Dinosaur Dig Kits and Fossil Kits: What Kids Actually Dig Up

A dinosaur dig kit hides something in a block of plaster, clay or “earth” for kids to chisel out. Many contain plastic skeleton pieces or small figures, not real dinosaur bone. Dig eggs suit ages 4 and up, plaster skeleton kits about 6 and up, and museum-shop fossil kits hold small shells, coral or petrified wood.

What is actually inside a dinosaur dig kit?

Dig kits fall into three families, and the box art does not always make the difference clear. Read the contents list before you buy.

Dig eggs

MindWare’s Dig It Up Dinosaur Eggs come as 12 wrapped clay eggs, each about 3 inches, with 12 chisels and an excavation guide. Kids soak an egg in water, then chip away the shell to find a different dinosaur in each one. The retailer page carries the warning “choking hazard - small parts. Not for children under 3 yrs.”

A dozen eggs in one carton splits neatly into party favors for a dinosaur birthday, and a single egg fits a Christmas stocking.

Plaster skeleton and skull kits

These are the classic “junior paleontologist” gift. The AMNH Shop’s Tyrannosaurus Skull Dig Kit includes an earthen block, a hammer, a chisel, a dusting brush, a museum stand and an instruction sheet. HamiltonBuhl’s Paleo Hunter kit pairs a plaster block of ABS plastic bones with a hammer, chisel, brush and magnifying glass, plus goggles and a mask.

A finished skull on a stand looks good on a shelf, and museum shops such as the AMNH Shop sell these kits, so they double as museum-trip souvenirs. For scale, the Natural History Museum in London lists Tyrannosaurus at 12 meters long, living 68 to 66 million years ago in what is now Canada and the USA. Triceratops lived at the same time, at 9 meters long.

Real fossil kits

Some kits hold genuine specimens. The AMNH Shop’s Dig It Up Minerals and Fossils Kit contains petrified wood, honeycomb coral and snail fossils alongside minerals such as rose quartz and amethyst, with a field guide to identify each find.

Notice what is missing: dinosaur bone. On US public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management, anyone may collect a reasonable amount of common invertebrate and plant fossils for personal use, but vertebrate fossils such as dinosaurs need a research permit. If a kit promises “real dinosaur fossils,” check the label for what the specimen is and where it came from. Our guide to buying real dinosaur fossils explains the rules and how to spot fakes.

Which dig kit fits which child?

• Ages 4 to 5: dig eggs. The clay softens in water, so small hands do not need a hammer.
• Ages 6 to 8: plaster skull or skeleton kits rated 6+. Expect adult help with the first few swings of the hammer.
• Ages 8 and up, and adults: real fossil and mineral kits, where identifying each specimen is half the fun. Pair one with a genuine fossil for a budding collector.

Kids who finish a kit in an afternoon often want the animal as a toy next. The dinosaur toys guide covers realistic figures of the same species, and the gifts for kids 6 to 12 page pairs dig kits with LEGO and remote-control dinosaurs.

How messy and dusty are dig kits?

Chiseling plaster makes fine dust, and clay eggs leave wet crumbs. Some makers plan for this: HamiltonBuhl lists goggles and a mask in the Paleo Hunter kit. If a kit includes goggles, have your child wear them.

Set up on a tray or old newspaper, or at an outdoor table. Keep a soft brush and a damp cloth nearby for the final cleaning of each bone.

Which safety labels should you check on a dig kit?

Start with the age on the package, not the listing title. Then look for these labels:

• Choking hazard warning. Kits for ages 3 to 6 that contain small parts must carry the choking hazard label, per CPSC.
• Button or coin batteries. Some kits add a light-up display stand or a sound chip. Under Reese’s Law (16 CFR part 1263), products made or imported after March 19, 2024 must secure button and coin battery compartments so they need a tool or two independent, simultaneous hand movements to open.
• Magnets. Toys fall under ASTM F963, the toy standard CPSC enforces through 16 CFR part 1250, which includes the test for hazardous magnets. CPSC warns that swallowed magnets can attract each other inside the body. Keep any loose magnets from a display kit out of reach.

Buying a dig kit on eBay

Buy new and sealed. An opened kit may be missing its tools, its instruction sheet or the block itself. Match the photos to the maker’s current packaging, and read the seller’s return policy.

More dinosaur gift guides

Start at dinosaur gifts by age and interest for the full list, including plush, LEGO and room decor.