In the world of children, everything is full of wonder. A stone is not just a stone. For the rock hound of any age, this is true as well. Collecting rocks of the plain or semi precious variety and possibly running them through a rotary rock tumbler to polish them is an activity that will suit any age and all levels. As a kid’s hobby, collecting is a fun way to learn about nature and the earth. This hobby will make kids learn about principles of geology, mineralogy, petrology, and generally about disciplines in earth science in a fun practical way.
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Going out on field trips to collect the stones to use in their rotary rock tumbler is an added fun activity for kids. Kids would embark on a visual and tactile discovery, with bits of instructive data dropped in here and there. Tools and kits for the young hound in search of something to fill his rotary rock tumbler with are also tailor made to size. Hammers, chisels, picks, magnifiers or hand lenses, bags, and kits all have it in small size. Collecting seems to be a popular hobby for kids.
Through the hobby of collecting them, young enthusiasts will learn that rocks are composed of different minerals. The natural processes which these minerals were subjected to for a long period are what characterize them as stones. Determining the kinds of minerals and the process of stone formationa are important steps in classifying them. Impurities within give each their distinctive designs, their interesting streaks and colors. Textures also depend on these factors. Kids will learn first hand about certain stones, what they look like, and if they would be a good candidate for their rotary rock tumbler or not. There are many kinds, but the common ones that should be in a collection are the igneous such as the the granite, the basalt, the obsidian, the pumice, the pyroxene, the olivine, the volcanic tuff, the gabbro, the felsite, the dunite, and the diorite. Sedimentary are the sandstone, the limestone, the shale, the coal, the chert, the breccia, the rock salt, the iron ore, the siltstone, and the conglomerate. Metamorphic are composed of the gneiss, the dolomite marble, the limestone marble, the greenstone, the schist, the slate, the soapstone, the quartzite, and the serpentine.
While kids are learning about the identification and classification of their collection, an important lesson in the geologic formation of the earth is automatically realized. Collecting stones and possibly running them through a rotary rock tumbler gives them a chance to learn about and experience the environment. Having their own tools teaches them to clean and store and responsibly care for things. The act of recording and classifying organizes thought processes. The end product is a collection that they have worked for themselves. It will be a thing to be proud of. The young scientist can have it displayed and showed off to relatives and visitors as a source of personal pride in a job well done.
Other similar hobbies for kids that involve the activity of collecting are stamp and coin collecting, fossil, mineral, and shell collecting, insect collecting, comic book collecting, toy collecting which includes marbles, dolls, action figures, and miniature die cast cars. These can all teach the young one about collecting, classifying, organizing, and maintaining. A collection of plain, precious, or semi precious stones is unique because it is affordable and easy to put up but truly worth every effort. The excitement of the treasure hunt when looking for a new addition for that rotary rock tumbler just can't be beat.