Social media phenomena sparks new social distancing activity

Social distancing is very important in the fight to stop the spread of COVID-19, but it can be hard for communities to stay engaged when they’re all cooped up.

On Saturday, March 21, Krista Wynes, a woman from Galesburg, Illinois, shared a post on Facebook that she thought was a great way to unite her community and give kids a fun thing to do during social distancing. She also shared the post with a local Facebook group, Galesburg Rocks.

Galesburg Rocks was a part of a similar movement years earlier, where kids would paint rocks and hide them around the community for others to find. Krista thought that the rock hunters would also be interested in hunting hearts while practicing social distance.

The post has been viewed in all 50 states and 11 foreign countries.

The whole idea of this movement is to cut hearts out of paper, gift wrap, cardboard, or anything laying around the house and put the hearts in a front window or display.

It has become a scavenger hunt for kids. Parents will take their children on walks or on drives to look for these hearts in windows. Some people have created elaborate displays in their windows, creating monkeys or dinosaurs out of paper hearts.

Wynes has started a Facebook group dedicated to promoting the idea of heart hunting and other social distancing activities, fittingly called “Heart Hunters”. Now, Wynes’ group has over 41,000 members just days after its creation.

All that is needed to participate is cut out some hearts and put them in a front window for passersby to see. Some people have written names on their hearts or uplifting messages.

Check out their Facebook Page.