Michigan Mineralogical Society
Michigan Mineralogical Society
Young Collector's Resources
Just for Young collectors
We wanted to have a spot for those of us who have not reached a ripe old age yet. Here you will find links, resources, activities and information designed for the younger crowd, or those of us who are just young at heart. If you happen to find a great resource that you think belongs here, feel free to contact us and we will review it and add it our pages in service to others in the Mineralogical/Geologic community. We are working on getting this page to be a great resource, so check back from time to time as we build it out.
Diamond Dan mini miners publications
Diamond Dan is a great guy who offers all kinds of fun and interesting publications for young miners. His mini miners page can be found here on the Diamond Dan Website. Below are a few samples of the free stuff he offers this community and please check out his Youtube channel!
Volumes of Diamond Dan's Mini Miners Monthly Newsletters. Feel free to download them and take a look. Click on the page to download them in PDF format. You can subscribe to these on Diamond Dans website in the link above.
Diamond Dan Coloring Books
To celebrate both the colorful world of minerals and National Coloring day on September 14th, it is Diamond Dan's pleasure to give to you these two mineral coloring books. Happy National Coloring Day!
Curiosity Friendly links
While it's hard to know what will spark someone's imagination, here are a few ideas gathered together to fit the theme for younger collectors.
A Rock Collecting Guide for Kids
From Rock & Gem Magazine, this short blog takes you through the beginning resources for young collectors, along with a few good ideas and tips.
Every Rock Has a Story
Boston College Professor Ethan Baxter is endorsed by the Mineralogical Society of America and has over 40 videos that detail how "Every Rock has a Story". In his numerous videos, he discussed multiple geological and mineralogical subjects from 'Apatites to Volcanoes' and just about every letter in-between. Click here to see them all.
The University of Arizona Mineral Teaching Resources
Discover how gold allows us to play video games, how the softest mineral on earth is used in makeup, learn a new recipe, and more in "Minerals Make It!, a YouTube series by the Lowell Institute for Mineral Resources. These short educational videos are presented in an easy to understand manner to help you discover how minerals are used in our everyday lives. Information for kids of all ages.
The Beginner’s Guide to Backyard Geology
This guide shows you exactly how to mine your own backyard for treasures and cultivate a lifelong hobby. It has pictures for the different types of rocks you can find and a good equipment list of what you might need.
A visual database of the mineral kingdom filtered by name, hardness, streak, and color. There are great pictures of the minerals and crystals and the entire site is easy to navigate and geared towards visual thinkers.
Gem Kids is part of the Gemological Institute of America (the GIA) that educates people from all over the world. This link takes you to the Institute's area for kids and is specifically designed for young learners to explore the world of gemology.
National Geographic Kids Dinomania
This link takes you to National Geographic's Dinomania
resources which include games, videos, information on Prehistoric animals, and more!
Mineral Explorers is an unscripted, reality series packed with adventure, travel, education, and the world's finest gems, crystals, and minerals! Each 30-minute episode follows mineral expert Thomas Nagin, who leads viewers to some of the richest and most remote mines in the world to discover the natural treasures found deep within!
All About Rocks and Rock Collecting Blog
This blogsite offers sections on rock collecting, the rock cycle, rock quizzes and identification, tips from rock experts, safety measures, and a ton of links that go out to other great websites and microsites. Hosted on AvasFlowers.net
The Etches Collection on Youtube
Welcome to The Etches Collection - a modern museum & center for learning in Kimmeridge, home to over 2500 amazing fossil specimens all discovered by one man, Dr. Steve Etches MBE, from the Kimmeridge Bay locality. Their mission - to tell the fascinating story of Life & Death in the Jurassic seas of Kimmeridge 157 million years ago.
This links to a PDF file that you can download and print out at any size you wish to create your own flying dinosaur. Five different dinosaurs are included in the design. There are a few ways to do this using cardboard or foam core, and it comes with instructions on how to assemble the model. You could also create a mobile to hang in your room.
Earth Science Resources for Kids
Interactive Activities & Ideas for Kids on Geology. Ready for hands-on interactive activities, tools, virtual tours, and ideas for kids to take a deep dive into earth science? Well, you're in the right place!
