rock collecting gift for a 10-year-old

August 2, 2015 7:07 PM

Hi All, I could not find the answer to this in the archives; apologies if I am overlooking something. I would like to buy a gift [either in a brick-and-mortar store (I live in a large, American city) or online]. I need the gift by Aug 7. It is for a 10-year-old child who loves rock collecting.

He has a fair collection plus a tumbler, and I am not positive what else. He wrapped a rock in wire and gave it to his mom on a necklace for her birthday, so I guess he has the tools to do that? I would love to either add to his collection or get him something he could use with it. Any ideas? Ideally I would keep it under about $40. I have Amazon Prime. Thank you in advance!

posted by bookworm4125 to Shopping (15 answers total)

Something like a geode? They make kits that you can break open your own geode (although they tend to be small) but they also have nice polished ones for sale, and they're all around ~20 and a lot have Prime shipping or whatever you call it.
posted by the uncomplicated soups of my childhood at 7:12 PM on August 2, 2015

I have a huge rock collection and I will send him something if you will Me Mail me.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 7:14 PM on August 2, 2015 [4 favorites]

Ooh or this Bismuth crystal is very pretty and probably educational somehow.

A pound of rough labradorite for $10 is a good deal and he could tumble them. Also I like labradorite!
posted by the uncomplicated soups of my childhood at 7:19 PM on August 2, 2015

We bought rocks for tumbling and other items from THIS online shop when I was tumbling rocks with my son. They have a lot of different lapidary gifts. They also sell gift cards.
posted by The Architect at 7:20 PM on August 2, 2015

The box itself is too expensive for your budget, but my kids have a World Discovery Box that they keep their treasures in -- rocks, fossils, seashells, etc. -- and it is a TRULY FANTASTIC gift for a science-y kid. They also have some nice individual specimens in their web store that are within the $40 price range.

But you could also find craft storage, or hardware storage, or MDF drawers, or "small wooden drawers" pulls up TONS of options on ebay and etsy. Or something else cool for him to store and display his treasures! Or library look, or art supplies, or a shadow box to mount on his wall ...

"Spice drawers" or "apothecary chest" also pull up a lot of options (although lots of very spendy antiques/furniture so sort by price!). Also "rock collector display" although that pulls up a lot of pre-made collections as well as storage and display boxes!
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:40 PM on August 2, 2015

I collected rocks! I would have _loved_ to receive a multi-compartment shadow box, like this or this, to display my favorites.

(Maybe check with his parents to make sure they'll let him hang it on the wall.)

You can usually find them for not much money at larger craft stores like Michael's or A C Moore.
posted by amtho at 7:59 PM on August 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

Does he actually go out rock hunting? Maybe a rock hammer?
posted by mon-ma-tron at 8:24 PM on August 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

With only limited info about what he's collecting and what he's doing with them, you're probably better off getting him a gift certificate to a rock shop in his town or online.
posted by zamboni at 8:25 PM on August 2, 2015

They make inexpensive LED display stands. Scroll down the Amazon link to see heaps of other similar options.
posted by jbenben at 8:27 PM on August 2, 2015

What would be really cool is labradorite. It's a form of feldspar that is very rainbow-like.

You could also go for some fluorite, and a black light to shine it.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 9:09 PM on August 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

Iceland Spar is an amazing thing! It has a double refraction -- when you put it over text it doubles everything, like a terrible night of drinking. It has a wonderful history -- the Vikings looked through it to navigate the northern Atlantic, and it helped "invent" modern optics in the 1600s.
It blew my mind as a kid. I have a small piece; I grabbed it when clearing out my dad's house after he died (he was an optical engineer). If I can find it I'd love to send it to your tiny geologist friend because I loved rocks at that age. Let me keep looking, I'll MeMail you if I can put my hands on it.
posted by missmary6 at 9:10 PM on August 2, 2015 [2 favorites]

I literally *just* did this for a friend of mine's kid who also loves rocks. I gave him one of my handlenses, so he could look at his rocks in greater detail! You should be able to find one inexpensively at any educational type store (i.e. museums, schools, a rock store, if you have one!, etc)
posted by Shibui at 3:27 AM on August 3, 2015

Does he have a good handlens yet? Quality makes a difference here. The BelOMO Triplet is a joy to use and right in your price range at $35.
posted by veery at 6:29 AM on August 3, 2015

A black light and some franklinite, or if you guys are close enough to Jersey, you could take him to the mine.

Also, check your local natural history museum, some offer fossil or rock collecting day trips, which would make a great gift if there's an adult in his life willing to go with him.
posted by snaw at 7:13 AM on August 3, 2015

Response by poster: Thanks so much, everyone! These answers are so helpful. I think I will go for the handlens and then maybe pick up a couple of rocks myself to go with it--will definitely be on the lookout for labradorite and some others mentioned here.
posted by bookworm4125 at 9:27 AM on August 3, 2015