Simple Outdoor Adventures for Boys {Day 19}: Search for Fossils
How to Search for Fossils…
Supplies:
- Paint Brush
- Small Shovel
- Butter Knife
- Magnifying Glass
Billions of fossils have been found around the world, and each give us a clue about living things that lived long ago. The word “fossil” comes from a Latin that means “to be dug up”, which is all the more permission to go searching!
Fossils have been preserved by mud, sand, and lava. The best place to look for them are at a beach or a creek bed. Look for rocks that are harder than the surrounding rock. Geodes, hollow and often crystal-filled rocks, are also common to find in these settings.
If you don’t have any luck finding fossils, at least your kid has permission to dig in the dirt! And what boy wouldn’t LOVE that opportunity?
Helpful Tips/Resources:
- The Answers Book for Kids Volume 2: 22 Questions on Dinosaurs and the Flood of Noah
- DIY Dinosaur Fossils
- Rocks, Fossils, and Arrowheads (Take Along Guides)
- Make Your Own Fossils with Clay
- Fossil Hunting Sites in the US
* Lots of children’s museum and science museums have mock fossil dig sites that are lots of fun for kids!
* You can wash your fossils or interesting rocks that you might find with warm water and a small amount of dish soap. Scrub with an old toothbrush. Kids love this part of the process as well!