Let’s face it, crafting can get expensive. Getting all of those supplies can quickly add up, and even though the results are 100% worth it, it doesn’t hurt to find some more budget-friendly alternatives.

You know what’s everywhere, though? Rocks! Rocks are a versatile component you can use in so many different ways. Plus, you’ll never run out of them.

That’s why this list is dedicated to crafts you can create with the humble rock. Read on for twenty-one things to make with rocks, each one more awesome than the last.

1. DIY Rock Photo Holders

Source: craftsyhacks.com

If you’re anything like me, then there are a million little things you want to display and the space on your walls is slowly running out. That’s where this rock photo holder comes in!

This is a super simple DIY you can customize to your heart’s content.

2. ABC Painted Rocks

Source: familyfocusblog.com

Get your family in on the crafting activities with these adorable alphabet rocks. Take the little ones foraging in the garden, then paint words and letters onto the rocks’ surfaces.

This is a great activity for little ones who are learning their letters.

3. DIY Moss Wall Garden Art

Source: ourcraftymom.com

Looking for something unique and interesting for your garden décor? Create a summer vignette with materials you’ve foraged from the corners of your garden.

The base of this art is a wooden board like this one to provide the best surface for making your own unique take.

4. Rock Mushrooms for Gardens

Source: modpodgerocksblog.com

If you’re anything like me, then you’re in love with the cottagecore aesthetic. While real mushrooms growing in your backyard is the dream, this craft is the best way to have them all year round.

You’ll need to be comfortable working with a Dremel tool and epoxy, so make sure you grab a full kit like this.

5. DIY Rock Trivet

Source: bitzngiggles.com

Upgrade your kitchen or create a great gift with some smooth river rocks to create a trivet for hot pots! This is a super easy craft that uses the rocks you can forage from your local river.

You can enjoy this with the natural colors or you can paint the rocks to create something totally unique.

6. Taco Painted Rocks

Source: artsyfartsymama.com

Rocks make great canvases, and their unique shapes mean you can create almost everything with the right amount of imagination. Case in point, these taco painted rocks!

These make for adorable paperweights and doorstops in kids’ rooms. Find more rock painting ideas here.

7. Painted Rock Tic Tac Toe

Source: wherethesmileshavebeen.com

Looking for a new garden game to add to your collection? This is a great activity to take along on every picnic, road trip, and camping trip!

Painted rocks make great tic-tac-toe tokens, especially once you add a little bit of your unique touch to them. Make sure to grab a canvas bag like this one to keep the pieces in.

8. DIY Stone Pendants

Source: redtedart.com

Rocks are one of the best things to take away from your visits to new and exciting places. But how do you memorialize these stones and not just leave them in a drawer somewhere?

Enter, the stone pendant. Perfect for creating an easy piece of jewelry with a great story behind it.

9. Painted Strawberry Rocks

Source: twokidsandacoupon.com

When spring is around the corner, there are so many opportunities to ring in the season with an homage to delicious fruits, beautiful flowers, and buzzing insects.

These strawberry rocks make great doorsteps and paperweights, or even protective rocks for your flower beds.

Find more summer crafts for kids here.

10. Painted Rock Witches

Source: kidscraftroom.com

Halloween is the spookiest time of the year, and a great time to find some kid-friendly activities to decorate your home! This rock witch craft is adorable, and a great way to spend an afternoon together.

The folded paper hats and yarn wigs really make this craft sing.

11. DIY Labeled Garden Rocks

Source: savingtalents.com

Are you an avid gardener? Rather than buying garden markers from the store, you can make your own with a set of paints and some rocks foraged from your gardening efforts.

I recommend varnishing the rocks with a clear acrylic spray like this to help them survive the elements.

12. Mix & Match Rock Snake

Source: homanathome.com

With a few rocks and some creativity on your side, it’s never been easier to make a great kid’s toy. All you need are six rocks, a pack of acrylic paint, and a vision.

Make sure to let the first layer of paint dry all the way before you add details to prevent the paint from muddling.

13. Bumblebee Rocks

Source: twokidsandacoupon.com

Add some color to your home or garden with these adorable painted bumble bee rocks! It’s so easy to bring these to life, and they look adorable speckled in the grass.

The final touch is a set of googly eyes, which come in huge packs like this, so you can make all sorts of creatures for your garden.

14. Easy Painted Blue Birds

Source: sustainmycrafthabit.com

Speaking of which, if you find rocks of the right triangular shape, you can make them into birds! These are great paperweights for outdoor table settings, or you can attach magnets to the back.

The key is to select very small rocks so that the magnets can hold them up.

15. Melted Crayon Rocks

Source: redtedart.com

Here’s a great way to use up your supply of broken crayons to make something new! These broken crayon rocks are beautiful, and really fun way to spend an afternoon with the little ones.

Not only does this stop the crayons going to landfill, but it also creates keepsakes you’ll hold onto for life.

16. Tissue Paper Art Rocks

Source: feelingnifty.com

Tissue paper art is one of the coolest ways to create a new and exciting art piece for your home, courtesy of your little ones’ imaginations.

You’ve got to make sure to get tissue paper that bleeds color when wet, like this one, otherwise the craft won’t work!

17. DIY Stone Rings

Source: redtedart.com

If a stone pendant isn’t quite your cup of tea, why no make a DIY stone ring? These are super easy to make, and an adorable gift choice your kids can really get into.

This is perfect for any time of year, so go wild!

18. Mindfulness Stones

Source: kumarahyoga.com

Mindfulness belongs to everyone, no matter how old or young you are. These mindfulness rocks are a great way to give your kids a daily reminder of the important things in life.

Painting rocks can create a great reminder, and even the act itself is a way to practice mindfulness.

19. Painted Penguin Christmas Rocks

Source: momfoodie.com

Who doesn’t want a couple of adorable little penguins waddling around at home? This is a great Christmas craft that you can leave up year-round, if you’re a big fan of penguins.

Protect these cuties with a layer of sprayed acrylic to make sure the paint doesn’t chip or run.

20. Halloween Ghost Rocks

Source: mombrite.com

Instead of Christmas, why not break out the rocks for Halloween?

These use a basic layer of white paint and a black permanent marker to create pot plant and window decorations for the spooky season.

21. Cute Cactus Stones

Source: craftbits.com

Finally, here’s a way to create a cactus that will literally never die on you! This is a quick and easy garden craft your kids can get on board with.

You’ll need a terracotta pot like this to store the rocks in, which will complete the illusion.