By General Crafts Contributor Erin from the blog Lovesome.

Have you guys ever seen a set of story stones? I ran across some a few weeks ago and knew I had to make some for my son. I love toys that allow endless possibilities for playing and imagination, and these do just that. Throw in how personal and fun they are, and we have a winner!

Here’s the scoop:

You will need:

smooth stones

acrylic paint 

paintbrushes

some type of varnish or acrylic sealer

What to do:

1. Find stones that are smooth and large enough to paint a picture on. If you don’t have any that work laying around outside, you can always buy some.

2. Clean your stones. I used a baby wipe to get the dirt off. Let them dry completely before painting.

3. Using a pencil, lightly draw your picture on the stone. It is much easier to draw and wipe off mistakes than to mess up when you’re painting, I know from experience!

4. Paint the silhouette of the picture using white paint. This step is not a must, but your colors will be much more vibrant and true if they have a white backdrop.

5. Once the white silhouette is dry, start painting your pictures. Choose things that are special for your child, and try to think about what pictures would make the best stories. And if you’re like me, think of things that are easy to draw! Older kids would love making their own story stones, so involve them too.

6. Once the paint is completely dry, use an acrylic sealer or varnish to seal the rocks and paint. This will make them last much longer.

My son absolutely loves his story stones, and I love that he has another outlet for playing and using his imagination. Have fun!