Collection Project Ideas for Kids

Why Collecting is a Good Idea

• Collecting can be educational and expressive for kids. It is a creative endeavor from the beginning. Kids can choose on their own what they want to collect. Each item in their collection will tell a story, either about where they got the item or about the history of the item itself. Depending on the collection, many things can be learned about the objects. Some collections may teach kids about the world around them or about history. Collections also help kids become and remain organized. They give the kids something to share with others and it can make them feel important or like an expert on their particular collection.

Rocks

• Rocks is one of the most popular types of collections. It is easy to begin and there are always more specimens to find. Collections can start small with rocks found around the house and then expand to different search locations. They can even be arranged by location, color or type. Some rocks have fossils, which can be a very informative and fascinating type of rock collection.Gathering rocks is free and allowed in most places. Inexpensive guidebooks are available to help identify rocks.

Stamps

• Stamp collecting is another popular collection activity for adults and children. Stamps are printed in endless designs that may interest kids, and many stamps depict historically or culturally significant people, places or events. There are many ways to arrange a collection, and new stamps are always as close by as the local post office. Misprinted stamps or stamps that are from a batch with few left in existence are considered rare. While rare stamps can be expensive, they are also exciting for children to find. Kids can decide to start a specific type of stamp collection that includes only stamps of famous people, animals, places or events. They may choose to collect only commemorative stamps, definitive stamps or international stamps.

Coins

• A coin collection can be exciting for children, not only because of the different designs, shapes and pictures printed on coins around the world, but because they are usually worth money. Coins are a form of money, and some coins gain value and become worth more than their face value. Kids can try to put together a collection of commemorative quarters of all 50 states or collect coins minted in other countries. They may also opt to create a collection of coins no longer in circulation. A coin collection started by a child may be worth considerable money in the future if it is maintained.