JUNIOR PALEONTOLOGIST DIY DIG KIT

In this quick and inexpensive tutorial, we are going to show you how to make a Junior Paleontologist DIY Dig Kit. These excavations are super easy to make and are a great teaching resource to include in your next lesson or discussion about dinosaurs, fossils, paleontology, and more.

 

Be sure to check out our free Digital Dig virtual gem mining. Answer trivia and earn points you can redeem for free, rocks, minerals, fossils, seashells, dig kits and even real dinosaur bones!

 

 

Materials:

Sand

Plaster of Paris

Water

Mixing Bowl

Wooden spoon

Measuring cups

Popsicle sticks – Popsicle sticks are inexpensive, readily available, and make great excavation tools.

Safety goggles or glasses – You we need to provide or borrow a set for each student.

Optional – Brushes and magnifying glasses.

Fossils - You can buy bags of mixed fossils, ammonites, shark teeth, petrified wood and more online. 

Plastic container big enough to hold the fossils and plaster mixture. 

 

Check out hundreds of exciting and unique dig kits! Excavating Adventures has a kit for everyone. Explore dig kits filled with rocks, minerals, gemstones, seashells, real fossils and more!

 

Directions:

 

  1. Place the fossils in the container.
  2. Mix 1 cups sand with 1/3 cup Plaster of Paris.
  3. Add 1/3 cup of water and mix until you have a pancake batter consistency.
  4. Pour the mixture over the fossils.  
  5. Keep adding mixture until the fossils are covered and the container filled. 
  6. Place the Junior Paleontologist DIY Dig Kit in front of a fan overnight until it is completely dry. 
  7. Distribute the excavation, excavation tools, and safety goggles to your Excavating Adventurer and have fun watching them dig in and discover the fossils you have hidden inside.

 

Take some time to explore the Excavating Adventures website. We have monthly excavations that get delivered right to your door, Build Your Own excavations, a blog filled with amazing excavation ideas, trivia, tons of free stuff, fossil dig kits, and much, much, more!