Fill a shallow bin with play sand, bury a handful of toy dinosaurs at different depths, and hand over a small brush and shovel. That’s the whole setup. No instructions needed once the tools are in their hands. Some kids will dig frantically for the first dinosaur; others will excavate slowly, brushing away sand like they’ve seen on a nature show.
Put a towel underneath first if you’re doing this indoors. Sand travels and it’s easier to shake out a towel than vacuum a rug. Outdoors, skip the towel and let the mess be the yard’s problem instead of yours.
Once every dinosaur’s been found, here’s where one bin turns into a handful of different activities without adding anything new — see “Extend the Play” below for three ways to keep the dig going.
A note on mess and cleanup: play sand doesn’t track the way dry craft sand does, but it will end up outside the bin regardless of how careful anyone is. A dustpan and a few minutes is usually all cleanup takes.
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Use What You Already Have:
- A shallow container or bin
- An old paintbrush
- A towel for underneath (mess control)
Build the Activity:
- Kinetic Sand, 2lb Original Play Sand — Amazon
- Jumbo Dinosaur Toys, 6-Piece Set (toddler-safe) — Amazon
- Kids' Excavation Tool Set with Brush — Amazon
Adapt It (Younger/Older):
For a younger toddler, skip the "fossils" and just let them scoop and pour the sand. The sensory experience is the whole activity at that age. For an older toddler nearing preschool, hide the dinosaurs deeper and add a simple "which dinosaur did you find?" matching card to name each one as it's uncovered.
Extend the Play:
1. Ice excavation: Freeze a small dinosaur in a block of ice and let them "excavate" it with warm water and a spoon.
2. Rock or fossil?: Add a few real (or fake) rocks to the bin and have them sort "fossil" from "rock."
3. Dig site map: Make a simple paper map marking where each dinosaur was found.
Questions to Ask:
"What kind of dinosaur do you think this is?"
"Is it buried deep or shallow?"
"How do you think a real paleontologist finds fossils?"
Activity Type: Pretend Play Sensory Play
Age Range: Toddler
Effort & Budget: Complete Activity Kits
Skill/Developmental Focus: Fine Motor Sensory Processing