The Playful Parent

This week’s craft features a dinosaurs theme! Making dinosaur eggs seemed like a fun and educational way to learn about Dinosaur Fossil Rocks as a homeschooling lesson plan. We are also gearing up to take a special trip to Jurassic Quest; so I thought this hands on activity would be perfect for preparing the boys for our exciting adventure. What I love best about this project is that the recipes call for basic ingredients found right in your very own ktichen! Making the eggs is half the fun, you can have your little ones help or make them as a surprise. Here is everything you need to know about making dinosaur eggs.

Salt Dough Dinosaur Eggs

You Will Need:

• 1 Large bowl for mixing
• 1 Tray for eggs to dry on
• 2-cup All purpose flour
• 1-cup Coffee grounds
• 3/4-cup salt
• 1/2-cup water
• 4- Mini plastic dinosaurs

Making Your Eggs:

Step 1: The Recipe

In a bowl, add your dry ingredients: flour, coffee grounds and salt together and mix thoroughly.

Step 2: Adding Water

Next you want to slowly add your water, you don’t want to over water the mixture or it will take longer for the eggs to dry. As you pour the water in, use your hands to knead the ingredients together. Once the ingredients stick together without falling apart it is ready for the next step.

Step 3: Shaping the Mold

Take a small amount of the mixture in your hand then place a plastic dinosaur on top, than add more sand on top of the dinosaur and firmly pack the sand mixture around the dinosaur. Add more mixture until the dinosaur is cover and it is the right size. Use your hands to mold into an egg shape.

Step 4: Letting It Dry

There are two methods for drying. You can either let them dry out in the sun for 2-3 days or you can bake them in the oven at 200 degrees for 2-3 hours.

Step 5: Dino Digg

Take the eggs outside and let your little one chisel away. They can use shovels or kid safe hammers and other tools to crack open their egg to find the hidden dinosaur inside.

Frozen Dinosaur Eggs

You Will Need:

Balloons

Mini Dinosaurs

Water

Glitter (Optional)

Food Dye (Optional)

Step 1: Making Your Eggs

Gently slide one miniature dinosaur inside each balloon.  Next, carefully fill the balloons with water and tie them off. (If you want to add dye or glitter you can pour that into the balloon before filling with water.) When filling the balloons I suggest filling from a faucet so that the water pressure is enough to fill the balloon up. Place balloons in your freezer until solid (be sure not to squish them so that they stay egg shaped.

Step 2: Preparing The Eggs

Once they are completely solid, remove from the freezer and peel away balloon. I used scissors to cut the balloon open and than it pulled away with ease.

Step 3: Chisel Away

Take your eggs outside for your science exploration project.  Provide shovel, chisel and a spray bottle with salt water to help break away the ice.

Tips:

• You can also hide the eggs and have a scavenger hunt.
• For sensory play provide opportunity for your little one to use their hands to explore the texture and temperature of the eggs.
• Have a little bucket ready so that they can give their dinosaurs a bath after digging them out.
• Awesome books: Dig Those Dinosaurs by Lori Houran and Alphasaurs and Other Prehistoric Types by Sharon Werner.