To go fossil hunting with your children, all you need is an curiosity! If you have a dino-loving child, their enthusiasm has already been ignited. In order to aid your kids in making connections between dinosaurs from the past as well as the rock that they’ll find today, check out Fossils for Kids and Dino Dana Both will help your child identify and understand dinosaurs and how they’re still relevant in the present.
The setting for our very first fossil hunting day with the novel written by Linda Skeers titled Dinosaur Lady. It’s about the historical figure, Mary Annings, who is now regarded as one of the most successful Palaeontologists in UK the past. Our son was thrilled to learn that the story was set in the same place he was planning to go. He had hoped to find an entire dinosaur, just like Annings! In case where you choose extra resources about excavation kit, check out this site.
Fossil hunt songs, games and games
We carry on the theme of fossils on our journey to our destination. We sing “I’m a Palaeontologist”, by They Might Be Giants, with the group. It’s a catchy and fun tune that can get children excited about fossil hunts and the fun things they might find.
A game where we name the dinosaurs in each alphabet letter is also played. I warn you this gets very difficult between N and O but we were able to get help from our 199 Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals book.
Dinosaur museums
If you want to help your child the knowledge of what they’re looking for and what a fun experience fossil hunting is, consider visiting an appropriate local, kid-friendly dinosaur museum. A museum of a small size has been set up close to where we hunt fossils. It was established by a local man at 6 years old. Now 50 years later it is home to a massive collection of fossils including an Pliosaur and an Ichthyosaur. Our son was inspired by The Etches Museum and was eager to discover the fossils of his own after we had left.
There are loads of museums around the world with amazing collections of fossils and dinosaur bones. If you happen to be near any of these places, they were listed as the 10 best Dinosaur Museums in the world:
Zigong Dinosaur galleries (Zigong, China)
Natural History Museum (Paris, France)
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Science, Brussels (Belgium)
Royal Tyrell Museum of Paleontology (Alberta, Canada)
Natural History Museum (London. England).
The Field Museum (Chicago IL, USA).
Fukui Dinosaur Museum (Katsuyama, Japan)
Badlands Dinosaur Museum, Dickinson, North Dakota USA
Smithsonian Museum of Natural History (Washington D.C, USA)
National Dinosaur Museum (Canberra, Australia)
Equipment and equipment for fossil hunting
There’s really not a lot of equipment or gear you’ll need for going fossil hunting with your kids. But, there are a few factors that can help make the experience more secure and safe for kids. Here is a listing of possible fossil hunting equipment.
Fossil Hammer
Although it isn’t essential A fossil hammer can allow the fossil hunting experience more of an adventure for your child, and will give the child more freedom and responsibility. Our son was extremely excited to own his own fossil hammer, but of course, always make sure you talk through the safety of your child and supervise your child while using the hammer.
Eye Protection
If you’ll be using a hammer and breaking rocks, as well as chipping away at stones and dirt, safety goggles are an excellent option to shield their eyes from flying stone and other debris. There’s nothing that can ruin fossil hunting more than the sight of a stone fragment in the eye of a tiny.
