How to Make and Use Alphabet Story Stones for Kids

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These DIY Alphabet Story Stones are easy to make and are a great addition to your alphabet activities for preschoolers!

There really is no wrong way to make story stones. I’m going to show you how to draw/paint images on your stones. But, I’ll also share some less-artistic ways to make a set of story stones for your kiddos.

I’ll also share how you can use story stones in your classroom or homeschool.

There are so many ways to use these alphabet story stones with young children. From sorting to beginning sounds and more, your kids will love learning with these painted rocks.

Alphabet Story Stones

While I call these story stones, they really can be used in so many ways. Kids can use them to tell stories, practice beginning sounds and ABC order, sorting practice, and more.

Let’s learn how to make them, and then we’ll discuss how you can use them with your kids.

What You’ll Need

You can find river rocks in nature, or you can purchase them. I got these rocks at the hardware store.

If you use dark rocks, like the ones pictured, you’ll want a white pencil to draw the images. If you use light rocks, you can use a regular pencil.

To paint your rocks, you can use paint pens or acrylic paint and a thin paint brush. It’s totally up to you.

What You’ll Do

To start, wash and dry your rocks to get rid of any dirt and debris that may keep the paint from sticking. With a pencil, outline your images.

Once you’ve got all of your images drawn, begin painting them. I prefer to use paint pens, but you can use acrylic paints if you wish.

Once the initial layers of paint are dry, go back and outline your images with a black sharpie or paint pen.

If you’d like to seal your stones, I suggest using matte mod podge. But, wait until the paint is dry before sealing or your images will smear.

How to Use Story Stones

As I mentioned above, there are many ways to use story stones with young students. From story telling to early literacy skills, try these activities with your little ones.

Story Telling

Put the story stones in a basket. Have your child choose a stone and use it to begin a story. Then, choose another stone and add on to the story. This can be done individually or in a group setting.

In a group setting, one child chooses a stone and starts the story. Then, another child chooses a stone and adds to the story incorporating the picture on the stone.

Continue until all the stones have been used or all of the kids have contributed to the story.

Beginning Sounds

Grab a pack of letter magnets. Have your child match the stones to the same letter as its beginning sound.

Sorting and Grouping

Kids can sort and group the stones based on chosen characteristics. Sort animals and non-animals. Group by main color. Let your child choose a characteristic and then check his work.

Alternative Ways to Create Story Stones

If you’re not too artistic, you can use stickers, magazine pictures, or old book pages to create the stones. Just glue the image on or stick the stickers on. Then, seal with mod podge.

Alphabet Books

Alphabet books are a great way to help preschoolers and kindergarteners learn their letters. And they don’t have to be boring, either!

There are all sorts of fun and engaging alphabet books out there, from books that teach the letters through rhyming verses to books that feature adorable animals.

Alphabet books can also be a great way for parents and caregivers to bond with their little ones. Reading together is always a special time, and it’s even more special when you’re sharing a book that’s helping your child learn something new.

So whether you’re looking for a gift for a preschooler in your life or you just want to add some new titles to your home library, be sure to check out some alphabet books for kids!

• ABC’s for Boys – This one of a kind, hand illustrated alphabet book combines letters with all of boys’ favorite things–airplanes, dump trucks, and more!

• Alpha Oops! The Day Z Went First – It’s chaos! It’s pandemonium! And it’s definitely not as easy as A-B-C! Here’s a snappy story about the comic confusion that comes when the letters of the alphabet, like a class of unruly children, step out of order and show that each one has a mind of its own.

• Pinkalicious ABC – A is for Apple. B is for Bubble Bath. C is for Cupcake. What could be better than learning your ABC’s with Pinkalicious in this pinkamazing board book?

Additional Teaching Resources

This wooden alphabet board is double-sided with upper and lowercase print letters. It’s great for ages 2 and up for letter identification and letter formation. This board can be used with the included walnut “pen” or traced by finger. Makes a wonderful handwriting tool for at home or in the classroom.

These hand painted rainbow alphabet rocks can do all sorts of things! Add them to a sensory bin, use them for loose parts play, put them in a writing center in the classroom, and much more!

Alphabet Trace and Color Pages

As you begin to teach the alphabet to your preschoolers, be sure to add some fun worksheets to your activities. This set of alphabet trace and color pages is perfect for working on letter recognition and handwriting while providing a fun coloring activity, as well.

Click the image below, add your email address, and then check your inbox for your download link.