Heading to the beach? A Rock and Shell Hunt is a brilliant way for children to engage with nature while enjoying a bit of quiet exploration.
With a simple container or bucket, they can search for smooth pebbles, spiral shells, or even unusual finds like sea glass or rocks shaped like hearts.
It’s a lovely activity for all ages, promoting attention to detail, creativity, and mindfulness. Many children enjoy collecting their finds to use in crafts later, or simply to display as a memory of the day.
Materials
- Bucket, bag or small container (optional)
- Sunscreen and sunhat (if sunny)
- Optional: magnifying glass for close inspection
Tools
- None
Steps
- Head to a safe, accessible beach or shoreline with a mix of sand, pebbles, or rock pools.
- Encourage children to look for rocks or shells with interesting colours, patterns or textures.
- Set a fun challenge — can they find the roundest rock, the tiniest shell, or something shaped like a star?
- Collect gently and responsibly — leave living creatures and their habitats undisturbed.
- Once home, wash and sort any treasures to keep or use in crafts.
Variations
- Shape Hunt: Search for rocks or shells in specific shapes (hearts, spirals
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