Hobbies And Interests
Using Rock Tumblers
Water brings out hidden colors and patterns in many types of rocks. This is why rocks we find in rivers and on the beach look so much more interesting. Water also tends to smooth out the rocks through the process of erosion. Rock tumblers are machines that mimic the effects of water erosion, using grits to grind the rough edges from the rocks and then polishing agents to bring out the colors. Special tumblers are made for children that include the grit, polish and sometimes inexpensive jewelry mountings. They are smaller, holding about a cup of small rocks or pebbles, but function just like the full-sized models.
Create a Rock Mosaic
Once you have all those brightly colored polished rocks, you have all the makings for a colorful rock mosaic. If you don't have the time or inclination to use a rock tumbler, bags of pre-polished bits of red jasper, green serpentine, black or grey obsidian, and pink agates are available at gem and mineral shops. Unpolished rocks may also be used and will add another element of texture to the design. Use a sheet of heavy cardboard or wood for the base, outline your design, and then glue the rocks where you wish. Add other materials, like shells or bits of driftwood, to make the piece even more interesting.
Miniature Japanese Rock Garden
Japanese gardens have many forms, one of which, called the Karesansui, or Zen style, is made almost entirely of rocks. Using a flat ceramic or plastic tray, children can make their own mini rock gardens. Cover the base with small pebbles or sand. This is your "water." Use larger rocks to create a shoreline, and maybe put an island or two in the middle of your sand lake. By drawing patterns in the sand, you can imitate waves. Move your islands around and then change the pattern of the waves to give your rock garden a new look. The table-top version of a Japanese garden may inspire kids to create a full size Zen garden in the backyard, using even bigger rocks.
Making Rock Candy
Rocks don't always have to be collected. They can be made, and then eaten. Making rock candy is not only a way to create a sweet treat but to study the formation of the rock candy crystals. This is one way of seeing how crystals are formed. The good thing is that it only takes about a week rather than millions of years. All you need is sugar, water, a glass jar to hold the melted sugar water, pieces of weighted string, and a pencil or pen to hang the string from the mouth of the jar. This project needs adult supervision since the sugar solution must be boiled and transferred to the glass jar. Add food coloring to create different colored crystals. Take a look at the formed crystals under a microscope to see how much they look like real rock crystals.