My children received a Smithsonian Rock and Gem Dig kit for Christmas. We go hiking and camping frequently and they love looking for rocks during our outdoor family adventures. I knew this gift was going to be a hit with Mason and Sophie.
The kit includes:
- 1 block containing 11 real gemstones, minerals, or rocks
- 1 dowel
- 1 mallet
- 1 pair of goggles
- 1 streak plate
- 1 magnifying glass
- 1 brush
- Color poster
- Instructions
They could hardly contain their excitement to discover the hidden gems. I was excited they took turns using the mallet and dowel to chisel the block.
My husband, Ian, and I helped break away a few chunks of the block because the kids were starting to wonder if they’d ever dig deep enough to find a rock. Mason and Sophie wanted to work together once the gems became visible. The kit only includes one mallet and one dowel, so we got creative and used a chopstick for a dowel, an ice cream scooper for a mallet, and Ian’s brewery goggles for eye protection. It worked great!
This kit received poor reviews because of the misleading packaging. The gems in the picture on the box look much larger than they really are. They are pretty small, but my kids were not disappointed. I do wish the kit came with a special container for the rocks. Mason and Sophie wanted a safe place to keep their new gems.
This fun family activity is a great way to introduce children to gems, rocks, and minerals. The poster includes a section on ROCKS: DIFFERENT TYPES AND HOW THEY FORM and HOW TO IDENTIFY MINERALS, but the text is super tiny and does not include many photos. My kids were not interested in reading/listening to these sections on the poster, so we decided to check out some children’s books.
Keep their excitement going by pairing this activity with children’s books so they can learn more about rocks, gems, and minerals!
Children’s books about rocks, gems, and minerals:
Gems, Crystals and Precious Rocks by Steven Hoffman
Jump into Science: Rocks and Minerals by Steve Tomecek
National Geographic Kids Everything Rocks and Minerals by Steve Tomecek
National Geographic Readers: Rocks and Minerals by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
Rocks & Minerals: A Gem of a Book by Simon Basher
Rocks and Soil: Gems, Metals, and Minerals by Sally Hewitt
Paint with Words 
My kids love kits like this as well. We recently visited the gems and minerals displays at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C., which further ignited their rock passions. If you’re ever in the nation’s capital, you should totally check it out! The kids also really enjoyed the break-open-your-own-geodes kit. Who doesn’t like smacking rocks with a hammer?
My husband went to Washington, D.C. for a craft brewer’s conference and visited the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. It would be fabulous to take a family trip there someday! In the meantime, breaking open geodes is a great idea!
I am leaving Miami for North Carolina permanently soon. Always wanted to engaged in the activity. I think there are places for this activity there. May New Year have bright new beginnings for you and safety.
Likewise! Best wishes in 2015!
Wow! That looks like a lot of fun (with some learning hidden in there too!) Thanks for sharing this at Booknificent Thursday! Happy New Year!
Tina
Happy New Year, Tina!
Your kids and my boy would get along just fine. Alex loved the rock tumbler I got him last year. I liked it, too, but, dang, those things are noisy!
I bet! 🙂
What a fun way to learn about rocks and minerals! This is part of our 4th grade curriculum but I noticed my kids love learning about this at home, especially with gem polishing or gemstone kits! Thanks for sharing the great selection of books too at the Kid Lit Blog Hop!
My pleasure! Hooray for Kid Lit Blog Hop!
What fun! My kids used to love these kits when they were little. My boys had a Smithsonian dinosaur dig set that was a hit. I had fun right along with them. Thanks for sharing this on the hop and for triggering a great memory. 🙂
Awesome! We will have to try the dinosaur dig! Thank you, Stacie!
That is such a fun kit! We have the NG book and would love to match it with the kit. Thanks for the recommendation! Hopping on by from KitLIt BlogHop!
Hooray for Kid Lit Blog Hop! I look forward to reading more of your posts. Thank you!