned against tree rootsThree flat-bottomed stones. An arched door on each in a bright color, a dot knob, a pen frame, moss green below.
Herb pot markers with the leaf painted onSix long stones. Basil, mint, chives, parsley, thyme and sage: the leaf shape in green, the name in white.
Pebble stream in three blues winding between the plantsThirty or more small pebbles. Three blues and white, left plain, laid in a winding band; a pen ripple on a few.
Peeking faces for the rims of plant potsFive half-round stones. Eyes and fingertips painted along the curved top so each seems to look over the rim.
Stepping-stone trail of white paw printsTen flat stepping-size stones. One large pad and four toe prints on each in white, left and right taking turns.
Stone snake border along a flower bedTwenty or more round stones. Bands of two colors taking turns, a head with eyes at one end, a tail tip.
Sundial of hour stones set where a stick's shadow fallsTwelve matching stones. An hour number in white on dark blue; each one set where the stick's shadow falls at that hour.
Two-sided pot stone: THIRSTY and WATEREDOne flat stone for each pot. THIRSTY in white on brown, WATERED in white on blue on the back; turn it after watering.
Gifts and the table 12
Bookend pair painted as one sleeping foxTwo heavy rocks with a flat side. The head and front paws on one, the tail curled around the other.
Buffet label stones for each dishSix flat ovals. SALAD, BREAD, SOUP and the rest in chalk-white capitals on black, a small leaf at one end.
Champion trophy stone for games nightOne tall rock that stands up. Gold cup shape on dark blue, the word CHAMPION, a blank band for this week's name.
Desk paperweight painted as a wrapped parcelOne heavy blocky rock. Brown all over, string lines crossing on top in white, a small label with initials.
Dinner question stones in a bowlSix pebbles in mixed colors. One word on each to start a question: BEST, FUNNY, FIRST, DREAM, BRAVE, NEXT.
Doorstop painted as a baseboard with a mouse holeOne large blocky rock. White like the baseboard, a dark arch at floor level, a pink tail tip curling out of it.
Gift tag stones lettered To and FromSmall flat pebbles, one for each present. A tag shape in cream with a painted hole and string, two names in pen.
Party confetti pebbles scattered down the tableTwenty small pebbles. One bright color each with white dots, stripes or stars, no two alike, strewn down the cloth.
Party table numbers on upright stonesStones that stand on end, one for each table. A big white number on a dark base, a ring of dots around it.
Photo stand of two hill rocks with a picture betweenTwo heavy rocks with a flat side each. One green hill, a path and tiny sheep across both; a photo stands in the gap.
Picnic cloth weights with a fruit on eachFour heavy round stones. A watermelon, an orange, a lime and a plum pattern, one for each corner.
Place-card stones with a full name and a sprigOne smooth oval for each guest. Name in white pen on bare stone, a green sprig curving under it.
How it works
These painted rock project ideas are 48 things made to be used afterward, 12 each of games, story and learning stones, garden projects, and gifts for the table. Each line starts with how many stones it takes.
Read the full guide
Story stones ideas
Eight of the twelve are story sets, and each lists its pictures: Fairy-tale story stones in a drawstring bag has a castle, a lantern, a frog, a crown, a forest and a wolf. The other four teach letters, numbers, color words and a butterfly's four stages.
Games want matching stones
28 flat oblongs for Domino set on 28 flat oblong stones, 24 flat rounds for Checkers pieces in two stone colors, twelve a side, and ten pebbles of one size for Tic-tac-toe set of suns against moons.
Questions and answers
What can you make with painted rocks?
Things with a use: games such as Tic-tac-toe set of suns against moons, story stones, garden pieces such as Herb pot markers with the leaf painted on, and gifts such as Place-card stones with a full name and a sprig.
How many stones does a domino set need?
28. A double-six set has one tile for every pair of numbers from blank to six, so the domino project here asks for 28 flat oblong stones with a white line across the middle.
What goes on story stones?
One picture a stone. Seaside story stones from a beach walk has a bucket, a crab, a boat, a wave, a shell, a gull and a lighthouse; Day-in-order story stones from sunrise to bedtime runs from a rising sun to a moon over a bed.