Have you seen the painted rock craze? There are so many fun ideas out there and kids love getting set loose to paint. Instead of the traditional painted rocks ideas, let’s take it a step further with this DIY painted canvas play set!

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission. Read the full disclosure here.

Child painted canvas and rocks with text overlay: DIY Painted Canvas Play Mat

Take your next rock painting craft day to the next level with this DIY painted canvas play set! Click To Tweet

Although Jude is on vacation this week, I’m still sharing a fun kid’s craft with you. I’m especially excited about this one because my 5 year old daughter came up with this all on her own. The creativity of my kiddos seriously blows me away.

Last week I set the kids loose with paint and rocks. We all sat at the table painting together and it was a blast! So much so, the older 2 didn’t want to stop painting after their rocks were done.

Instead of calling it quits and cleaning up, I gave them some canvases and let them keep going. When they finished, my daughter showed me this awesome project that I simply had to share with you!

Materials

Step 1

First, fill a paint palette with multiple colors.

Note:

The colors you use do not matter. I tend to keep primary colors as well as black and white on hand so that is what we used.

Child painted Canvas

Step 2

Next, have your child paint any scene on the canvas. This can literally be anything (s)he wants. My daughter went with a house and a lawn.

Step 3

Set the canvas to the side to dry.

Clean rock with paintbrush

Step 4

While the canvas dries, give your kid 3 to 4 clean rocks to paint.

Child painted rocks

Step 5

Have her paint the rocks to coordinate with the scene she painted on the canvas. For example, my daughter painted a person, a flower, and a sun.

Tip:

This gets messier than the canvas painting so you may want to place a piece of newspaper on the table before unleashing your kids with the rocks and paint.

Child painted rock

Step 6

After she has finished painting her rocks, set them aside to dry completely before moving on.

Step 7 (Optional)

Once the painted rocks have dried, cover them with acrylic sealant in a well-ventilated area. Then set them aside to dry again.

Note:

This step is totally optional but it will make the painted rocks more durable and long lasting for play.

Child painted canvas and rocks

How much fun is this DIY painted canvas play set? My daughter loves playing pretend house with it just like it is a dollhouse. Seriously adorable. Your kiddos can create whatever scene they want which is what makes it so fun.

We used a small canvas but it would be awesome with a larger one (which I think we’ll try next). Your kids can create an entire world to play in with their painted rocks. This will keep them entertained long enough for you to enjoy a cup of coffee and a shower this summer. Score!

See where I’m linking up!