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You are here: Home / Naturally Frugal Mom / DIY Painted Outdoor Blocks for Kids

DIY Painted Outdoor Blocks for Kids

June 10, 2015 by Jody 1 Comment

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DIY Painted Outdoor Blocks for Kids - Here is an easy tutorial for creating your own painted outdoor blocks with your kids for outdoor play and learning.

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.

painted outdoor blocks - use stickers to mask off design

Paint the blocks, covering the stickers well and pressing down as you go.

painted outdoor blocks tutorial

Note the concentration on her face. It was a joy to watch her create her own toys.

painting outdoor blocks with kids

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.

DIY painted outdoor blocks

Those wound up being my favorite blocks, marbleized coloring with chalkboard sides.

diy outdoor painted blocks tutorial

We always have chalk outside so this is a great way for her to practice her letters.

diy outdoor blocks with chalkboard paint

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.

More Outdoor Fun for Kids

  • How to Make Watercolor Paints from Flower Petals
  • How to Make a Portable Flower Press
  • How to Make Butterfly Nectar
  • How to Make Sponge Water Bombs for Kids
  • How to Make Ice-Cavation Blocks
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Comments

  1. caroline addison says

    June 10, 2015 at 11:49 pm

    I 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! 🙂

    Reply

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Welcome. I'm Alea!

On Premeditated Leftovers I share simple recipes made with whole foods, practical shopping tips, time saving techniques, and meal planning strategies. I also share tips for minimizing food waste, so more of the food that is purchased ends up on the table.

While volunteering as a budget counselor, I realized that food is the element of most people’s budgets where they have the greatest control. I set out to develop low-cost recipes from scratch to prove it’s possible to create delicious meals on a limited budget. Eating well while spending less is about more than just creating recipes using inexpensive ingredients; it’s about creatively combining ingredients so you don’t feel deprived and are inspired to stick to your budget.

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