Earth Science Projects & Kits

Fun with Crystals, Minerals, Gems, Fossils and More

Kids love science! The Backyard Naturalist has a wide selection of earth science themed activities for children of all ages in store! Learn about our planet while having fun. Come see the store selection because we get new items more frequently than we can update here! Also, some items are subject to availability.

So many things to do… where to start? Here are some of our favorite fun and educational gifts for kids:


  • Spark curiosity in a potential rock hound!
    Start a collection of rock and mineral specimens with your child or grandchild.
  • Introduce rock collecting to younger kids ages 4 and up with an unusual rock specimen and read “Let’s Go Rock Collecting” together.
  • An excellent activity book for ages 10 and up, DK Pockets’ “Rocks & Minerals” has some really fun features, like a Turn-and-Learn wheel with rock facts, a check list with stickers to encourage progress through some great activities, including Grow Your Own Stalactite.
  • Crystal and Gem Mining kits
  • Grow Your Own Crystal Kits. We have several different types.

  • Crystal Prisms! Discover the kaleidoscope of colors hidden in natural sunlight.
  • And more in the store! Come see!

Science Activities, Projects & Kits

Give kids hands-on experience, working through simple and intriguing geophysical science experiments.

Rock Science Kit

The Backyard Naturalist has Rock Science Kits for kids.

The Rock Science Kit teaches how to test, classify and identify different kinds of rocks. The kit includes fifteen (15) rock specimens, plus a magnifying viewer and a handy identification guide. A plastic storage tray keeps the rock collection together when not in use.

Perfect for young science enthusiasts, especially those with an interest in geology. Recommended for ages 8 years and up.

Explore Crystals

Crystal Mining Kits

The Backyard Naturalist has science kits for budding gemologists and rock hounds. Mine for crystals.

Perfect for children who love to explore and are interested in science, a mining kit is a great way to encourage interest and learning about crystals.

Kids excavate, study and display their own beautiful crystals while also learning about them. The 4m Crystal Mining kit for kids includes a plaster rock with eight embedded crystals, a digging tool, a brush and a pouch. For ages 8 and up.

If you’re looking for a unique project for play dates or indoor fun during bad weather, this kit is hours of fun and a good introduction to earth science.

Crystal Growing Kits

The Backyard Naturalist has science projects for kids, like growing crystals.

Here’s an exciting earth science and chemistry experiment you can do with your kids ages 10 and up!

See crystal science in action, as crystals grow right before your eyes! This kit has enough materials to make two sets of crystal geodes and contains chemicals that require active adult supervision.

Crystals are used in many things kids see every day, like cell phones, television, watches and clocks. Fascinating stuff!