TREASURE MINI DIG KIT
In this quick and inexpensive tutorial, we are going to show you how to make a Treasure Mini Dig Kit. These excavations are super easy to make and are a great teaching resource to include in your next lesson or discussion about pirates, treasure, gold, and more.
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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.
Treasure - You can use many different things to act as the treasure. You can use coins, old costume jewelry, imitation gems, fool's gold, and you can even use gold spray paint to paint rocks and washers to turn them into gold nuggets or coins.
Any small container that will fit your treasure and allow room for the plaster mixture will work. I love rummaging through recycle bins for fun and unique containers I can use for excavations. For this tutorial I will actually use a little wooden treasure chest I purchased from a craft store. I think I paid around a dollar. The wooden chest is super cute and even has little metal hinges and a latch.
Check out hundreds of exciting and unique dig kits! Excavating Adventures has a kit for everyone. Explore dig kits filled with rocks, minerals, fossils, gemstones, seashells, and more!
Directions:
- Place the treasure in the treasure chest.
- Mix 1 cups sand with 1/3 cup Plaster of Paris.
- Add 1/3 cup of water and mix until you have a pancake batter consistency.
- Pour the mixture over the treasure.
- Optional - Sprinkle a little glitter over the surface of the excavation to give it a little extra sparkle.
- Place the Treasure Mini Dig Kit in front of a fan overnight until it is completely dry.
- Distribute the excavation, excavation tools, and safety goggles to your Excavating Adventurer and have fun watching them dig in and discover the awesome treasure you have hidden inside.
- The little wooden chest can be decorated and used to store the treasure.
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, and much, much, more!