Welcome to the final day of 31 Days of Backyard Nature Fun, a month-long series offering simple ways to get outside exploring the natural world. To see activities from earlier this month, head here.
We made it! Thirty-one days in a row, each featuring a different idea for backyard nature fun. Phew!
If you’ve been playing along, I hope you’ve come to realize that helping kids to make a nature connection every day can be simple and can happen just about anywhere.
And if you haven’t had a chance to put some (or all) of the ideas to use yet, no worries. The entire 31 Days of Backyard Nature Fun is archived so you can check it out any time. (There’s even a cool badge over there in the right-hand column to make the series extra easy to find.)
Ready for day 31? Here goes.
Day 31: Start a rock collection.
Rock collecting is one of those things kids do without even realizing it. They pick up a few stones on a walk around the neighborhood. Find a shiny gem at the park. Then another in the backyard. You know how it goes.
You don’t have to know a thing about rocks yourself to help foster this interest in your child. In fact, it’s pretty simple to help your explorer start his or her first rock collection. How?
- Start by picking up one or two new additions to any other rocks your explorer might already have on a neighborhood nature walk. Challenge your child to find rocks of different sizes, textures, shapes and colors.
- Then find a place to store your child’s favorites. An empty egg carton works nicely.
- Try to identify your rocks using a field guide, but keep it simple. Younger kids may prefer sorting by shape, color or size.
- Continue adding to the collection with rocks in the future.
For more on starting a rock collection, see:
- Go on a rock hunt
- Start a rock collection (from Handbook of Nature Study)
Just joining us? Catch up on what we’re up to at 31 Days of Backyard Nature Fun.
Phew! What's this nonsense about an e-book?! You offering to help? 🙂
Congratulations on finishing the month! Now you just need to put an e-book together and sell it 🙂
We love river rocks, too. We usually only visit the river during the summer (when we go to Yosemite), making our discoveries that much more special. We've also started collecting vacation rocks – rocks from the places we visit on vacations.
I love this nature idea. So simple and easy to do, and there's rock everywhere so you can't go wrong. There are so many different types of rocks, it would be nice to explore their different shapes, sizes, colours and textures. River rocks are my favourite, I just have to find a river to steal one from 🙂
Awww … thanks so much for your support, Joy! 🙂
Thanks for following along! Here's wishing you a wonderful February!
Rocks with fossils are an extra-special discovery for sure!
You did it, Debi–congrats! So many great, creative ideas for a whole month. Thanks for sharing them with us.
time flies, doesn't it? Thanks. We did not do all your things, but we have time enough this year.
I've always found rocks and seashells fascinating, especially rocks with fossils.xxxxx