Collecting rocks is a wonderful hobby that gets you outside creating adventures that bring you closer to nature. The rocks you find while exploring nature are memories of each of those adventures. Every time you see that special rock, from that one trip to the ocean or the beach, it brings back all those memories from the trip. These rocks will hold memories of your adventures.
Another great addition to the hobby of collecting rocks is to tumble and polish your rocks. This helps them look even better than when you found them. The excitement of this activity is seeing how the rocks change after each of the four cycles in the tumbler. This is also a great way to teach kids about patience and erosion.
Where to find rocks
When I go on trips, I try to get at least a few rocks to bring back home with me to help remember the trip. The important thing to remember is it’s illegal to collect rocks from certain places, or you are only allowed to take a handful. Normally county, state, and national parks have rules on rock collecting. Make sure you look into the rules before you start.
Some good places to hunt for rocks are beaches or places water runs when it rains. If you know a farmer, you can ask them if they have rock piles, or if you can walk through their fields before planting or after harvesting to look for rocks. Farmers normally are happy if you take rocks out of their fields, because they don’t want them there anyway. Make sure you get permission first if you want to look on private property.
Types of rocks to collect
Collect rocks that catch your eye and make you happy. Everyone’s personal preference is different. I’m always looking for unique rocks with different colors or lines in them. Some people only want to find agates, but I don’t recommend limiting yourself to just one kind of rock. Try putting the rock in water to see if it looks better. These are the rocks that tend to look good polished.
If you plan on polishing the rock, then I don’t recommend any sedimentary rocks like limestone or sandstone. These rocks don’t stand up to tumbling. Stay away from big rocks unless you have a very large rock tumbler. There are a lot of rules to tumbling rocks if you want the best results, but you don’t have to know a lot about rocks to enjoy tumbling them.
Fossils are another type of rock people collect. Some of these rocks you can tumble and some you shouldn’t. Many times, fossils are found in limestone which doesn’t tumble well.
What to do with rocks you collected
Displaying rocks
Figuring out what to do with all your rocks can be a challenge. I display them in different ways, but I typically tumble and polish them first. If they are bigger rocks and not polished, then I put them in my garden for decoration. If they are polished; I like to put them in a bowl on the table. This allows you to use them as a fidget by having something to rub or roll in your hand. They also make great conversation pieces or just to look at. I fill vases as decoration and change out the rocks from time to time. I’m trying to find a tasteful way to display them on my walls.
Rock Tumbling
Please see my other posts on supplies for rock tumbling and polishing and how to tumble rocks.
Jewelry
Jewelry is a common craft; rocks are turned into. My stepdad just started trying to make necklaces with some of his polished rocks. His rocks are high-end rocks, he purchased and polished instead of found himself. I’ve seen a couple of the necklaces, and they are wonderful. I personally like the idea behind finding my own rocks outside to tumble instead of purchasing them.
Use rocks in crafts, gardens, and pet habitats
Other crafts that can be made are things like coasters with resin and designs in a steppingstone. I’ve seen bowls and pictures made out of rocks. People glue rocks to the outside of different things to dress the object up. Using them in fairy gardens or another type of container garden can add some uniqueness. I’ve heard people using them in their fishtank or in their pet lizard or snake cage. If you only like the rock because of its shape, then you could paint it with a special message or make a pet rock. The rock could also be a paperweight or turned into a magnet. The possibilities are endless.
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