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How to Skip Rocks Download Article Co-authored by Hunter Rising
Last Updated: February 19, 2026 Fact Checked
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Finding the Right Location and Rock
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Throwing the Stone
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This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Hunter Rising is a wikiHow Staff Writer based in Los Angeles. He has more than three years of experience writing for and working with wikiHow. Hunter holds a BFA in Entertainment Design from the University of Wisconsin - Stout and a Minor in English Writing. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 335,488 times. Learn more...
Skipping rocks is a fun outdoor pastime that you can do without any special equipment. In order to bounce off the surface of the water, you need to find a smooth, flat rock and quickly flick your wrist forward. After a little bit of practice, you'll be able to skip rocks like a pro!
Steps
Part 1 Part 1 of 2:
Finding the Right Location and Rock
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1 Go to a large body of water when the weather is calm. Visit a pond or lake at a time when there are no waves. In order for your rock to skip, the water needs to be flat and calm. Try to find an area with rocky shore so you have a better chance of finding a stone you can skip.[1]XResearch source
Oceans aren't the best locations to skip rocks unless it's a very calm day.
2 Look for a flat, smooth stone near the water. Try to find rocks that easily fit in your palm and weigh less than a tennis ball. The thinner the rocks are, the easier they will bounce across the surface of the water. Keep looking for rocks until you collect 10 or more so you don't have to look for new ones after each throw.[2]XResearch source
Bring rocks that you find around your home if you're worried about looking for rocks near the water.
Experiment with different thicknesses and weights to see what kind of rock works best for you.
Tip: Opt for a triangular stone if you can find one. Flat triangular rocks are more stable than perfectly round rocks.
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3 Hold the stone between your thumb and middle finger. Clench the middle finger, ring finger, and pinkie on your dominant hand so you're making a partial fist. Set the rock on top of your middle finger and hold it firmly in place with thumb.
4 Hook your index finger around the edge of the rock. Firmly wrap your index finger around the rock. Your index finger adds spin to the rock once you throw it to help it skip across the water's surface.[3]XResearch source
Make sure your thumb is on top of the rock rather that wrapped around it.
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Throwing the Stone
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1 Face the water at a slight angle with your arm low to the ground. Stand with your non-dominant arm facing the water so your body is at a 15-degree angle. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Extend your dominant arm at your side and hold the rock parallel to the ground.[4]XResearch source
2 Bring your arm and wrist behind you. Move your arm so it's behind your body, still keeping the rock parallel to the ground. Make sure your chest and shoulders are still facing the water. Bend your wrist backward so it's at a 90-degree angle to your arm.[5]XResearch source
Take your time with the backswing and follow through the first time you try skipping rocks. Over time, you'll be able to skip rocks in one fluid motion.
3 Throw your arm out in front of you and release the rock when it's in front of your body. Bend your knees as you move your dominant arm in front of your body. Flick your wrist at the end of your throw and let go of the rock so it spins off your index finger and lands parallel to the water. The spinning will help the rock bounce off the water's surface so it skips multiple times.[6]XResearch source
Rocks skip across the water because they form a cavity when they first impact the surface. The flat bottom of the rock rides along the angle of the cavity, sending it airborne again so it can skip.[7]XResearch source
Don't try and throw hard. Instead, try to throw your arm quickly.
If your rock doesn't skip the first time you try, take your time to readjust your form and try again. Practice makes perfect!
Tip: Try shifting your weight onto your back foot on your backswing, and then back to your front foot when you throw the rock. This can add more power to your throw, similar to a baseball pitch.
