Neighborhood Rocks Search this Site

Make a Rock Collection

Here are some of the things you can do to
build your rock collection:

	Clean your rocks
	Break your rocks
	Store your rocks
	Learn more about rock collecting

Cleaning rocks is almost as much fun as finding them!
Just be careful not to wash too much sand and mud
down the drain.

Some rocks (especially rounded pebbles) may be
easier to identify if you break them, so you can see
a fresh surface.

To break rocks safely, you should have:

	An adult to supervise.
	Goggles to protect your eyes.
	Shoes and long pants to protect your feet and legs.
	Gloves to protect your hands. (Oops -- Ethan forgot his gloves!)
	A bare spot of dirt, to protect your lawn and sidewalks.
	A special rock or brick hammer (that won't break easily).

Here's a Website with more information about safety
for rock collectors:
< http://www.fi.edu/fellows/payton/rocks/safety/index.html >

Ethan stores his rocks in different ways,
depending on how special they are.

	We always keep a "rock dump" by the back door. It's a large plastic box for not-so-special rocks. We use these rocks in crafts and animals cages.
	Ethan's special rocks go into plastic drawers. He protects his best specimens with small boxes or zipper bags.

	Ethan puts his polished rocks, pyrites, and micas in an old jewelry box.

	Ethan's gemstone collection goes into a plastic box with compartments. (It's the kind they make for fishing tackle.)

If you want to learn more about rock collecting,
go to our links page.

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Neighborhood Rocks is part of the Salt the Sandbox Web.
For more information visit the Salt the Sandbox home page.

This page was created on March 12, 2001, and it was last updated on July 27, 2002.