How do geodes form for kids

Geodes are created in the hollow areas of soil such as animal burrows or tree roots. They are also formed in the bubbles in volcanic rock. Over time, dissolved minerals seep into a hollow area and harden into an outer shell creating the geode. The minerals continue to form on the inside walls of the shell, growing towards the center.

The most common dissolved mineral is quartz, but amethyst and other minerals are also found. It can take hundreds of millions of years for the space inside a geode to be filled, and many geodes remain partly hollow. A geode which is completely filled with crystals is called a nodule. Agate-filled nodules are called thunder eggs. Geodes can have many colors depending upon the type of crystal. Purple is a typical color for amethyst. Because crystals have flat, clear surfaces with many facets, they reflect light and have a beautiful sparkle.

Places, where geodes are prevalent, are called geode beds. They are usually found in deserts and volcanic ash beds. Geodes can also be found in Arizona, Utah, and Nevada. Geodes are also the state rock of Iowa!

If you would like to discover more about geodes, how they form, and where you can look for them, here are some resources: What is a Geode? You can unsubscribe anytime.

Stay in Touch! Sign up for our newsletter and never miss the fun. Constant Contact Use. Please leave this field blank. With the nice weather starting to shine through, finally, I was reminded of this super simple science exploration that kids will love!

In fact, I need to order a new set of geodes just so we can do this again with everyone and the toddler. Geodes are round rocks which are filled with crystals. While most geodes contain clear quartz, while others have purple amethyst crystals. Geodes start as a bubble inside a layer of rock, this could be from an animal burrow, tree roots or even an air inside explosive volcanic rock. The crystals are formed over time as the rain pelts over them, as tiny clusters or single crystals.

You can learn a lot more about geodes here. My kids loved reading through this! Getting to the awesome crystals is almost like solving an ancient mystery. No geodes are actually the same and have so many wonderful surprises inside.