A beginner’s guide to making kindness rocks and spreading the gift of art with others
Ok, I recently discovered the fun “secret” world of kindness rocks – or more so- the kindness rock hide-and-seek game that thousands of people all over the world participate in and enjoy. It’s interactive, it’s engaging, and it helps spread smiles with kind, merry messages.
What is a kindness rock?
It’s a rock that is painted with images and/or kind quotes that inspire and help spread positivity to others. They are hidden in public places for passersby to find, enjoy, and hide again for others to seek! It’s basically a mashup of pet-rocks with geocaching!
So after some research, I wanted to jump into this fun activity and be a part of a bigger, community of positivity through art.
Thus, for your amusement and reference, I outlined the steps you can take to get started on making and hiding your own kindness rocks:
Step 1. Grab a bag and go outside!
Whether you have a house bustling with energetic children, or are looking for a fun activity to do with your friends or significant other, taking time to go outside and hunt for rocks is a pretty great activity! You spend some time in the great outdoors with the people you love!
Step 2. Look for rocks that are relatively smooth and flat
Well, this is pretty straightforward, but pretty important to remember! The smoother your rock surface, the easier it will be to apply your paint without unnecessary bumps and messy splotches.
…and believe me, you’ll really appreciate a smooth, flat surface! Save your sanity and take your time finding the right type of rock!
Step 3. Wash the rocks and lightly sand for a smoother surface
If your rock is anywhere near nature, it’ll sure as heck have dirt, sand, (and bugs!) on it. So, do yourself and your brushes a favor and give your rock a lovely little scrub bath with a paper towel, soap and water.
For added smoothness, lightly sand the surface of your rock and lightly wipe with a towel to remove any residue.
Step 4. Grab acrylic or outdoor acrylic paint, a few brushes, a lovely kind message, and get to work!
If you are on the hunt for good outdoor paint, look for self-sealing, scuff-resistant paint – which will ensure your creation will remain vibrant and clear no matter what Mother Nature decides to throw at it. Since I had my Arteza outdoor acrylic paints lying around, I decided to use these for my rock paintings.
Read More: Are Arteza outdoor acrylic paints worth it?
What if you only have acrylic paint? That’s is totally ok too! You will need to seal your rock surface after your painting is done.
Looking for a good motivation saying? Click to jump to my list of 40 sayings in this blog post!
Step 5. Seal your painted surface with modge podge (only applicable if using regular acrylic paint)
Step 6. Once dried, go back outside and look for good rock hideouts!
Now comes the super fun part! Hiding your kindness rocks for others to stumble upon and find! This is pretty simple in concept, but here are just a few tips to help you find the best spots!
If you want to avoid your rocks being tossed or mishandled, look for areas where your rock will generally remain undisturbed and visible for curious passers-by.
For example, hiding rocks in state parks or along rocky wall formations would be great choices, whereas hiding a rock near a tree in a public location may get disturbed when maintenance workers need to mow the grass or do other landscaping tasks. Just food for thought!
In addition, you can also hide your rocks in local and not-so-local places.
Traveling somewhere? Hide your kindness rock there! Love and kindness know no bounds -and what counts is you are spreading the love and the smiles to others!
Also, if you aren’t already, join an online group of fellow kindness rock creators and seekers! This is a great place to post your hidden rocks, give clues, AND look for other rocks posted by other members in the community.
Soon enough, you got a great activity you can do anywhere and everywhere you go!
40 Sayings To Use For Your Kindness Rocks
- hakuna mutata
- be a light for others
- you are strong
- be kind to others
- you are beautiful
- love yourself
- be yourself
- be kind to you
- good day, sunshine
- choose to shine
- clear your mind of can’t
- don’t let your dreams be dreams
- you are built to be epic
- I can go the distance
- make it happen
- believe in yourself
- you have greatness within you
- live laugh love
- be positive
- stronger than yesterday
- be brave
- you can do anything
- shoot for the moon
- life is short, break the rules
- work hard, dream big
- nothing is out of reach
- enjoy the day
- you are loved
- live and let live
- hi beautiful
- don’t forget to smile
- love is endless
- don’t ever stop trying
- chase your dreams
- let happiness in
- oh how far you’ll go
- never say never
- accept any challenge
- you have greatness within you
- don’t worry, be happy
Feel free to use these or adapt them to make them your own!
What will your next kindness rock be? Have you ever done one before? Comment below and let me know!
