Free local game which has been a godsend to parents over summer

(all images supplied by Gayle Cope)

A colourful new craze has been sweeping through Ealing and is delighting children and parents alike.

Ealing Rock Drop is an inventive community based FREE game which has been set up by local mum of 3, Gayle Cope who lives in Hanwell.

The idea is that rocks are decorated and 'hidden' in diifferent locations around Ealing, in parks and on roads clues are given and the finder can then either keep or re-hide them - posting on a specially set up Facebook page.

Gayle got the idea from a friend in Australia when she was on the lookout for activities to keep her kids entertained over the longer summer vacation.

The rocks can be decorated with paints, pens and 'hot rocks' is a technique in which they are heated and crayons melted over (this must be done with supervision).

Gayle says her 8 year old son and 5 year old twin daughters have totally got into the swing of it:

'' Bizarrely they loved cleaning the rocks and becuase I felt a bit responsible for this being ' a thing to do' I did go and buy a couple of sacks of river cobbles at the start to increase the hunting stock and was amazed that two full afternoons of factory style washing, scrubbing, rinsing and drying were ' in order'.

'' I'd say their second favourite thing is watching other people finding their treasure both on facebook and when a rock is held aloft by a tiny victorious hand and when we are in the park having a rest and see another family hot on the trail of one of our clues. When my daughter whispered ' Mummy, they are getting hotter, and she was jigging her knees about in anticipation, that warmed my heart.''

The idea has really taken off and there are more than 500 enthusiastic members on the Ealing Rock Hunters Facebook Group now.

Mary Horesh from the Ealing 135 group says: '' Rock hunting is a lovely way to get to around our area as you can plot your walk, looking for rocks on the way. The look of happiness on the kids faces when we find a rock. Also its brought out the creative side in many parents and some rocks have become very desirable.''

And Jessica Wilson, says the game has been great for her 2 boys who need to be outdoors a lot: '' It makes a walk in Ealing fun and adventurous for children. Ealing rocks!'

Although it was initially set up for the summer Gayle says the game could now run and run.

'' Well when I set this up I thought it'd be for the summer if it had even those legs but members are already mentioning their ideas for Hallowween, Christmas and even Easter. I'm happy to run with it as long as there is interest.''

You can join the Ealing Rockers via the Ealing Rock Hunters Facebook page which can be found here.

Happy Hunting!

23rd August 2017