You are walking outside and look down to see this fun colorful painted rock. How does it make you feel? That feeling is the whole purpose of kindness rocks. They make the perfect kid’s craft because they are not only fun to make, but it teaches kids to spread love and joy. It teaches them to do something selfless for the happiness of others.

Every year, or a couple times a year, we get all of our kids together and paint kindness rocks. Usually, we like to get them all painted and placed in the spring. People are outside, the sun is shining, and it is a nice entry to beautiful weather.

The whole premise behind kindness rocks is that you paint rocks, place them outside, and as people find them, they spread joy. There are a lot of social media pages dedicated to kindness rocks too. You can paint a hashtag on the back so that people can post them on social media. Some people also urge you to hide the rock in a new location when you find it. Some of these rocks travel all around the world!

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How To Paint Them

There are several different ways to gather the materials to make kindness rocks. You can buy rock painting kits that include everything (even the rocks). Or you can use rocks from outside and the craft materials that you already have. It can be fun to take the kids outside and hunt for good painting rocks. Here are all the materials you will need:

• Rocks (usually somewhat smooth rocks work best)
• Craft Paint
• Paint Brushes
• Weatherproof Topcoat
• Extras: paint markers, stickers, google eyes, glue, or glitter

Now that you have your materials, you can begin painting. There are a ton of examples that you can find online (check pinterest) or use the instructions in the kits. But it’s always fun to let your kids get creative and paint what they love. Bugs, rainbows, funny faces, inspirational messages, and animals are all great ideas! They can also paint their initials, your family name, a hashtag, or something fun on the back.

After you paint all of your rocks, you will spray them with the topcoat. This is an important step to keep them protected from the outside. This will make the paint stay for years!

Wait for them to fully dry and then plan a time to go spread them around. You can put them out in your neighborhood, at local parks, at public places, or along any walking trail. Be sure not to “hide” them. After all, you want people to find them.

That’s it! That is all you have to do to spread a little love and joy in your community. I hope you enjoy your experience and make it a regular activity in your home.

If you are looking for more crafts to do, with the kids, check out my post with three fun craft ideas.

-Kristy M., Mommy to Many