Intense Interests
Children often at the young age (preschool to 1st grade) develop special interests that they pursue on their own. These are called “intense interests,” a term often associated with autism, but not necessarily exclusive to it. All children have the potential to cultivate these passions to their advantage. It’s incredible how quickly young minds can become experts on a subject. If you embrace their interests, you may find their ability to remember fascinating facts truly astounding. You can find below a few interesting articles on this topic.
Should I be worried about my kids’s obsession?
Special Interests enhance intelligence
My youngest at age 4 developed a deep passion for dinosaurs, showcasing an impressive ability to recall their names and facts. This remarkable skill in language is especially notable during a stage of life focused on vocabulary and communication development. Mastering complex, multi-syllabic words at such a young age highlights that intelligence and knowledge know no age limits. Not long after, he found rocks to be a fascinating past time. Instead of playing outside, he would go searching for rocks. At one point, we had such a large pile of rocks that I had to sit down with him and sift through real rocks versus man made cemented and other objects.
Who is a Rockhound?
Did you know that someone who collects rocks is called a rockhound? This term often describes hobbyists who enjoy collecting, studying, and sometimes polishing rocks, minerals, and gemstones.
While my child still loves dinosaurs, his rock collection has become the star of his interests. He picks up rocks everywhere we go. On walks, I can barely get my heart rate up because we stop so often to dig up the treasures he spots. Not wanting to ruin his enthusiasm, I started carrying ziplock bags and promised we’d stop as many times as needed to fill them.
Needless to say, his collection has grown considerably and is now brimming with unique and fascinating finds. Last year, we gifted him a rock tumbler to polish his treasures. Watching the beauty that emerges after polishing them amazes me just as much as it does him.
Indulge your child’s interest
My little rockhound says he would love to be a geologist someday. While that would be wonderful, I’m sure new interests will sprout as he grows, and I will be there to nurture each one. As a mom, I encourage you to indulge your child’s interests. They cannot develop passion and keen curiosity without your support and involvement. Some hobbies might seem costly, but remember: money can’t replace your presence. Often, your attention and encouragement are all they need to keep their excitement alive.
Tools of the trade
Three are so many ways to support a child’s hobby. Like I mentioned earlier, one of them is just being present and showing interest in what they do. However, if you are looking to indulge your child deeper, there are tools you can purchase to further cement their hobby. Here are a few recommendations from a rockhound’s mom.
Buy a Great Book:
Look for a book that details what rocks and minerals are, along with an introduction to the most common types. This is a great way for them to compare their own rocks to those in the book and learn more about their characteristics and formation.
Get a Rock Tumbler:
This was the best purchase we made. We gave it to him last year, and since then, we have polished over 30 rocks. The tumbler can be a bit noisy, so make sure to find a spot that won’t bother you. We keep it in the garage. The purpose of the tumbler is to transform a rough rock into a smooth one, allowing you to see the layers of minerals inside better.
Use a Good Set of Grits
A proper set of grits is essential for the tumbling process. We use this set that allows the rocks to tumble in four phases, fully polishing them.
Get a Magnifying Tool:
This will help them examine the layers of the rocks closely. It would make a great stocking stuffer!
Provide a Large Box:
You’ll need a sufficiently large container for them to gather and collect their rocks. We currently use a large toolbox we bought from Ikea long ago, but we plan to get him a dedicated box for Christmas to store all his polished rocks. I have included an alternate box similar to the Ikea box we own. Further, if you child is serious about building a collection, a collector’s box would be helpful to own. Something he can preserve for years to come.
Purchase a Sample Set of Rocks:
When your child starts, it’s helpful to buy a sample set of rocks so they can better recognize different types of rocks and minerals. My child received the mineral science kit set last year. But we plant to purchase a larger kit for Christmas.
While all of these are nice to have, remember that you don’t have to purchase them all. I also urge you to consider simply going on a walk to gather rocks, grabbing a book from the library, and examining the rocks together to create fun bonding moments while also cherishing your child’s interests.
(I hope you enjoyed this post. Click on image for links to all items listed here. Links in this post are Amazon affiliates, meaning that I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Consider supporting small businesses by using their affiliate links. )
