Northeast Ohio Rocks!: How did Painted Rocks become a Movement

Painted Rocks spread across the United States and became a "movement" during the Spring/Summer of 2017. There was an explosion of painted rocks being found. Each time a painted rock is found it creates a smile and a chain reaction of kindness. Painted rocks inspire the finders to pass on their good vibes to others. Kindness is meant to be shared but we had lost our way and the painted rocks have changed that.

What made the Rock Painting Movement so amazing? Kindness did. It feels good to share kindness. It feels good to receive kindness. Painted Rocks create smiles and smiles are contagious. Rehiding Painted Rocks create a chain reaction of kindness.

The very first community based "rocks" painting group was Port Angeles Rocks started by Aisha Lesh in Port Angeles Washington in January 2016. The Pacific Northwest is a beautiful place. She and her family with small children would take walks. As kids do, they would find a rock and place it in their pocket. Soon there were many rocks. Aisha wondered what to do with all the rocks that had been collected. She decided to paint them.

Step by Step Instructions. How to Paint Rocks!

Now she had many painted rocks. She decided they would return the rocks to the wild. On future walks she noticed the painted rocks were missing and she wondered where they had gone. She started Port Angeles Rocks, and so it began.

Port Angeles Rocks Facebook Group

Our community based "rocks" painting groups involve the community. The idea around our community based rock painting groups is to create and share random acts of kindness to unexpectedly brighten someone’s day but our days and lives have been changed too. Most are Facebook Groups not Pages. Our finders are involved. They post their found rocks to the Facebook group identified on the label. They become painters and hiders. Many people in other areas were so moved by the moment and idea they created their own groups in their own communities. And, this is how rock painting spread across the United States.

Whidbey Island Rocks located in Washington State was inspired by Port Angeles Rocks as many other groups were. The Darnell family created Whidbey Island Rocks in June of 2016. Whidbey Island Rocks has also been the inspiration for many people to start groups in their communities.

Whidbey Island Rocks Facebook Group

Northeast Ohio Rocks! was inspired by Whidbey Island Rocks.

Northeast Ohio Rocks! Facebook Group

Northeast Ohio Rocks! began July 24, 2016 at the request of my daughter in law. My son was stationed at Oak Harbor, Washington on Whidbey Island and was deployed to Afghanistan when my daughter in law became involved with Whidbey Island Rocks and suggested I create a group in Northeast Ohio.

You can read about How Northeast Ohio Rocks! started here

At two years old, Northeast Ohio Rocks! has become the largest rock painting group in the World. Our accomplishments are AMAZING!

This last week alone we completed our sixth set of Northeast Ohio Rocks! painted rocks (a current posted rock) being found in every single State.

This last week we reached 211,000 members.

Not only are our rocks found in every state but, to date, they have been found in 80+ foreign places. Imagine for a moment the amount of rocks it takes to reach this accomplishment. Many people have not found a painted rock. We reach new finders each and every day right here in Northeast Ohio.

We estimate there are 5 million Northeast Ohio Rocks! painted rocks hidden in Ohio, across the United States and around the World.

Why should you paint rocks? It's fun! It's a way to connect as a family away from the electronics. Families are sitting around tables painting rocks, creating, talking...connecting. When you paint rocks you are creating and it has been scientifically proven being creative is good for you.

When you hide rocks you are out in the fresh air be it a warm, summer day or a cool, brisk fall day, your body is loving it. And, you are experiencing your surroundings, connecting with your community. Many people have been introduced to new places because a painted rock has been posted at a place they had never heard of.

Northeast Ohio Family Fun is a great resource for finding family activities and places to visit in Northeast Ohio.

“Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly,

is a way to make your soul grow” - Kurt Vonnegut

It feels good to be creative and even better to create smiles and chain reactions of kindness by sharing. It’s incredible to be a part of something that makes a difference in all our lives and the World.