When children are small they learn with all of their senses…. so by adding an extra sense to an activity we literally help their brains grow!! How amazing is that?! These story stones are the perfect way to add a tactile element to all sorts of activities, matching, sorting, story retells or creating and the best bit is they are SUPER SIMPLE to make!!
Take a look at how you can turn so many play and learning activities into a fun and engaging tactile experience!
To make the stones you will need:
🌻 Flat stones that are about 4cm in size. I get mine from Bunnings or Grolife Products
🌻 Mod Podge (I get mine from Spotlight)
🌻 Small paintbrush, preferably with a flat head
🌻 Printables from my store!! I have so many different set for heaps of different concepts!! You can check them all out here and I even have some FREE ones in my Free Resource Library! Perfect way to try before you buy.
🌻 Spray Sealer – this goes on at the very end to stop the stones sticking together. I get mine from Bunnings (and the bonus of this one is you can spray it on laminated posters to stop the glare!!
You will need to cut out the pictures after you’ve printed them (just on normal printer paper!). I highly recommend cutting around the outside of the image.. doesn’t need to be perfect (that’s what makes white stones fantastic!) but as close as you can! Your images will sit far better on the stone compared with if you cut around the oval lines.
Now here is the relaxing bit… well I find it relaxing!! It’s time to stick and seal the images to the stones. I personally size the images to the stones, I make sure that they sit *perfectly* flat on top. For example, some of the images are larger and better suited to the slightly larger stones in the pack. Yes this seems a little over the top, I get it 😂, but I promise your finished product will be ah-mazing and you will thank yourself for spending that bit of extra time!
Put a small (like tiny smear) amount of mod podge on the stone, then the image. Then you are going to paint over the top of the image with the mod podge. You don’t need a lot, enough to cover the image. Paint until you have no streaks and the image is covered. If you have any bubbles or raised parts, turn the paintbrush over and use the hard end to push it flat onto the stone.
**Having children involved in the process is completely up to you.. it may have adverse effects on your relaxation at this point though! Fair warning!
I have only been doing one coat of mod podge, but if you have kids that are a little rougher then you could absolutely apply a second coat. I leave them to dry overnight and then give them a spray with the sealer… outside, away from humans and animals… it does not smell pleasant! Leave them sitting flat to dry and then they are ready to go!!
I have so many different templates in store for all different concepts and various ages! Simple sorting, number representation, letters & beginning sounds, science concepts, exploring emotions and story stones for retells are just a few!!
Ready to give it a go?! Why not try this FREE Ladybug Number Match first!
Happy creating guys!!
My name is Sommer. I am a mum of 3. A resource creator. A Prep teacher in Queensland. A lover of play-based learning. A special needs advocate. A creative thinker. A believer that learning should be fun.. so fun that they don't know they're learning!
Hi lovely!
Just wondering if use you scissors to cut out the pictures or cricut?
xxx
Hi Sarah,
Scissors will work fine. If you use the cricut it will cut around the oval not around the picture so its personal preference.
Sommer
I was looking at these stones today in Bunnings. I wasn’t sure how well paint or mod podge would stick to it. Looks like they work, so I might grab some next time I’m there. Thanks
Yep they definitely work. Can’t wait to see how your’s turn out!!