Hiding & Seeking Painted Rocks: Easy, Fun, All-Ages Activity

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Kitsap Rocks was created as a fun way to connect all of the cities in Kitsap County, encourage art and creativity, and promote a sense of community among the citizens of all the beautiful towns that make up Kitsap. It was started earlier this year by a couple of homeschooling moms and has exploded into a local phenomenon.

Since it launched in May 2016 the Kitsap Rocks Facebook group has grown to more than 6,600 members. A Port Orchard Rocks (#POR) Facebook group was created in mid-June 2016 and has more than 3,400 members. A Bremerton Rocks Facebook group also started in June 2016. There's Bainbridge Island Rocks, South Kitsap Rocks, and PNW Rocks, too. All the groups are growing daily. And there are many more beyond Kitsap County.

Want to join the fun?

It’s easy!

The painting, the hiding, and the finding are all-ages activities! Plus, hiding and seeking are affordable and something to do during these dog days of summer…. and beyond.

 
Paint anything you want on a rock (like a positive message or a picture or design). You and your kids can use acrylic paint, paint pens, or a Sharpie permanent marker to decorate your rocks. Seal it (see examples below) so the paint doesn’t wash off from rain or dew. Also because of the environment, Kitsap Rocks strives to be environmentally conscious.

Then hide it somewhere in a public place in Kitsap County knowing you will bring a smile to someone’s face when they discover it.

You can utilize your "rocks" Facebook group of choice to post a picture with a hint to your hiding spot to guide people to the treasure.

Families are finding an abundance of decorated rocks all across Kitsap County. You can choose to keep the ones you find, or rehide them because they are considered gifts to our community.

If you decide to partake in a community-wide “Rocks” program, there are just a few rules:

• Do not take plain rocks from parks that do not allow it. If you are unsure it is best to contact that parks department. If in doubt, leave it.
• Do not leave rocks in state or national parks, as it is not allowed. And, if you plan on hiding a rock at a business, it is best to ask first.
• Be careful not to leave rocks in grassy areas maintained by groundskeepers, as they may damage mowers (and your rock!).
• Seal your decorated rock to avoid rain washing the paint off the rock and into the environment. Examples of sealing products include Krylon Matte Finish (sets quick and has a satin finish), Krylon Crystal Clear (dries shiny, but takes longer to set and you need to be careful of bubbles), or Mod Podge matte finish.

A document on the Kitsap Rocks Facebook page offers families these Painting Tips:

• A layer of white paint underneath your design helps make the colors on top more visible.
• Adding text might be easier with a paint pen than a brush.
• A hair dryer is helpful to speed up the drying time between layers and colors.
• If you make a mistake, it’s easy to fix. After it dries, just paint over it!
• Dotting tools make perfectly round dots.
• A minimum of 2 sealer coats is best.
• YouTube has lots of rock painting videos!