Paint Your Own Stones

After learning together about the special stone that Rabbi Hanina ben Dosa chiseled, polished and painted as a gift to the Temple, use the opportunity of Hanukkah to engage in a family art project, painting your own stones:

What you need:

  1. Smooth flat stones (from your yard or from a craft store)
  2. Acrylic paints
  3. Felt markers
  4. Paint brushes
  5. A jar of water
  6. Optional: hot glue gun, fridge magnets, jewelry pins

What you do:

  1. Clean and dry off the stones. Mix the paints and pour into paper cups, or muffin pans.
  2. Paint the background of the rocks. While one stone is drying, apply paint to the next stone. Continue until all stones are colored and dry.
  3. Draw lines and designs with the pens. You can use Hanukkah motifs such as dreidels, candles, flames, menorahs and oil jugs to decorate.
  4. Use the water in the jar to wipe off mistakes and to clean the brushes.
  5. The painted stones can be used as paperweights, table decorations or garden decorations. You can also attach a magnet or pin to the back with a glue gun.