Gemstone Mining
Kids LOVE gems! This week we explore the wide variety of gemstones, how crystals are made, and even get to take some home.
Rainbow Sugar Cube Smash
We always want to make sure that whatever we plan for young toddlers is taste safe. Even though the teachers always make sure to teach these little ones to not put things in their mouth, sometimes they forget.
We got some sugar cubes, and dyed them with liquid watercolors. They turned beautiful colors, as the sugar absorbed the dye. We laid them out to dry for a few days, and then mixed them together to create a bucket of rainbow sugar cubes. We set out the tarp, and each child got a small handful of sugar cubes and a hammer and they got to smash away!
The 1 year olds were more interested in trying to figure out the hammer, many of them have not had experience with a hammer before. They liked to pick up the rocks we added and look at the colors of the sugar cubes. The 2-3 year olds were interested in trying to break the sugar cubes, and some of them figured out that holding the cube with one hand and hammering with the other was effective.
It was an awesome activity to see where the children are with their fine motor skills, and identify any children who might need more help.
Gems in the Sensory Bin
After the Sugar Cube Gem Mining, we allowed the kids to explore the sensory bins. This week we used some colored rice and added some large gemstones, bowls, and spoons. One of the kiddos took their shoes off and explored the texture with their feet, so we took that as a success!
Gemstone Mining
Gemstones are so fun for this age, so we started by reading Gorgeous Gemstones by Seleste Knapp and then sent the kids to the tables for a gem mining activity.
They each got a tray and a scoop of sand, which was full of assorted tumbled gemstones. We gave them a spoon, a sifter, and a bowl, then let them get to work! They had so much fun scooping and pouring, and at the end each child got to pick 2 gems to take home in a special bag.
Fishing for Gemstones
Our sensory bin is always a hit when there is colored rice, so we filled it up with our rice (infused with lavender buds and dried flowers), and added some gemstones, bowls, and fishnets. Sounds strange, but the rice falls right through the holes, and it is a fun way to collect the gems and squeeze the bag when it fills up with rice.
Gem Mining Cart Process Art
In the writing center this week, we made a template that the kids could try to recreate. Using just some construction paper, we created a “Gem Mining Cart” and had the supplies available all week for the kids to work on.
This type of activity is great because it's free (except the cost of construction paper) and invites the children to be creative with their designs. It gives them an open ended project, they can either replicate it as closely as possible, or use their imagination and create something unique.
Borax Crystal Charms
As we teach the little ones science, we always incorporate visuals and storytelling to explain what happens on a cellular or molecular level. We read “Gorgeous Gemstones” by Seleste Knapp, and talked about the process of crystallization, using legos to model how this happens.
When done, we handed out a few stones for the kids to explore, and finished our activity by making Borax Crystals.
First, we had the kids pick out a shape they wanted to create with a pipe cleaner, then we hung them all from a popsicle stick into a mason jar. We mixed some borax with boiling water, then added it to the jars, letting it set overnight. Within an hour, we could start to see the crystals form!
The next day, we dumped the borax, and let the crystals dry out. The following day, we put each crystal in a little baggie for the kids to take home as souvenirs. To clean the glass jars, we heated up some water and filled the jars, as the borax dissolved, it came out easily and we threw away the big chunks, and washed the glasses for the next experiment.
Big and Little Gemstone Cut and Paste
Being a scientist is all about being well organized so we can manage experiments effectively. Organization activities like this “Big and Little Gemstone Cut and Paste” is a great way to teach several skills. The process of color, cut, then paste is an important skill to learn, and these 4-5 year olds are starting to become masters.
The first few times we tried this, it was a little difficult, but as they got more exposure, they are all great at doing this independently. Not only do they have to follow the logical process of color, cut, then paste, they also have to organize the pieces. This is a great activity that challenges them on a variety of skills, and they all love it!
Glittering Sun Catchers
We love creating activities for kids to make their own keepsakes. For this one, we poured a bit of clear glue on a tray, and had the kids sprinkle a variety of beads and sequins all over. Then we gave them a paper clip and instructed them to use the paper clip to move the beads around so they are just right. This was challenging for some of the kids who are still developing their pincer grasp, and as scientists, we love a good challenge.
Once the glue was dry, and it took a few days, we let the kids peel it off and we ran a string through a larger bead and they were able to hang it up at home.
Gemstone Characteristics
Documentation is an important science skill, and even though these kiddos can’t read or write quite yet, they can draw pictures. We gave each kid a choice of a gemstone to study, and had them work on documenting what they discovered about the stone, including how much it weighed, and some descriptions.
This was a bit more involved, as we helped the kids navigate using the balance scale and choosing what descriptive words to circle. For the Pre-K kids, we helped them spell the words, or they looked at the picture of the gemstone and copied the letters for the name of the stone.
Magic Gemstone Watercoloring
We love free projects, and this one is always a hit. We draw shapes on white paper using a white crayon. As the kids paint over the picture, the places where the white crayon was do not get painted, and it reveals a mystery picture. The kids love this one!
