Rocks come in a variety of shapes, colors, and textures that make them fun to look at and hold. Collecting rocks is an inexpensive hobby, even if the occasional rock comes from a bin in a gift shop. Rock collectors of all ages are called “rock hounds.” Below are a few activities for junior rock hounds.
Collect the Rocks
Find rocks in your backyard, at parks and playgrounds, at the beach, in the decorative gravel around stores, and anywhere out in nature. A rock can be a great memento of a vacation spot. Avoid collecting a rock larger than your fist, as it may hold soil in place to prevent erosion.
Sort the Rocks
After building a collection of at least a dozen rocks, explore all the different ways you can categorize your collection. Arrange the rocks from largest to smallest. Group the rocks by color. Sort the rocks by texture. Make this a rainy day activity.
Display Your Rocks
Create a display in your bedroom. Use a placemat that will protect the furniture while creating a background for the collection. Avoid showing off every rock you own at one time, even museums don’t exhibit everything at once. Change the display on a regular basis, perhaps using one of the categories listed in the previous activity. Find a special spot outdoors to make a rock garden when indoors is no longer enough.
Create a Rock Collection
Save egg cartons so you can organize your rocks. Include a slip of paper in each section that lists the collection site.
Look at Rock Displays
Visit a local museum with a rock and mineral display. You can also quest around for nature centers that may have a rock collection that you can view.
Learn to Identify Rocks
Go to the junior library to borrow rock and mineral identification books. Identifying rocks is harder than naming birds or trees since you can’t categorize rocks by appearance alone. The science section of a toy store or museum gift shop might carry a rock and mineral identification kit that will help you perform simple tests to classify your collection.
Make a Paperweight
Break out the art supplies and paint a picture on a smooth, fist-sized rock. Acrylics offer the brightest colors. Permanent markers allow for detail. Have some fun and glue on wiggly eyes, sequins, feathers, or pompoms. Give these paperweights as gifts.
Play Some Rock Games
You’ll need at least one rock hound friend or sibling with whom to play these games.
- Players set several of their pebbles in front of them. One player lists details about one of her pebbles and the other player tries to identify the described rock. Alternate roles.
- A player selects one rock that he explores with his sense of touch. Then he closes his eyes while another player hands him, one at a time, different pebbles. Can the player identify his rock by its texture and size?
- One player sets down five to seven rocks, noting aloud something unique about each rock. That player covers the rocks with a bandana, slips her hand under the cloth to remove one of the rocks and then pulls off the bandana. The other player describes the missing rock.
There are many things that can be done with a rock collection from making displays and learning to identify rocks, to playing rock games and using rocks in craft projects. Okay, Rock Hound, now pull out your collection – or start one today – and have fun exploring this part of nature with these activities.
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