Best Archaeology Toys For Kids
Archaeology offers a fascinating look into the past. Whether your kids have recently discovered the Indiana Jones movie series, started reading dinosaur books, or simply have an interest in history, the top 10 best archaeology toys for kids 2017 helps your little ones step into the past and discover whole new worlds filled with mummies, fossils, minerals and gemstones, and so much more.
Learning about the past is important for many reasons. It not only opens your children up to different cultures, traditions, and ways of life, it also provides important lessons. Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it, to paraphrase the old saying, so why not give your children a head start? Encourage their love of rock collecting or their increasing fascination with the towering lizards who once reigned supreme over our green and blue planet. The top 10 best archaeology toys for kids offers the chance to expand their imaginations and get creative. It also provides the opportunity to get dirty, something most children never shy away from!
Educational toys offer outstanding supplements to the public education system, and help keep young minds stimulated when they are not in the classroom. Sitting in front of the television all the time is a direct path to mind dullness, something growing children do not need. Like, at all. Archaeology toys feed their imaginations, provide hours of entertainment, and may even help them decide what they want to do when they grow up! In short, the top 10 best archaeology toys for kids 2017 offers a fantastic list of wonderful toys that keep the mind malleable. Pretty cool, right?
What’s here: On this page are the 10 best picks in archaeology toys for 2017. Rankings are based on two factors – overall popularity and consumer ratings. These were the archeology toys that were most highly rated and sold at sufficient volume.
For shoppers: For each of the archaeology toys recommended in the 2017 list, links are provided to purchase the book online from a trusted and safe merchant – online resources are hand-picked for online availability, security and price. Links to reviews are also provided, where available. These are great toys to give as end-of-the-school-year gifts.
What’s Here:
1. Mega Fossil Mine Kit
2. Smithsonian Diggin’ Up Dinosaurs T-Rex
3. Mega Gemstone Mine
4. Large Dinosaur Excavation Kit
5. Small Rock, Mineral, & Gem Excavation Kit
6. Discover The Dinosaur by ArtCreativityTM
7. Pirate Treasure Chest Dig Excavation Kit
8. Large Dinosaur Egg Excavation Kit
9. Thames and Kosmos Classic Science Archaeology: Pyramid
10. Smithsonian Rock and Gem Dig
Top 10 Best Archaeology Toys For Kids:
1. Mega Fossil Mine Kit
Ages 6 and up
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Give kiddies the chance to dig up REAL rock and dino fossils aged 15 million years with this super-cool kit from National Geographic. The Mega Fossil Mine Kit comes with a real dinosaur specimen, as well as coral, ammonite, and mosasaur fossils among others. It features a learning guide so younglings can read about their fossils as they dig them up. Full kit contents include a large dig brick containing 15 fossils, archaeological digging tools, the aforementioned guide, and a magnifying glass, small brush, and small hack/knife.
Considered a great homeschooling tool, the Mega Fossil Mine Kit offers the gift of discovery. Tools are made for little hands, so you might have some trouble if you want to help your kids get started. However, once kids start digging their way through the gypsum-based brick, they will happily unearth fossils and hopefully want to learn more about where they came from. Enjoy giving this gift at the beginning of summer break to keep kiddie brains stimulated throughout June, July, and August.
2. Smithsonian Diggin’ Up Dinosaurs T-Rex
Ages 6 and up
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A fantastic archaeology toy from the renowned Smithsonian, the Diggin’ Up Dinosaurs T-Rex kit provides children with the chance to dig up a (albeit plastic) dinosaur skeleton. Once unearthed, it is time to assemble the bones into a wicked-cool T-Rex. The kit comes with detailed instructions and makes channeling children’s inner archaeologists a really good time.
This toy is ideal for the child who has problems sitting still, as it provides a project that easily takes two hours or more to complete. The resulting T-Rex is a fun prize for kiddies to display in their rooms–if they are old enough to enjoy T-Rex memes, such as “T-Rex hates push-ups,” feel free to show some to them when working on the project together!
3. Mega Gemstone Mine
Ages 6 and up
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The Mega Gemstone Mine from National Geographic provides kids with the opportunity to dig up 15 real–that’s right, real–gemstones! A great toy for your little treasure hunter, this kit features gemstones in a wide variety of colors, including rose quartz, tiger’s eye, hematite, agate, and amethyst among others. The kit also comes with a full-color learning guide, magnifying glass, and archaeological digging tools. It also comes with National Geographic’s 100% satisfaction guarantee and makes it easy for your child to add to his or her rock collection.
Whether you give this toy as a gift or use it as a homeschooling tool, your child is sure to love unearthing glittering gems. You may want to supply a pouch for the youngling to keep the gems in, though the will also look great on a bookshelf or as part of a bigger rock display. If your child has trouble with the tools provided, a standard hammer will make the process much easier.
