[Rockhounds] giving specimens to kids (was) Many thanks to this great list!!

[Kitty & Bill Heacox]

I agree that specimens given to kids should be properly labeled.  And I 
agree with Kreigh that if the gift is explained most kids will respect 
the specimen and it will be treasured.  However I've found that it is 
very important to bring the parents and or teachers into the loop.  I 
hand out small quartz crystals to groups of 2nd through 6th graders at 
the Lyman (as in Orlymanite) Museum here in Hilo, and I always tell the 
kids (and their teachers) that they should take their crystal and its 
label home and immediately show it to their parents because it needs to 
be put in a safe place.  I ask the kids if they have little brothers or 
sisters at home or as friends who visit---most raise their hands---and I 
say, "Do you think those little kids might want to play with your 
crystal? ("Yes") Do you think they might (I pantomime the following) 
swallow it? poke themselves in the eye with it? drop it on the floor and 
lose it?  ("Yes")  So it'd be a good idea to show it to your parents and 
make sure it stays in a safe place, right? (Yes!")

The last thing we want is for a child to be injured by our hobby!

Aloha, Kitty

Brett Whitenack wrote:
> Perhaps I should have chosen my words more carefully. I agree with Kreigh about presenting the specimens with as much information possible. Each specimen will have a complete label with all the pertinent information. Even though these will be preschoolers,  I don't believe in "dumbing down" the information, just presenting it in way they can understand. I have found that young kids are way smarter that they have been given credit for. They grasp concepts very quickly and are a joy to work with.
>  
> I have been a collector for over twenty years and I am a real stickler when it comes to mineral specimen information. I want to pass on to the the kids that what we are giving them isn't just a pretty bauble, and hopefully we can influence some of them to continue learning about the natural world around them.
>  
> Brett
>