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Community Q&A
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Question Are we supposed to spin the stone while throwing? Community Answer Yes. It should have a good horizontal spin so it can skip across the water. Try letting it spin off your index finger when throwing. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 14 Helpful 78
Question Would it be possible to use large, flat clamshells? Vampireyuki Community Answer You can use anything as long as it has a similar shape and weight, but then it wouldn't be skipping rocks. It'd be skipping clamshells. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 19 Helpful 46
Question What is the best kind of rock to skip? Community Answer Smooth, flat rocks or rocks with a small grip. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 16 Helpful 47
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Warnings
Don't intentionally throw rocks at people or wildlife. Thanks Helpful 10 Not Helpful 22
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Co-authored by: Hunter Rising wikiHow Staff Writer This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Hunter Rising is a wikiHow Staff Writer based in Los Angeles. He has more than three years of experience writing for and working with wikiHow. Hunter holds a BFA in Entertainment Design from the University of Wisconsin - Stout and a Minor in English Writing. This article has been viewed 335,488 times. 50 votes - 81% Co-authors: 44Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 335,488 Categories: Featured Articles | Enjoying the Great OutdoorsArticle SummaryX
To skip rocks, start by finding flat, smooth stones you can throw. Once you've found some stones, hold one between your thumb and middle finger and hook your index finger around the edge of it. Then, face a body of water with your knees bent and your dominant arm low to the ground. When you're ready, bring your arm and wrist back and throw your arm out in front of you, flicking your wrist as you let go of the rock. Make sure you keep the rock parallel to the ground as you throw it. To learn how to choose the best rocks for skipping, read on!Did this summary help you?YesNo
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Anonymous
Jul 16, 2018
"I knew how but I needed to try a new technique to skip rocks on a river. It worked. " Rated this article:
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Hunter Rising wikiHow Staff Writer Co-authors: 44Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 335,48881% of readers found this article helpful. 50 votes - 81% Click a star to add your vote
Anonymous
Jul 16, 2018
"I knew how but I needed to try a new technique to skip rocks on a river. It worked. " Rated this article:
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Jul 11, 2016
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Download Article Co-authored by Hunter Rising 
Water Bottle Flipping Challenge: Here's How to Flip a Bottle Perfectly Every Time 
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Co-authored by: Hunter Rising wikiHow Staff Writer This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Hunter Rising is a wikiHow Staff Writer based in Los Angeles. He has more than three years of experience writing for and working with wikiHow. Hunter holds a BFA in Entertainment Design from the University of Wisconsin - Stout and a Minor in English Writing. This article has been viewed 335,488 times. 50 votes - 81% Co-authors: 44 Updated: February 19, 2026 Views: 335,488 Categories: Featured Articles | Enjoying the Great Outdoors Article SummaryX
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1 Go to a large body of water when the weather is calm. Visit a pond or lake at a time when there are no waves. In order for your rock to skip, the water needs to be flat and calm. Try to find an area with rocky shore so you have a better chance of finding a stone you can skip.[1] 
2 Look for a flat, smooth stone near the water. Try to find rocks that easily fit in your palm and weigh less than a tennis ball. The thinner the rocks are, the easier they will bounce across the surface of the water. Keep looking for rocks until you collect 10 or more so you don't have to look for new ones after each throw.[2] 
3 Hold the stone between your thumb and middle finger. Clench the middle finger, ring finger, and pinkie on your dominant hand so you're making a partial fist. Set the rock on top of your middle finger and hold it firmly in place with thumb. 
4 Hook your index finger around the edge of the rock. Firmly wrap your index finger around the rock. Your index finger adds spin to the rock once you throw it to help it skip across the water's surface.[3] 
1 Face the water at a slight angle with your arm low to the ground. Stand with your non-dominant arm facing the water so your body is at a 15-degree angle. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Extend your dominant arm at your side and hold the rock parallel to the ground.[4] 
2 Bring your arm and wrist behind you. Move your arm so it's behind your body, still keeping the rock parallel to the ground. Make sure your chest and shoulders are still facing the water. Bend your wrist backward so it's at a 90-degree angle to your arm.[5] 
Community Answer Yes. It should have a good horizontal spin so it can skip across the water. Try letting it spin off your index finger when throwing. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 14 Helpful 78 
Vampireyuki Community Answer You can use anything as long as it has a similar shape and weight, but then it wouldn't be skipping rocks. It'd be skipping clamshells. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 19 Helpful 46 
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