We have been studying
earth science lately.
Volcanoes, earthquakes, and rock hunting – oh my! We have been learning about crystals and this DIY
Crystal Mine
was a big hit with our kids.
Kids Activities Blog encourages learning with hands-on fun activities like this.
Make a Crystal Mine!
Earth Science involves the study of the Earth. It can include the ground, the air, and the oceans. We have been talking a lot about geology which is the study of the ground and all components under and above the ground. During our study, my children’s interest was piqued as we talked about crystals.
Crystals are always forming within the Earth. Some crystals are created when molten magma fills crevices underground and then cools and hardens. Others form due to extreme pressure underground. And some crystals, like salt, form when a solvent liquid evaporates and leaves the crystals behind.
While we don’t have any known crystal mines near us, the kids were able to have fun hunting for crystals in our DIY Crystal Mine
All you need is a large tub, a filler like sand, dirt, or pea gravel, and some crystals. We have some from museum gift shops but we have also seen them at a toy store in the educational/science section and a teacher supply store. You may even find them in the beads section of a craft store or even at a jewelry store.
As you fill the tub with your fill material, place a few crystals around and fill in some more. Make several layers so the crystals are dispersed throughout at different levels.
The give the kids a shovel and a bucket to put the filler in and let them start digging!
Crystal Mine for Kids
My kids had a blast with this crystal mine. They got so excited when a crystal started peeking out from the sand. We let one child dig until they found something and then they had to pass the shovel to the other child for a turn.
They actually found more than just crystals in our mine though. Our mine also had several lizards, an alien, and a baby dinosaur hatching from an egg! What fun!
More Kids Activities
Earth Science should be fascinating for kids. We hope you enjoy digging with your kids in your own crystal mine. For more great kids activities, please take a look at these ideas:
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