LEGO MINI FIG DIG

We love Legos (unless they've been left on the floor to step on!) and they're a ton of fun to add to excavations. In the particular tutorial, we are going to teach you how to make an excavation using a Lego mini figurine. Adding the mini fig to an excavation adds an extra layer of fun to the imaginative play that arises from enjoying Legos. The Lego pieces clean up easily once removed from the excavation and can immediately be put together and enjoyed!

Fun facts: If you put the 340 million Mini figs that were produced last year next to each other in a line, it would stretch from London to Beijing!

Materials:

Sand
Plaster of Paris
Water
Mixing bowl
Wooden spoon
Measuring cups
Excavation tools. Wooden dowels and other blunt instruments work well. Sharp tools are unsafe and not necessary as the excavations are reasonably brittle and excavate easily.
Safety goggles
Small brush
Lego Mini figurine. No worries if you do not have a mini fig. You can add a bunch of random Legos to your excavation and still have a blast!
Container - Any plastic container will do. There are oversized Lego style bricks that make really cool containers for the Lego Mini Fig Dig if you happen to have some available.

Pro tip: Get several of the oversized style Lego bricks. Use these as containers to make Lego Mini Fig Digs for your next Lego themed birthday party. These are really cool activities to keep those birthday party guest entertained and the mini fig they discover is a fun take home party favor!

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Instructions:

Put one cup of sand in your mixing bowl.
Add one-third cup Plaster of Paris.
Use the wooden spoon to mix the sand and Plaster of Paris.
Add one-third cup of water and mix.
Keep adding small amounts of water until you reach a pancake like batter consistency.
Add the Lego mini figurine to the container. You can put the mini fig into the container already put together but I prefer to break it into pieces.
Pour a layer of the mixture into the container to cover the Lego pieces.
Gently tap the sides of the container to remove any air bubbles. This will also allow a little mixture under the Lego pieces. The pieces may try and float to the surface. You can push them back under as the mixture stiffens, and you may want to leave a piece or two exposed to give a hint of what is hidden within the excavation.
Optional - Push a few spare Lego pieces into the surface of the excavation for a little decoration.
Set the Lego Mini Fig Dig in a safe location to dry undisturbed overnight. I like to put the excavation in front of a fan.

Pro tip: Have some Lego base plates and a bucket of other spare pieces available. Your excavating adventurer can use these extra items to enjoy the mini fig they discover.

Now the Lego Mini Fig Dig is ready to be enjoyed. Find an area that is easy to clean up, distribute the safety goggles and excavation tools, and let the excavating begin.

Pro tip: For younger excavating adventurers, instead of a regular excavation, you can hide the mini fig pieces in kinetic sand to be discovered. This is not only a great sensory play activity, but you can encourage your little one to match the pieces by color and size.

I hope you enjoyed this super quick tutorial and enjoy making the Lego Mini Fig Dig. These excavations are very easy to make, inexpensive, and a lot of fun!

Pro tip: Use this activity to create some excitement around discussions or lessons regarding STEAM and engineering.

If you love excavating as much as we do, be sure to check out our Excavating Adventures monthly subscription by clicking the link below and get an awesome new excavation delivered each month loaded with rocks, minerals, gemstones, fossils, and more!