Making fossil crafts with kids

A fossil is the preserved remains or traces of a dead organism. The process by which a fossil is formed is called fossilisation.

I’ve recently been enjoying teaching the children all about fossil and they are loving the BBC Bitesize pages to learn more fun facts about fossils, what they are and how they are formed.

Although real fossils took millions of years to form, you can create your own fossil replicas in an afternoon with one of the following play clay recipes.

In these kids’ activities, you can make impressions of almost anything you can find in your garden or in your home.

Make Tea Leaf Play Clay

This dough will look like natural stone.

You will need

• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 tablespoons used tea leaves (ask the tea drinker at home to save four or five tea bags after they make their cup of tea)

How to make

1. Mix the flour, salt, and water in a bowl.
2. Add the tea leaves a pinch at a time. Mix together. If the dough starts to get crumbly, stop adding in the tea leaves.
3. Use your hands to form the dough into a ball.
4. Knead the dough on a clean surface.

Make Coffee Dough

The coffee grounds make this dough look like a rock.

You will need

• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup salt
• 1 cup used coffee grinds
• ½ cup cold, leftover coffee

1. Combine the ingredients in a bowl and mix until blended.
2. Sprinkle a little flour on your work surface.
3. Gather the dough with your hands and place it on the work surface. Knead until the dough is smooth.

Fossil Making Science Projects for Kids

• Look around your house and garden for things that you can press into the dough and create a fossil. Twigs and leaves are good as are seashells. Some kitchen gadgets have interesting textures. If you plan ahead, you can even save bones from your chicken dinner and make fossils of a chicken wing.
• You can use the dough of your choice. Roll the dough to a ½” thickness.
• Use a clean, empty can to cut a shape from the dough or use a table knife to cut the slab into the outline of your choice.
• Press the object(s) halfway into the dough and then remove the item. You will see an impression of the object.
• If you think that you will want to hang your fossil, poke a plastic drinking straw into the place where you want to make holes; remove the straw.
• Allow the clay to air-dry. How long this takes depends on the temperature and humidity of your area.
• This fossil-making arts and crafts project is a fun supplement to a lesson on fossils and is great for kids who love dinosaurs. Kids can also use one of these stone-look play clays to make pinch pots or even beads and pendants for necklaces and bracelets.

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