treasure rocks

the children and i made treasure rocks. a simple, messy craft. the dough dries and truly does look like a real rock. stick a treasure inside (we chose a quarter), let it dry, give it to a friend to crack open with the message below (and the recipe). we made a dozen or so for eli's friends at barn school. 

the result.  

mixing.

rolling.

shaping. 

sister waiting patiently to put the quarter in.

let them dry. 

clean up the mess. 

treasure rocks recipe

1 cup flour (we used whole wheat. not because i was trying to make a healthy rock, it's just all i had)

1 cup used coffee grounds

1/2 cup salt

1/4 cup sand (we stole this from the park. surely it's not truly stealing since my kids end up leaving the sand box with 1/4 cup of sand in each shoe anyways. right?)

1/4-1/2 cup water

mix all the dry ingredients together. slowly add the water to make a stiff dough; you might end up using only half the water. add it slowly or your dough will be too runny.

knead on a floured surface until fairly smooth. break the dough into desired rock sizes. hide toys and surprises in the center of the ball of dough. set in a safe place until totally dry. at least 3-4 days. 

break open the homemade rocks with a hammer to reveal the hidden treasure inside. 

makes approximately 10 rocks. 

story behind the treasure rock

it was march and the day was warm, cloudy with occasional light sprinkles. a perfect day for pulling those stubborn weeds out of the garden. while working in the garden, i noticed a rainbow, it ended behind the barn. 

i remembered the legend of old, how if you follow the rainbow you will find a pot of gold where it ends. the leprechauns are in charge of all this magic and are known for their mischievous ways. but full of hope, i grabbed my shovel and headed for the barn. 

there under an old oak tree sat a leprechaun on a big pot of rocks. laughing he said, "enjoy your treasure," and he vanished. to say the least, i was disappointed. taking my shovel in angry frustration, i hit the pile of rocks and one broke open. wait, what was that? it glittered and sparkled in the sunlight. a surprise! 

i am sharing my treasure with you. see what the leprechaun hid in your rock. 

happy st. patrick's day!