Lena Rivera
The Kindness Rocks Project is a viral trend that involves people painting pebbles or cobbles and leaving them in public spaces for others to find. The project was started by Megan Murphy in 2015 on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Murphy, who had lost her parents in her early 20s, would look for heart-shaped rocks during her walks on the beach as a way to feel connected to them. She wrote You've got this on a rock and left it on the beach, and after a friend found it, she started leaving more rocks with inspirational messages. The project has since spread across the world, with people creating their own community groups to paint and hide rocks.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Originator | Megan Murphy |
| Year of origin | 2015 |
| Origin location | Cape Cod |
| Origin story | Megan Murphy wrote "You've got this" on a rock and left it on a beach on Cape Cod. Her friend found it and she started leaving more rocks with inspirational messages. |
| Purpose | To spread kindness and happiness |
| Target audience | Children |
| Social media platforms | Facebook, Instagram |
| Hashtags | #paintedrocks, #islastones |
| Facebook groups | Port Angeles Rocks, Northeast Ohio Rocks!, Whidbey Island Rocks |
| Number of members | 211,000 |
| International reach | 80+ countries |
| Holiday | International Drop a Rock Day on July 3 |
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What You'll Learn
The Kindness Rocks Project
The project quickly spread, with people sharing photos of the painted rocks and hints of their locations on Facebook groups. The trend originated in the US and has since spread to other countries, including the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Haiti. The project has many derivatives, but its core purpose remains unchanged: to spread kindness.
The rock-painting trend has also spread through community-based groups, such as Port Angeles Rocks, started by Aisha Lesh in Washington in 2016. These groups often involve families with children who enjoy collecting rocks on their walks and then painting and hiding them for others to find. The groups create a sense of community and connection, allowing people to experience their surroundings and connect with others through acts of kindness.
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Megan Murphy's story
Megan Murphy, a self-proclaimed "Kindness Activist, Women's Empowerment Coach, Meditation Instructor, and Creativity Enthusiast", founded the Kindness Rocks Project in 2015. Murphy, a resident of West Barnstable, Cape Cod, started the project after experiencing a difficult period in her life. During this time, she began walking on the beach, looking for guidance and inspiration. She realised that others walking on the same beach might be doing the same, so she wrote messages on five rocks and left them on the beach. One of her friends found one of these rocks and texted her a picture, saying that it had made her day.
Murphy was overwhelmed by the coincidence and decided to turn her idea into a movement with the goal of spreading hope and kindness. She continued to leave messages on rocks, collecting and painting about 200 a week that summer. She also began adding a hashtag on the back of the rocks, #thekindnessrocksproject, to increase their visibility and track their journey. The project quickly gained traction on social media, with Facebook and Instagram pages and a website soon following.
The Kindness Rocks Project is a viral trend where people, often children, paint pebbles or cobbles with inspiring messages and leave them for others to find and collect. Photos of the painted rocks and hints of their locations are shared on social media, encouraging people to join the movement. The project has since spread from the U.S. to other countries, including the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, and Haiti.
Murphy's goal for the project was simple: to "connect many" and to "inspire and empower others to join us in creating a kinder world". She wanted to spread a little hope and comfort to those who would see the rocks, with messages such as "Great things are headed your way" and "Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire". The project has inspired thousands of people to join her in her mission to make the world a kinder and more caring place.
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How it spread
The Kindness Rocks Project was started by Megan Murphy in 2015 on Cape Cod. She wrote "You've got this" on a rock and left it on a beach. After a friend found it, she started leaving more rocks with inspirational messages behind. The trend of painting rocks soon spread across the United States and other countries, including the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, and Haiti, through Facebook groups and word of mouth.
The first community-based "rocks" painting group was Port Angeles Rocks, started by Aisha Lesh in Port Angeles, Washington, in January 2016. She and her family would take walks and paint the rocks they found. They then returned the painted rocks to the wild, leaving them for others to find. This inspired other groups, such as Whidbey Island Rocks in Washington State, to start their own rock-painting initiatives.
Northeast Ohio Rocks!, inspired by Whidbey Island Rocks, became the largest rock-painting group in the world, with over 211,000 members. They have hidden painted rocks in every state in the U.S. and over 80 foreign places. The group also has a Facebook community where people can post their found rocks and participate in random acts of kindness.