4. Large Dinosaur Excavation Kit
Ages 6 and up
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If the hulking lizards of the past continue to fascinate your children, the Large Dinosaur Excavation Kit is a must. It is an ideal toy for the child who loves to play in the dirt and dig for objects, and provides the chance to teach how archaeologists do their job. Bones are easy to assemble; the project will take a few days or weeks depending on your child’s level of interest.
This toy is best used outdoors unless you don’t mind getting clay and dust, well, everywhere. Keep in mind there is no way to know what dinosaur your child’s kit will feature. If you get the T-Rex, you may have some trouble keeping it upright (darn those big heads and tiny arms!). Regardless, your child is sure to have a great time unearthing the dinosaur and assembling it as a display piece.
5. Small Rock, Mineral, & Gem Excavation Kit
Ages 6 and up
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Another fantastic gemstone toy, the Small Rock, Mineral, & Gem Excavation Kit comes with an array of rocks, gems, and minerals, as well as digging tools. The clay block is small, however it is still stuffed with gems and helps teach little ones the art of patience.
As with other excavation-based toys, it is best for your children to play with this object outdoors because things will get messy fast. If you want to purchase more than one kit, opt for one of the other options on this list so your kids do not end up with the same rocks and gems. Because the kit is so small, it makes a great stocking stuff or gift that’s part of a larger educational toy collection.
6. Discover The Dinosaur by ArtCreativityTM
Ages 6 and up
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Now this is a unique and exciting gift! The Discover the Dinosaur by ArtCreativityTM is one heck of an educational kit. It comes with not one, not two, but FIVE dinosaur projects and includes a “growing dinosaur” pet, fossil kit, excavation kit, dino glider, and fossil putty. It provides enough to keep your little ‘uns busy for days and offers unique display pieces once all projects are complete.
The excavating kit makes it easy for your young ones to channel their inner Indiana Jones, while the brightly-colored fossil putty provides plenty of gooey fun. As with many of the other top archaeology tools this kit is all kinds of messy, so give it to your kids when they are playing in the backyard. Regardless, each project keeps kids busy and encourages further learning about dinosaurs.
7. Pirate Treasure Chest Dig Excavation Kit
Ages 6 and up
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Whether your kids are obsessed with Pirates of the Caribbean or otherwise took a shine to the swashbuckler lifestyle, the Pirate Treasure Chest Dig Excavation Kit gives them the chance to feel like buccaneers. It comes with digging tools for chipping away at the gypsum block and finding pirate booty.
If you decide to purchase this kit, note that you will probably have to supervise your children because the tools are a bit flimsy. Take the kit outside or put a plastic cover down since things are sure to get dusty. The pearl is arguably the hardest gemstone to unearth, however it is worth the effort! Enjoy helping your kids display their treasure in their rooms…who knows, you might want to buy a kit for yourself.
8. Large Dinosaur Egg Excavation Kit
Ages 6 and up
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The fun of excavating a baby dinosaur from a large egg is possible with the Large Dinosaur Egg Excavation Kit. The kit comes with the usual digging tools for poking the sizeable egg and extracting the little dinosaur. It is one of the more basic kits on the list but still allows for dirt-themed educational fun.
One thing you should be aware of with this kit is that the plastic dino pieces might break if too much force is used while digging. It is best for older children because tiny hands will get bored trying to dig out the dino. Proceed with caution and perhaps purchase the kit as one of several archaeological gifts.
9. Thames and Kosmos Classic Science Archaeology: Pyramid
Ages 6 and up
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The mystery of ancient Egypt comes to life with the Thames and Kosmos Classic Science Archaeology: Pyramid kit. It includes a model pyramid containing a sarcophagus, death mask, mummy, and four canopic urns in addition to a peg, hammer, sponge, brush, and chisel. There’s also a manual and a 3D cardboard cross section model.
Designed to “inspire people to care about the planet,” this kit provides the chance to learn about excavation, remote sensing, dating, conservation, and science. Nice, huh? Opening the top of the pyramid means digging around soft sand, which younger children will probably like. A wonderful homeschooling kit or gift for the child entranced by everything Egyptian, the kit will not disappoint. It is extremely well-thought-out–definitely a high-quality toy from National Geographic!
10. Smithsonian Rock and Gem Dig
Ages 6 and up
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The Smithsonian Rock and Gem Dig kit allows kids to test for rock hardness and streak, and deepen their education. The kit comes with detailed instructions to make excavating semi-precious stones easier. It features 12 or 13 gems of various sizes to add to your kiddies’ rock collections.
Some kits come with a few less gems, such as 10 or 11. The stones are on the smaller size–about the size of jelly beans –which is also something to keep in mind if comparing this to similar kits. If your kids won’t care that the gems are small, go ahead and purchase this educational toy. Your children will still be in for a fun time and perhaps want to learn more about the world of rocks and gems!