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My dad used to take us on Sunday drives (ugh!) ending at a park for grilled whatever. One summer day we went to a park on a lake but the lake was drained for a pipeline project that dug a trench through the lake bed. I explored the trench and the shale rock piles on either side of it and found thousands of shale fossils of ferns, some which were complete plant impressions.
That is so cool!
You would love this store. I worked in NYC, but I never knew this store even existed until I walked down a different street coming back from a work event one night:
Growing up, rock collecting was a favorite hobby of mine. I was lucky enough to live on a gravel road and my parents had a sand pile in the backyard where I dug for rocks. It was one of my favorite pastimes and a great way to learn about different types of rocks.
A young boy I was recently babysitting for wanted to look for some rocks but couldn’t because he lived in a paved neighborhood. So, I brought some rocks to him that I had found around my home.
In the area I live, about 80% of roads, including driveways are paved. Growing up, my parents allowed me to investigate on the gravel roads for rocks. Somehow I survived. Most HOAs these days probably wouldn’t allow a small sand pile in the backyard. Or the kids who live in the city don’t have much access to finding rocks.
And anyone has to be careful rock hunting on public land since it can be illegal. Check the laws in your State before doing so. I have read stories of people being arrested for picking rocks on public land.
I don't know whether it's popular, but my six- and eight-year-olds are moderately interested and have been doing more of it recently, but mainly when they're out of town where the rocks may be different. Some places, like Arizona, the rocks are simply more interesting than others.
My son loved collecting rocks as a kid and learned a lot about them. We bought him a rock polisher when he was about 10 and he polished a lot of them and made gifts (key chains, necklaces...). Aside from the six weeks of listening to the thrump, thrump, thrump of the polisher it was a great activity!
In high school he competed in Science Olympiad and came in 2nd in a rocks and minerals event.
He doesn't do anything professionally with that interest but wows his fiancee with his rocks knowledge. We were at the lake together recently and he recently pointed out an interesting rock formation and told us that "I get a little sedimental thinking about rocks!" (a little rock humor for your day)
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