Rock Painting Trend moves across the United States because of Northeast Ohio Rocks!

Northeast Ohio Rocks! painted rocks have been found across the United States and around the World in 80+ foreign places. 

Kindness can spread just a rapidly as hate as long as we continue to be aware of what and how we share with people.  You can put more positivity into the World by painting and hiding rocks. Be productive and create. Hide and share to create smiles and chain reactions of kindness. It makes a difference. 

The world is not changed by our own personal opinions or beliefs. We make the world a better place by creating small acts of kindness that others are inspired to pass on. It only takes one person, YOU, to begin a chain reaction of kindness. Rock painting groups join people in a community with a common goal to create and share random acts of kindness one painted rock at a time because together we can do more than we can do alone. We paint with a purpose to make someone else's day better.  

Recently, Northeast Ohio Rocks! posted their sixth set of a Northeast Ohio Rocks! painted rocks found in every single state across the United States. Six! That is SENSATIONAL. From Alabama to Wyoming, they have traveled to every single state just to brighten someone's day. 

Our rocks have been found in every single state and those found painted rocks inspired other people to start groups in other communities in Ohio, across the United States and around the World. 

Known groups inspired by Northeast Ohio Rocks!


We estimate there are 5 million Northeast Ohio Rocks! that have have been painted by our members and hid to create smiles in Ohio, across the United States and around the World. 

Squires Castle, Ohio

Tidal Basin, Washington DC

South Africa

We are able to create more together when we set aside our differences of opinion and beliefs and come together for one purpose, to create and share kindness one painted rock at a time. The rocks are not meant to be bumper stickers or have agendas. They don't support causes.  They share kindness. That is their only platform. Kindness is meant for everyone, anyone. We never know who might find our rock or how their lives may be touched by that simple act of kindness. 

I wanted to create a way for all rock painting groups to come together to celebrate painting and hiding rocks. July 24th is Paint a Rock Hide a Rock Day. 

The rock is blue with a red heart. Why? The blue of the rock represents the world. Painting and hiding rocks to create smiles and to share kindness has spread around the world. The red heart represents the kindness we share when we unexpectedly brighten someone’s day. The rock is meant to be simple so that all ages and all abilities can participate and celebrate Paint a Rock Hide a Rock Day. Each person from the painter, finder, or re-hider add kindness to the rock through their touch and sharing. It’s a chain reaction of kindness.  Please paint a blue rock with a red heart. Or more, because in rock painting more is always better. 


How did Rock Painting make the World a better place? By creating smiles. When we smile we feel good. When we pass on that kindness others smile. Others become inspired to share kindness too. 

Our community based rock painting groups have inspired other groups and more people to paint rocks and hide rocks within their community. Schools are painting rocks, Assisted Living Centers are painting rocks and Libraries are painting rocks. 

Northeast Ohio Rocks! began in July 2016 inspired by Whidbey Island Rocks in Washington State. The very first community based rock painting group was Port Angeles Rocks also in the State of Washington. 

Read about how Northeast Ohio Rocks! started here

In February 2017, Northeast Ohio Rocks! received National attention on CBS This Morning. 

Many people and groups were inspired by our interview. By the Spring/Summer of 2017, rock painting had exploded across the United States. 

Northeast Ohio Rocks! has ROCKED the World. Creating and sharing random acts of kindness one painted rock at a time. 

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. 

"Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation 
of reward safe in the knowledge that one day 
someone might do the same for you." 

Princess Diana

Paint a Rock Hide a Rock to create smiles for the people in your community. You will find it changes your life too.

Rock Painting Ideas

Northeast Ohio Rocks! in all 50 States Volume 5

Northeast Ohio Rocks! You've done it again. Here is your 5th complete set of rocks in every state. 

Painted Rocks grew into a Nationwide movement during the summer of 2017.  It was a busy summer and more and more people were finding Northeast Ohio Rocks!

On July 20, 2017 I posted our very first complete set of Northeast Ohio Rocks! in every state.

You can see our first set here

By August 27, 2017 we had another complete set of Northeast Ohio Rocks! in every state.

You can see our second set here

It wasn't over yet.  People were still finding rocks during the fall that were hidden during the summer. 

By October 2, 2017 we had another complete set of Northeast Ohio Rocks! in every state. 

You can see our third set here


And, Yes! It has happened again.  On October 30, 2017, twice in one month, we had another complete set of Northeast Ohio Rocks! in every state. 

It is absolutely incredible how painted rocks have changed the way people share with each other across the United States and around the World. 

Here you go, your 5th complete set of Northeast Ohio Rocks! in every state. 

From painting rocks in libraries, in nursing homes, in schools and in our homes, Northeast Ohio Rocks! has changed the way we interact with others by creating and sharing smiles. The World needs something fun and wholesome to talk about and be a part of. Our group has many dedicated painters that have created these little kindness vessels and sent them on their journey to create smiles and a chain reaction of kindness. When you find a rock, pass it on.  It's journey is not over. It has many more smiles to make. You never know where it might be found next. Rock on!