hot rocks
This project has been on my to-do list for a long time. I originally saw the idea at Little Humbugs.
Here’s how you make these beautiful-looking decorated rocks.
Go out and hunt for some rocks. Flat ones are easier to draw on later.
Put the rocks in a 230 deg C oven for 15 minutes.
Decorate the hot rocks with crayon. The heat in the rocks will melt the crayon onto the rock. B made the circle effect rocks. J made very colourful rocks by covering the whole surface of the rock with one colour and then beginning the next colour on top of the last.
The rocks are very hot and hold the heat for a long time, so make sure your children understand that they can’t touch the rocks at any time. I put the rocks on a folded towel so they wouldn’t move around.
Here’s how you make these beautiful-looking decorated rocks.
Go out and hunt for some rocks. Flat ones are easier to draw on later.
Put the rocks in a 230 deg C oven for 15 minutes.
Decorate the hot rocks with crayon. The heat in the rocks will melt the crayon onto the rock. B made the circle effect rocks. J made very colourful rocks by covering the whole surface of the rock with one colour and then beginning the next colour on top of the last.
The rocks are very hot and hold the heat for a long time, so make sure your children understand that they can’t touch the rocks at any time. I put the rocks on a folded towel so they wouldn’t move around.
Comments
I was pretty worried about my kids burning themselves. I only had two kids to worry about though. I put the rocks onto a folded towel for them. The towel keeps the rocks from sliding when you try and put crayon on them. We took the paper off the crayons and if you hold them on the hot rock they just melt and spread out. I told my kids to hold the crayons at the top.
My youngest just held the crayon still in the middle of the rock and let it melt and spread out. Then he would put another colour over the top with surprising good effect. My eldest (who is 5) made the circle effect crayons by drawing with the crayon.
I don't think they could make very intricate designs (like seen on Little Humbugs). I found it hard on the rock that I tried - I think my kids were less frustrated about lack of control of the crayon than I was.