What is a Fairy Door?

fairy door as part of hide and seek rock game

As it relates to the hide-and-seek rock game (sometimes called Kindness Rocks), a fairy door is a rock trading post designed to look like a small fairy sized door!

Fairy doors are a great way to play the rock game if you want to find a rock but are not sure where to look - ideally, there will always be rocks at the fairy door (unless vandalism has occurred) so nobody goes home empty handed!


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How Does a Fairy Door Work?

A fairy door might be hidden in a secret location in the woods, disguised as something else or placed out in the open in a neighborhood park. When going to visit a fairy door, bring one of your best painted rocks with you. Choose your favorite rock from the fairy door to bring with you and leave your painted rock behind for the fairies.

How Do I Find a Fairy Door?

Most local rock painting groups keep track of where the fairy doors in their area are located. If you haven't yet found your local group, see How to Play the Hide and Seek Rock Game for information on finding your local group. Just ask in the group if they have a fairy door. Some groups keep a file with the location of all the doors in the area their group covers.

Fairy Door Examples

This door is hidden in the well of a tree and the rocks for exchange are behind it.
#ILovePaintedRocks.com

Other doors are simply against the tree marking the area and rocks are placed in front of the door.
Fairy door painted rocks


Fairy door painted rocks

These artists painted rocks to be the fairy doors. If you decide to do this, you may want to label your rock on the back so people know not to take it as part of the fairy door exchange.




Happy hunting!

About the Author:

Carissa is a lifelong crafter and mom of two creative boys. 

The owner and lead writer of both I Love Painted Rocks and Creative Green Living, she has won multiple awards for her craft writing including the Craftys Award for the "Best Craft Blogger" category in 2016 and the ShiftCon award for "Best DIY blogger" in 2018. 

Her projects have been featured in magazines like Kids Crafts 1-2-3, Country Sampler Farmhouse Style and more.

5 comments:

  1. Hello was wondering how to buy the white rocks from you. Thanks

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    1. Hi, Lana. I do not sell the white rocks myself - I get them from Home Depot. Click here to buy white rocks from Home Depot

      You can either order for delivery to your home or order for in-store pick up and you won't have to wander around looking for them - they bring the order up front and you can just walk in and pick it up!

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  2. Are there any cons to the fairy door such as someone taking all of the rocks, or not understanding the purpose or the city banning them?

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    Replies
    1. These things could definitely happen. Definitely do not set them up in State or National Parks (as painted rocks are banned there generally). I like to write my email address on the back of fairy doors so if people are confused or think it is garbage, they can contact me.

      I also think it is smart to set them up in a place that cannot be seen from trails, etc unless someone has gone specifically looking for it to keep it from beping stolen

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  3. Thank you for this post and your fantastic explanation. There is now an official Painted Rock Fairy Door group on Facebook that intends to be a nationwide roadmap of doors! Happy hunting!

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