Creative Challenge

There are two options for this; decorate real rocks from your garden or make your own using paper mâché.

If you have real rocks grab some felt tips or paint and go wild! Paint anything you can think of as colourful as possible and display your new rainbow rockery where everyone can see!

If you want to make your own rocks, follow the instructions below.

You will need:

• Paint or felt tips (for decoration)
• Newspaper or scrap paper (old magazines, junk mail, used envelopes, tin foil) You’ll need something that isn’t glossy for the outside
• Tape or elastic bands
• PVA glue. If you don’t have glue try wallpaper paste (make sure you follow the safety instructions carefully if you’re using this), or make your own with equal parts flour and water (add a bit of salt to stop it from going mouldy!)
• Paint brush
• Paint

Instructions

1. Screw up old paper or foil into balls about the size of a fist or tennis ball. Use up any glossy paper or tin foil for this part, save any newspaper or non-glossy bits for step 3. Try and keep one side flat for the base.
2. Tape it in place or wrap elastic bands around to keep the shape.
3. Rip your non-glossy paper into small pieces. Newspaper works best but everyday writing paper or envelopes work too.
4. Make a watered down PVA by adding a little water and mixing it together. It needs to be quite running so it’s easy to paint on and will dry quickly. Recycled plastic packaging makes a good mixing bowl, or an old jar. (Make small amounts and top it up as you go so you don’t waste a lot).
5. Paint your PVA mixture onto the first rock and cover it with the pieces of paper. Just do one layer for now. Paint over the edges to help the pieces stay stuck down. If you’ve made a few rocks, repeat this step for each one and then leave them to dry.
6. Add more layers of paper. Make sure your paper pieces overlap the ones underneath so you don’t have any gaps as these will create weak points. Leave each layer to dry in between.
7. Once you have at least three layers, leave your rocks to dry overnight.
8. Paint your rocks with a base colour to cover up the print from your scrap paper then leave them to dry.
9. Decorate your rocks!