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 Science
Toys Dig Up Fun and Education
By Janie Franz
May 1, 2003
The Smithsonian Rock and Gem Dig Kit by NSI |
Any
budding Indiana Jones will have a field day with today’s excavation
and history kits, available in geology, palentology, and archaeology
packages for kids 6-12.
Geology
The Smithsonian Rock and Gem Dig Kit ($12.95) gives
kids junior-sized tools (a mallet, a dowel, goggles, a streak plate,
and a magnifying glass) for them to excavate a faux stone block
which contains several semi-precious gemstones. Instructions included.
GeoSafari
Prospector’s Mystery Rock Kit |
GeoSafari
Prospector’s Mystery Rock Kit ($24.95) includes an
excavation tool, a specimen brush, sorting trays, and a log/activity
book to record the young scientist’s observations. A fabricated
rock is packed with treasures: an emerald and three other gemstones;
three prehistoric fossils (including a real dinosaur bone); and
three rock and mineral specimens.
The
Gem Hunter’s Kit |
The
Gem Hunter’s Kit by Running Press ($19.95)
lets kids excavate eight gems and minerals from a soft rock. The
kit includes an excavation tool, a gem tray, gem stickers, an identification
chart, and instructions.
Neanderthal
Man |
Paleontology
GeoSafari also makes six dinosaur and three prehistoric animal dig
kits for $19.95 each. GeoSafari Xcavations! Tyrannosaurus
Rex contains miniature replica dinosaur bones embedded
in a plaster rock. The kit comes with two steel chisels, a steel
hammer, a pick, brush, sponge, display tray, and instructions. The
Ice Age Dig Kits will give kids hours of fun unearthing
the imitation bones of a woolly mammoth, a saber-toothed cat, or
Neanderthal Man, all of which can be assembled into a 6” to
8” model.
Skullduggery’s
Eyewitness Kit |
Skullduggery’s
Eyewitness Kits ($12.95) approach scientific excavations
from a different angle: kids cast dinosaur bones, then reassemble
them into a complete miniature skeleton.
Buried Treasure Dig kits: Egyptian Dig |
Archaeology
For the pint-sized archaeologist, GeoSafari has three Buried
Treasure Dig kits: Mayan Dig, Egyptian
Dig, and Castle Dig ($19.95). In each
kit, four artifacts are embedded in special Mystery Matrix Sand.
In the Egyptian Dig kit, the hardened sand contains a scarab, an
ankh, a jackal, and a hieroglyphic tablet. The Mystery Matrix Sand
is reusable by moistening it with water and can be shaped into a
sand sculpture. Or kids can create their own dig kits by burying
other objects in the sand and excavating them later.
Finally, Running Press offers Treasure
Chest Kits ($19.95), which contain artifact replicas, games,
art projects, and a 32-page book. The kits cover Ancient China,
Ancient Egypt, Medieval Knights, the Vikings, Shakespeare and the
Elizabethan Age, and Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance.
Original
Gemstone Kit: Fossils
Uncle
JimStones® Arrowhead Kit
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But
kids don’t have to look to distant shores to discover intriguing
cultures; they can learn about Native American history with Uncle
JimStones® Arrowhead Kit ($19.95). Each kit contains
a sieve, mining guide, and a bag of treasure mix containing seven
authentically reproduced arrowheads (a refill bag is available for
$7.95), a printed “tradin' pouch,” and certificate of
completion and instructions—including games and activities.
The company also makes dig kits for gemstones and fossils, with
their Original Gemstone Kit recently being included
in noted child psychologist Helen Boehm’s best-selling book,
The Right Toys.
Writer's
Bio: The mother of two grown children
(an artist and a musician), writer Janie Franz once was a radio
announcer and did booking for a rock band.
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