Glow-in-the-Dark Rocks

What you need: 

• Smooth rocks 
• Glue 
• Scissors (optional) 
• Paintbrushes 
• Newspaper 
• Fluorescent tempera paint 

What to do:

1. The next time you're on a walk with your child, encourage her to pick up 10 or 15 smooth rocks of varying sizes. 
   
2. Wash and dry the rocks. 
   
3. Spread newspapers on a flat surface and invite your child to paint the rocks. When she is finished, she may want to paint some decorations on the inside of the shoebox. 
   
4. Next, glue the rocks to the bottom (or side) of the inside of the shoebox to make a "moonscape." 
   
5. Turn off the lights and observe the scene! For added effect, you may also want to cut a hole in the shoebox lid to look through for a different perspective.
   
6. As an extension, use library or online resources to find images of the moon. How is your child's scene different from those pictures? How is it similar?

Learning Benefits: 

• Inspires creativity