Magic Dragon Painted Rocks & Storage Tower

*Rocks – I found mine at the beach, but you can also find them at your local craft store or dollar store.

*Acrylic Paint – I really like Martha Stewart High Gloss Paints because they are made for all surfaces.

*Paint Brushes – My favorite are small watercolor brushes for details like the dots you see on these rocks.

*Craft Gems – I used Martha Stewart gem stickers I found at Michael’s. I used Super Glue to make sure they stayed in place.

*Empty oatmeal container.

*Decorative paper – I used left over scraps I had of this paper from Paper Source.

*Glue or tape.

*Scissors.

*Dragons – We bought this set of dragons by Safari LTD.

*Blocks – Our blocks are by Haba. Here is a similar set.

I love that something as natural as a rock can be turned into a magical piece of art for a child or a child-at-heart. Painting stones isn’t hard, you just have to find what works for you. Even a simple, one color shape can look beautiful (this is for my friends who say they can’t draw).

These stones were designed specifically to invite dragons to come out and play. Our dragons live in a special tower, and they don’t like to leave their home unless there is a magical rock playground.

The tiny, sparkling diamonds are what initially attract the attention of the dragons. They’re drawn to anything shiny and colorful.

The dragons also enjoy when you add play structures to their magical park. You could even make your own play structures out of cardboard and toilet paper rolls. When the dragons are tired and ready for a nap, store them safely in their tower along with the rocks until they are ready to play again next time.

These rocks are a perfect way to help your child get excited about pretend play. You can also have your child help you paint the rocks. An easy way would be to paint the rock all one color, let it dry, and then have your child use a paintbrush or their fingers to add additional colors. Remember this: there is no wrong way to paint a rock.

For more tips on painting rocks and inspiration, check out my painted hungry caterpillar rocks, heat embossed alphabet rocks, train rocks, and counting rocks.