Mommy Camp: Block and Rock Week

This week summer officially started for us over here and this summer, I decided to "theme" our weeks in a little series I call "Mommy Camp".  The themes are simple, the crafts and activities are cheap and quick to put together and the idea is to give the smallest amount of structure to our days so we don't go insane and rip out each other's hair on rainy days or lounge around aimlessly outdoors on the nice ones.  

This week?  Block and Rock Week.

We started off the week with simple rock painting projects for the garden (ladybugs above and strawberries below)

 and moved on to rocking out in the basement with our dip and swirled maracas and gaming with some rock dominoes.

Directions for Ladybugs:  Simply collect large, flat rocks and paint them with red paint (Any type of paint will work, including craft paint or basic leftover house paint.  Washable paint is best for the kiddos.)  Once the red paint has dried, simply use a chalk marker or Sharpie marker to draw a line horizontally across the top third of the rock, then a line vertically down starting at your horizontal line to the base of the rock.  Put eyes on the top third and dots all over the bottom two sections.  A little white and a few eyelashes finish off the eyes and VOILA!  You have a ladybug!

Directions for Strawberries:  Strawberries are even easier!  Smaller rocks will work for these (than the ladybugs), but flat is still better than rounded for baby painting hands.  Paint them red at the same time as your ladybugs and allow them to dry.  Paint or draw with green Sharpie a few little leaves on the top, then add in dots with black and white paint, chalk marker or sharpie to fill in the strawberry seeds.

Rock and Block Week Ideas:

• Paint rocks!  (We made ladybugs and strawberries for the strawberry patch)
• Make a ROCK BAND!  (Favorite instruments include piano, "rock drums" and these maracas)
• Make Chess Rocks
• Make a "rock toss" with pebbles and sidewalk chalk
• Build a fortress with blocks and rocks
• Make designs in concrete with pebbles
• Create your own rocks! (Crystal growing!)
• Make your own rock candy! (Try THIS KIT or THIS ONE!)
• Put various shaped rocks in the kiddy pool and have kids try to identify the shapes blindfolded
• Use rocks to "paint" (soft and colored rocks like sandstone work best for this!)
• Experiment with "floating" rocks (like pumice)

* We do NOT do ALL of these activities and you shouldn't feel like you need to either!  pick and choose your favs!

For more summer mommy camp ideas, click the button below!

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