Children will love digging for dinosaur bones and fossils! Using their imaginations, they will construct dinosaur skeletons and explore the bones at the fossil research station. I bet your brain is already thinking of all the ways you can sneak STEM, science, math, and literacy into their play!

Check out these little palaeontologists digging for fossils and bones! It’s IKEA big trofast bin with sand. Place paint brushes out for students to use to gently brush the sand off the bones. This action strengthens their pencil grasp.

When children play together, they are building social skills, problem-solving skills, and tons of oral language!

Creating skeletons and drawing sketches of them is a great STEM challenge for children. They have to put the bones together like a puzzle to create a dinosaur.

Kids can also experiment with creating impression fossils with the toy dinosaur bones. For a more advanced fine motor workout, give your child a pair of tongs for removing the dinosaur bones from the sand.

Supplies Needed for Dinosaur Excavation Activity
Kinetic Beach Sand or Kinetic Sand
IKEA big trofast bin
Dinosaur skeleton insert
Toothbrush or paintbrush
Magnifying glass (optional)

Directions for Dinosaur Excavation Activity
1. Fill up an IKEA big trofast bin with Kinetic Beach Sand or regular Kinetic Sand. Both are excellent materials to use, though we prefer the beach sand because it’s more coarse and easier to clean off toys.

2. Next, bury dinosaur fossil skeletons and skulls in the sand. If desired, pack the sand tightly around the toys.

3. Invite your child to carefully excavate the fossils with a toothbrush or paintbrush.

4. When all the fossils are removed and identified, rebury them and dig them again!

Here are some other ideas for play:

🦕Count the dinosaur bones.
🦕Sort the bones by size, shape, or color.
🦕Read a story about dinosaurs.
🦕Watch a movie about dinosaurs.
🦕Draw or write about the dinosaur bones.
🦕Set up a Dinosaur Sensory Bin!

The set includes 1 Puzzle insert and separate plain plywood insert so you can use it with or without the backing.

* This listing is for the wooden insert and does not come with sensory materials.

WARNING: Small items are not suitable for children under 3 years. Small items featured in our photos can be a choking hazard in small children and should only be used only under strict adult supervision.

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