A dinosaur excavation can start with a tray and a few sheets of scrap paper. You do not need a garden, a sandpit, or a large bag of sensory material. This version concentrates on searching, recording, and explaining a discovery, while keeping the cleanup manageable. The figures act as pretend finds; they are not replicas of real fossils or evidence that a particular species was found together.
What you need
Choose a few figures from your collection, broad sheets of paper or card, and drawing materials suitable for the child. An adult can help with reading, writing, cutting, or device use where relevant. Begin with a small selection and keep unused pieces stored.
Set up the activity, step by step
1. Prepare a paper excavation
Tear clean scrap paper into broad strips and spread them loosely in a shallow tray. Keep the pieces large enough to collect easily. An adult should choose materials appropriate to the child and supervise throughout; avoid tiny fillers that can be swallowed.
2. Hide only a few discoveries
Select three or four figures from your actual assortment and hide them at different depths. Leave a visible clue for the first one, such as a tail or foot. Keep spare accessories outside the tray so searching does not become an overwhelming hunt through every piece.
3. Investigate gently
Invite the child to move paper aside with their fingers or a soft brush. Ask them to describe what is visible before lifting the figure out. Make the challenge about patient observation rather than finishing quickly or competing for the biggest discovery.
4. Create a discovery record
Draw four large boxes on paper. In each box, the child can sketch a find or dictate a description for an adult to write. Record the hiding place with ordinary words such as near the corner or under the wide strip; invented scientific labels are unnecessary.
5. Compare discoveries
Set the recovered figures beside one another. Compare features that can actually be seen: long tails, upright bodies, neck length, or the shape of a molded crest. If you cannot identify a figure confidently, write unknown figure rather than assigning a species name.
6. Make a second excavation
Let the child arrange the next tray for a partner. Ask them to include one easy find and one that needs closer inspection. Swap roles so the child practices planning the experience as well as participating in it.
Questions to explore together
Choose one question that fits the moment rather than interrupting the story to ask every question. Give the child time to demonstrate an answer with the figures, a drawing, or words.
- What helped you notice the first hidden shape?
- Which detail would help someone recognize your discovery drawing?
- How could you make the next excavation easier without showing every figure?
Try a different version
For a quieter version, hide figures beneath folded paper tents instead of loose strips. For a group, give each explorer a separate section of the tray and combine the records afterward. Photograph the finished record if you want to remember the activity, then return the figures to their normal storage.
Bring the activity to a useful finish
Keep the language clear: this is an imaginative excavation inspired by paleontology, not a model of how fossils form. The rewarding part is the sequence of noticing, uncovering, recording, and sharing. A short, carefully arranged dig can be more satisfying than burying every accessory at once.
Frequently asked question
Can I make a dinosaur dig without sand?
Yes. Broad strips of clean scrap paper in a shallow tray create hiding places that are easy to remove and collect.
Choose your play materials
The Dinolino Dinosaur Discovery Egg Playset contains 50 total pieces across figures, scenery, and accessories—not 50 animals. Assortments vary. The egg case is approximately 33 × 23 cm. Small parts: not for children under 3; follow the packaging’s age guidance and supervise play.
For a separate reference reading session, visit our dinosaur guide for kids. Keep confirmed dinosaur information separate from the fictional characters and model observations in this activity.