Do you need some extra inspiration to get outside? Join the #Rocks craze. Last year a great new fad was started: Paint some rocks, then hide them in the park. Children from all over New Zealand and beyond, participated in their first self-created, perpetual Easter egg hunt.

It's a great activity for both wet and fine weather and the kids will concentrate for hours, carefully planning and painting their rocks. It's also an opportunity for a random act of kindness, creating beautiful rocks to surprise and delight the strangers who find them.  

Many people have taken to social media to spread the word. For recent hidings in the great Tauranga area, you can join Tauranga Rocks on Facebook. If you're not on social media, do it anyway.  We've found painted rocks in surprising places - on Mount Taranaki and up trees in local parks.  We've randomly placed painted rocks all over the country and sent some over to Canada to continue the fun.

Ready to get started? 

Equipment & Supplies

  • Rocks to paint. We use rocks that are supposed to be lining our garden steps.
  • Newspaper to protect the table. Tape it down so it doesn't move around.  
  • A piece of cardboard or a plastic lid for palettes. One per person. This prevents the pots of paint from mixing.
  • Paint brushes.
  • A cup of rinse water.  One per person to avoid reach and spill disasters.
  • Paint.
  • Sealer so that paint doesn't wash off.  

Most combinations of paint (tempera or acrylic) and sealant (acrylic, enamel, modge podge) will work. We use tempera paint and sealed with clear acrylic. You don't need to seal the paint if you use nail polish to paint the rocks.  

Instructions

  1. Find a rock to paint.
  2. Set up your paint station.
  3. Paint the rocks.
  4. Let them dry.
  5. Seal the rocks as per the instructions on the can.
  6. Hide the rocks in a safe place.  

That's it!  Adults, be sure to paint some rocks yourself.  Even if you're not an artiste, it's fun and relaxing.  Hours of creative fun for you and the kids!