These sweet painted outdoor blocks are great for more than just making a tower in the grass. Initially I just thought “Oh these would be fun for the kids to play with in the yard” Then as the idea began to grow in my head I realized that they were good for far more than that! As we decorated and painted we were working on art, fine motor skills, hand eye coordination, and imagination. They can be used in the yard for dramatic play, making towers, fine motor- stacking, moving, writing on, hand eye coordination, color recognition, counting, sorting, patterning, and much more! So for a little over $5 a set, we are definitely going to get our money's worth.
DIY Painted Outdoor Blocks for Kids
We found our unfinished blocks at Hobby Lobby, a pack of 8 was $8.99 (and I used my 40% off coupon).
Set up a table with various stickers shapes, painters or washi tape, paintbrushes, paint, and blocks.
Press stickers firmly onto wood to make your designs. I found that the thick, foam shape stickers stuck to the wood the best, leaving sharper painted edges. Washi tape was also a fun way to mask off our design.
Paint the blocks, covering the stickers well and pressing down as you go.
Note the concentration on her face. It was a joy to watch her create her own toys.
Allow the blocks to dry completely, then remove the stickers. I decided to extend the play even further by painting the sides of a couple of the blocks with chalkboard paint.
Little miss sassy decided that a paint brush was too restrictive and really put her hands into her work.
Those wound up being my favorite blocks, marbleized coloring with chalkboard sides.
We always have chalk outside so this is a great way for her to practice her letters.
To extend the life of your blocks, you may wish to cover them in 2-3 coats of clear spray. Obviously, I didn't spray the chalkboard side of the blocks. This project was so enjoyable in the making and playing outdoors with them afterwards that we are planning on adding 2 or 3 more sets.
caroline addison says
June 10, 2015 at 11:49 pmI love this! What sort of paint do I need to keep them from running in the rain, and what sort of spray do you mean?
Thanks! 🙂