Every June, I get the same bright idea: “Let’s make summer magical!” (Pause for laughter.) I picture barefoot joy, lemonade, and memory-making. But fast forward two weeks, and it’s me Googling “easy crafts that use zero glitter and keep kids busy for at least 43 minutes.”
One of our summer traditions is rock painting. Sounds sweet, right? But this year, we didn’t just paint rocks and shove them in a shoebox to forget about them like last summer (and the one before that). No, this time, we gave them purpose. We made a hanging rock bird family. Yes, I said what I said.
Want to Try It? Here’s What You’ll Need:
- Flattish pebbles (preferably ones with backstory, but parking-lot rocks work too)
- Soft pencil for sketching weird eyes
- Acrylic paints (blue, orange, white, yellow, and whatever spills first)
- Detail brush and a thicker one for background mess
- Black permanent marker (fine tip, unless you like bold drama)
- Hot glue gun + glue sticks (and maybe a burn cream, just saying)
- Tiny nails + a hammer (optional but useful)
- A nice-ish stick, driftwood or just yard trash with potential
- Jute twine or string for the rustic boho vibe
How We Made a Cute Hanging Rock Bird Family
We’re the kind of people who bring home rocks from vacation. Not the fancy polished kind—just rocks or pebbles. Smooth, flat, emotional-support rocks. So we dug through the collection, got nostalgic, and argued over which one came from “that beach where Dad got sunburned like a lobster.”
The kids picked their rocks based on how “birdish” they looked. One chose a rock that looked like a potato. Another insisted theirs had “main character energy.” I didn’t argue. I just grabbed the flattest one that didn’t stab my palm.
Look, we’re not artists. We draw like we’re being timed by a game show host. So I told everyone: just big eyes, triangle beak, round shape. That’s it. Boom—bird. One of mine looked more like a stunned frog. I embraced it. Nature is diverse.
We broke out the acrylics like pros. Except nobody remembered to shake the paint or check if the brushes were clean, so the first few birds looked like they survived a paint fight. But we rallied. The kids insisted blue was for girls, orange was for boys, and I didn’t have the energy to unpack that gender politics right now. I just nodded and kept painting. Two coats are best unless you want your bird to look like it has mange. Also, don’t touch wet paint. I say this from experience. My jeans still say “hello” in white acrylic.
Once everything dried (sort of), we did the eyes in white and the beaks in orange or yellow.
That’s when the chaos began. Suddenly, the birds had feelings. One looked shocked. One looked smug. One had “I haven’t had coffee yet” energy. The black marker is where you either shine or ruin it all. Pro tip: don’t blink while outlining the eyes. That’s how I made one bird look like he’s seen things he’ll never unsee. But it was fun. Messy fun. The best kind.
At this point, I had a decision to make: shove the birds in a drawer or actually turn them into décor. I chose ambition. We found a driftwood stick we picked up at the beach months ago because we are those people. (The kind who bring sticks home and say “it’s for a project.”) If you’re not a stick-hoarder, any old branch will do. Just pretend it has sentimental value—it adds to the charm. To keep the birds from falling off dramatically, I tapped in tiny nails as bumpers. Then I burned half my fingers with hot glue and stuck each bird down with love and silent cursing.
Jute twine to the rescue. Tied a bit to each end of the stick and proudly hung it on the fence like it was a gallery opening.
The birds stared back at me like, “Really? Here?” Yes, really. Right there between the vine and the slightly crooked nail.
Lovely, right?.
The Verdict? A+ Family Chaos. 10/10 Would Craft Again
Now we have this ridiculous, wonderful, slightly lopsided bird family hanging outside. Every time I pass by, I grin like a fool. They’re funny, weird, and full of character—just like us.
My favorite part? Even though we all followed the same simple steps, every bird came out completely different. Some sweet, some suspicious, one that looks like it’s mid-existential crisis. They’re like our own feathery soap opera.
And the kids? Proud as ever. They named them. Introduced them to the neighbors. One bird’s apparently a dentist now. I’m just rolling with it.
Final Thoughts (and One Slightly Existential Bird)
If you need a summer craft that’s equal parts adorable and ridiculous, this is it. It’s messy. It’s easy. It’s wildly forgiving. And you end up with something to actually show off—unlike those “abstract” finger paintings that mysteriously disappear into the recycling.
So go ahead. Paint some birds. Give them feelings. Glue them to a stick and call it décor. I promise it’ll be one of those random little memories your kids remember forever.
And if your birds turn out weird? Good. That means you did it right.