My daughter likes to paint river rocks, though the design book she’s been referencing is a little too detailed and grown-up for her tastes. So we’re both thrilled with “Stone Painting for Kids.” The book is full color, with lots of step-by-step photos. The clear instructions are easy to read and follow. The basic approach is to paint the entire rock a single color, then lightly draw on a design, outline it, and fill in the spaces. It’s a simple approach that works well for a wide variety of designs.

Plus, the designs are really great for kids. There are painting ideas for games (like chess sets), blackboard rocks, math and spelling activities, creating scenes (night sky, towns, etc.), and stories, plus more. We really love the colorful, fun, and witty design sense to the rocks they show.