October 5, 2024
1 Solar System Way, Planet Earth, USA
Science And Technology

Digging for dinosaur fossils

If you have a budding paleontologist or dinosaur fanatic at home, this dinosaur excavation challenge Sure to be a big hit! This is a great dinosaur activity for preschoolers, early years children, or kids of any age who are learning about dinosaurs.

We made the bones with air drying claybut salt dough would work well too. We already had the sand and tray so it cost me less than £5 to put together and I've used it almost daily all summer so far.

You will need to

A large container

Playing with sand

Air drying clay

Toothbrush or old paintbrush.

Tuff tray filled with sand and clay dinosaur bones.

How to organize a dinosaur excavation activity

First, you need to make the bones. Choose a dinosaur and find a picture of the skeleton.

Use air-dry clay to make bone shapes and let them dry for about 24 hours.

Images of dinosaur skeletons including Diplodocus, Tyranosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Stegosaurus and Brachiosaurus

Fill a tray with sand and place the clay dinosaur skeleton on the sand. Cover with a thin layer of sand.

Air-drying clay dinosaur skeleton on a blue tuff tray filled with sand.

Children can use a toothbrush or small paintbrush to gently remove sand from the bones.

Sand tray filled with dinosaur bones for a paleontologist activity
Boy brushing sand with dinosaur bones from air-drying white clay for a paleontologist activity

Once the bones are uncovered, you can put it back together and start again.

Another idea is to mix up the bones and ask the children to put them back together using a picture of a skeleton as a guide.

More ideas for dinosaur activities for kids

Learn about waterproof materials with a simple Let's save the dinosaur activity.

Discover the different types of rocks with my Rock Lab Challenges!

Learn more about one of the The most famous paleontologists in the worldMaria Anning!

Small containers for small hands has a great Activity with fizzy dinosaur egg.

Discover what dinosaurs ate with a fun video Dinosaur Poop Activity.

Learn about fossilshow they are formed and make your own!

Dinosaur excavation activity for kids with air-dry clay bones and sand

Last updated on August 7, 2023 by Emma Vanstone

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