The moment a child picks up a rock and asks "what is this?" is one of the most important moments in a young person's education. It is curiosity in its purest form. At the Oxnard Gem and Mineral Society, we take that question seriously.
The Pebble Pups program is our way of giving kids that same spark of finding that really cool rock; intentionally, joyfully, and with real rocks, real STEAM and real fun, in their hands. Kids 5–17 are welcome. Activities are tailored by age and supervised by adult volunteers who love sharing knowledge with kids.
Family-friendly field trips are specially selected for safety and accessibility. Kids learn and collect alongside adults, are shown what to look for, and get help identifying what they find. They go home with projects, actual specimens (sometimes) and actual knowledge.
Meet our Pebble Pup mascots,
Jade and Jasper!
Hello fellow rock enthusiasts!
As the mother of a pebble pup myself, I’d like to confess I wasn’t much of a “rock person” when I joined the club. It was actually my kid who encouraged the whole family to join the club in 2023.
Since then, we’ve had an incredible time—learning, exploring, and discovering together, and I have to admit…I’ve been bitten by the rockhounding bug! There’s still lots more fun to be had, things to be learned, and friendships to be made, come join us!
We welcome children ages 5–17, across all experience levels, backgrounds, and learning styles. Whether a child is already obsessed with geology or just likes shiny things, there’s a place for them here. Activities are age-appropriate, guided by trained volunteers, and designed to build confidence as much as knowledge.
Can’t wait to meet you!
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¡Hola, entusiastas de las rocas!
Como madre de un pequeño aficionado a las rocas, debo confesar que yo no era precisamente una persona interesada en rocas cuando me uní al club. De hecho, fue mi hija quien animó a toda la familia a inscribirse en el 2023.
Desde entonces, la hemos pasado de maravilla: aprendiendo, explorando y descubriendo juntos; y tengo que admitir que... ¡Me ha picado el gusanillo de la búsqueda de rocas!
Aún nos queda mucha diversión por vivir, cosas por aprender y amistades por construir. ¡Anímense y únanse a nosotros!
Aceptamos a niñ@s y jóvenes de 5 a 17 años, de todos los niveles de experiencia, orígenes y estilos de aprendizaje. Ya sea que la/el niñ@ esté fascinad@ por la geología o simplemente le gusten las cosas brillantes, aquí hay un lugar para él/ella. Las actividades son apropiadas para cada edad, están guiadas por voluntarios capacitados y diseñadas para cultivar tanto la confianza como el conocimiento.
¡Espero conocerte pronto!
Luz Lira (She/Her)
Director, Pebble Pups Program
Luz Lira, Director of the Pebble Pups
DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT
Click below to download a coloring page.
Click below to download a puzzle
Click to download a memory-match game