Setting Up A Rock Centre

I have had a fascination with rocks from a young age. I was always the child with my pockets full of natural treasures and would spend hours looking at what I had collected, sorting them into egg boxes or making patterns with my natural finds.

I remember as a child taking a visit with my Grandparents to the North Yorkshire sea-side town of Whitby and a shop keeper handing my a tiny piece of the gemstone Jet to admire. I loved the A school trip a few weeks later was a visit to Stump Cross Cavens, a series of underground caves in North Yorkshire which left me curious wanting to know more. 

For my 7th Birthday that year I had asked for a subscription to a magazine called Treasures of the Earth. With each monthly magazine came a different rock or gemstone to admire and learn about. When I received the Pyrite (Fools Gold) I remember being in awe of it's sparkles. 

Another fond memory I have is of my Grandad bringing home a bag of beach pebbles from the garden centre. I spent hours picking up the pebbles, comparing their weight, the texture of them and making patterns with them or trying to balance on on top of the other. 

This was when my own rock collection began!

I set up a shelf in my bedroom full of all my wonderful rocks which were a collection of ones I had found on my adventures that I loved and those collected. I remember writing labels for them on bits of paper and ordering them based on which were my favourites that week!

Endless learning opportunities with rocks

Now as a young child, so much learning could be done through the nature here with endless opportunities to work on all areas of learning. Forget all the expensive outdoor resources and collect rocks! They  are such a simple resource that can be added to your indoor and outdoor provision without having to spend any money. 

-Wash the rocks in some soapy water with a toothbrush. Take a look at what happens when the rocks get wet and the changes that you see. 

-Use magnifying glasses or a microscope to examine the colour, shape, texture

-Add rocks to your natural playdough and explore the prints they leave

-One to one  correspondence when counting

-Roll a dice and match to number of rocks

-Combing two groups of rocks together to find a total

-Sorting rocks by size, colour, shape

-Weighing rocks and comparing 

-Make repeating patterns with different types or coloured rocks

-Practice balancing the rocks into a tower

-Try painting onto larger rocks and pebbles

-Make transient art with your rocks 

Resourcing a rock centre

Make a rock centre part of your every day continuous provision. Find a space where this can be set up and accessed every day. As well as then adding rocks into your other areas of provision to support holistic learning. 

Here is a list of some resources you could add to your collection of rocks;

• Magnifying glass
• Egg box/ collectors trays of different sizes
• Sketch books
• Drawing pencils
• Books/ fact cards about rocks
• Weighing scales

My favourite rock books

A Rock is Lively by Dianna Hutts Ast

 For more nature based play ideas check our my Wanderlust Child Nature Study Curriculum here