For spring break, my oldest son (then a first grader) asked if we could learn about ROCKS and how could I deny him? From painting rocks to rock slime to ants on a rock snacks, we had a blast and learned a lot, too. Scroll to see the rock-inspired activities we did this week!
Reading about ROCKS!
Rocking & reading!
Learning all about rocks & gems
Rock questions!
We started our week by making charts about the various kinds of rocks- metamorphic, sedimentary, & igneous
Crystal stalactites science!
See my Rock Pinterest board for all the (easy!) instructions. You just need baking soda & water!
Painted rocks!
Our painted rock collection
Tip: Do not use paint. I ordered paint pens and they worked really well on the challenging surface of rocks.
When we were done painting, we hid some of our painted rocks around the neighborhood for others to find & enjoy
Rock snacks!
Ants on a ROCK!
My son invented this one. Just replace the banana in the banana+peanut butter+raisins recipe with a half apple. Yum yum! (Deacon opted for the original recipe- that’s ok! ☺️)Rock candy!
Need: jars, wooden sticks, sugar, water & patience (it takes about a week)! See my Rock Pinterest board for instructions. Use magnifying glasses to examine the results!
Full disclosure: this did not work for us 😆 I ordered some rock candy online for the finale, and we talked about where we went wrong and what we’d do next time. This is a hard one! Prepare for trial & error. That’s okay!
Rock slime!
Check my Rock Pinterest board for this “Gemstone Geology Slime” recipe
Since slime is all the rage (or at least it was at this time in 2019), we added rocks to the mix for a fun sensory experience.
Watercolor painting with rocks!
A fun way to create mixed-media art using a fun technique: watercolor resist!
After collecting some rocks and using large paper, trace rocks using brightly colored crayons. Make sure to use the whole page! Using watercolor palette or liquid watercolor, create a wash across the page
Observe as the wax in the crayon resists the water in the paint and pops through!The end result is a unique & beautiful abstract artwork
Sediment jar science!
Learn about the various layers involved in sedimentary rocks. See my Rocks Pinterest board to find more specific science on this topic.
Begin by collection various types of dirt- sand, soil, even tiny bits of gravel
Layer in a large jar with a lid, add water, shake, and let the sediment settle to see the different layers
Gummy fossil experiment!
A fun experiment in sedimentary rocks and fossils, using candy! Layer- bread, gummies, repeat. Wrap in plastic wrap. Stack books on top and let set overnight.
Remove to observe the results and learn how sedimentary rocks work. See my Rocks Pinterest page for instructions and learning goals.
Moon rocks!
Need: baking soda, glitter, water & food coloring. That’s it!In medium bowl, mix baking soda & glitter
Add food coloring and a bit of water at a time, and combineForm into balls and place on cookie sheet
Extension: After the Moon Rocks have set, use a syringe & vinegar to pour on top and watch the chemical reaction! (See my Rocks Pinterest board for full instructions)
Out & about!
Visiting our local rock & gem shop
We spent almost an hour exploring the gems, stones & rocks, and reading the descriptions of what they were and where they came from Each kiddo got to take home a small bag of polished rocks
Media & resources
For more rockin’ fun ideas, visit my Rocks Pinterest page and make sure to follow us on Instagram to keep up with our easy, themed, DIY activities for kids.
Volcanoes in Space! Check out this Brains On! episode this week while driving in the car or killing time, and then ask what your kiddos heard and learned.
Speaking of volcanoes, check out my Dinosaur-themed activities page. The first activity we did was a hand-on, air dry clay volcano-building project that teaches the three main types of volcanoes- cinder cone, shield, & strato.
