Picking up loose rocks on hikes with my toddler opened my eyes

I used to just let her toss them, but now I show her how to look for stripes or sparkles. We found a piece with tiny mica flakes yesterday, and she wouldn't put it down.

3 comments

3 Comments

paige861mo ago

My kid is three and just wants to throw things in the creek. Turning every rock into a science lesson feels like missing the point. Sometimes simple fun is better than trying to teach them something. That constant instruction can turn their free play into a chore. I worry we forget to let them just be little kids.

lilykelly1mo ago

Seriously! The creek is for throwing stuff, not a tiny classroom. Next we'll be testing the pH of puddle water and writing reports on worm migration. Let the kid enjoy the splash without the pressure to learn from it.

flores.robin1mo ago

You know, it's funny because watching my niece at the creek last week totally changed my mind on this. She was throwing rocks and immediately asked why some made bigger splashes. That turned into a whole thing about the shapes of rocks we were finding, and she had a blast. For some kids, the asking and figuring out stuff is the fun part of play, it doesn't feel like pressure. It's just talking about what's right in front of you, not making it a classroom lesson. The kid is still just playing in the water, they're just also getting to hear an answer to a question they might have had.