The Kindness Rocks Project has also gained traction on Instagram, with people sharing their artwork and messages of hope and kindness. The movement encourages people to set up community inspiration gardens and has inspired other rock-painting movements, such as #Islastones, in support of a girl diagnosed with terminal cancer.
International Drop a Rock Day is an unofficial holiday celebrated on July 3, where people are encouraged to leave a painted rock in a public space.
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Facebook groups
The painted rock phenomenon can be traced back to a variety of sources, one of which is the influence of Facebook groups. These online communities played a significant role in popularizing rock painting and connecting people with similar interests. Here's how it happened:
As more people joined these Facebook groups, a sense of community and shared passion emerged. Members would post pictures of their painted rocks, provide tips and techniques, and share the joy they experienced through this creative outlet. The groups became a source of inspiration, with members encouraging each other to try new styles, themes, and ideas. Many artists found a sense of belonging and support within these online communities, fostering their continued interest and dedication to rock painting.
The groups also played a crucial role in spreading awareness and participation in rock-painting activities. Members would often post photos of rocks they had hidden in public places for others to find, a practice known as "rock dropping" or "rock hunting." This interactive aspect added an exciting dimension to the hobby, encouraging people to get outdoors and explore their communities while searching for hidden painted rocks.
As the popularity of these Facebook groups grew, local spin-offs began to emerge. Members would create regional or city-specific groups to connect with nearby rock painters, organize in-person meetups, and share hidden rock locations within their area. This sense of community extended beyond the virtual world, fostering real-life connections and a sense of collective creativity.
The influence of Facebook groups in propagating the painted rock trend cannot be overstated. They provided a platform for like-minded individuals to connect, share their passion, and inspire one another. The sense of community, encouragement, and interactive elements fostered by these groups contributed to the widespread engagement in rock painting. It transformed a simple hobby into a global movement that continues to bring joy and creativity to people of all ages.
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International Drop a Rock Day
Participants from around the world paint rocks with uplifting messages and leave them for others to find. The rocks are usually small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and are washed and scrubbed before being painted with bright colours and unlimited designs. The rocks are then hidden for others to find, spreading joy and inspiration. The rocks can also be shared on social media with the hashtag #DropARockDay.
The art of designing rocks to pass on special information is not new. It began tens of thousands of years ago with cave paintings and pictographs. However, the tradition of painting rocks and hiding them for others to find was popularised by Megan Murphy, who founded the Kindness Rocks Project. Murphy would look for heart-shaped rocks on walks on Cape Cod as a way to feel connected to her late parents. One day, she decided to write messages on rocks and leave them for others to find. When a friend texted her a picture of a rock with a message that had made her day, Murphy knew she wanted to spread this joy further.
Since then, rock-painting groups have emerged worldwide, with Port Angeles Rocks in Washington being the first community-based group, started by Aisha Lesh in 2016. These groups encourage people to create and share random acts of kindness and connect with their communities. Northeast Ohio Rocks!, for example, has become the largest rock-painting group in the world, with over 211,000 members and rocks hidden in every state in the US and 80+ foreign places.
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Frequently asked questions
The Kindness Rocks Project is a viral trend where people paint pebbles or cobbles and leave them in public spaces for others to find and collect. The project was started by Megan Murphy in 2015 on Cape Cod. The trend originated in the U.S. and has spread to other countries, including the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, and Haiti.
Megan Murphy lost her parents when she was in her early 20s. To feel a connection with them, she began looking for heart-shaped rocks and pieces of sea glass during her walks on the beaches of Cape Cod. One day, she wrote "You've got this" on a rock and left it on a beach. A friend found it and sent her a picture, which inspired Murphy to start the Kindness Rocks Project.
The first community-based rock-painting group was Port Angeles Rocks, started by Aisha Lesh in Port Angeles, Washington, in January 2016. Many people were inspired by this group and created their own rock-painting groups in their communities, spreading the trend across the country.
 Painting Rocks,2.23"-3.68" River Rocks,Flat Stones](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/615urLzlfUL._AC_UL320_.jpg)
