My son has played with a few of these kits in the past, and he absolutely LOVES them. This one, Dinosaur Skeleton Excavation Kit: Velociraptor, is made by 4M Kidz Labs, and it was exactly what my son was hoping it would be…. a plastic dinosaur skeleton hidden in a block of plaster. The kit came with a plastic digging tool and a brush. In his excavation today, my son also used some tools he already had from other kits, such as the safety goggles and a small wooden hammer. It took my five-year-old about two hours of focused play (scraping, chiseling, light hammering, brushing) to completely remove the “bones” from the block, and he enjoyed every moment. I realize these might not be for every kid, but my son can’t get enough of this kind of science kit. He’s already asking for another!
After the bones have been completely removed from the plaster block, the child can assemble the skeleton to create a Velociraptor model. We’ll do that another day… or maybe not. My son likes to bury the bones in the dirt in our backyard, so he can “discover” them again (and again).
You may also enjoy: Paleontology Play! Dinosaur Digging
Note: I purchased this as an activity for my son and was not compensated in any way to write about the product.
hike.wander.wonder 
Amazing that something can keep a child so young focussed. Unsurprised it is more fun to bury the bones in the garden for finding later.
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Yes, it’s a successful activity when it holds their attention for an extended period of time. And, even better when it can continue to be used after the science project is completed.
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Wow…what a great activity and product! I’ve never seen this before. Thanks for sharing! Looks like you have a budding paleontologist or archaeologist on your hands! I can’t wait to pour over the website you linked to (where you found the dino activity.)
🙂 Jessica
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These kits take patience, but are so much fun! Yes, these days, my son aspires to be a “paleontologist / biologist / teacher / Lego designer” when he grows up. He’s trying to figure out how to combine his interests into one job. 🙂
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My 8 yo loves these same kits. Hours of fun!
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Cool! Seriously, it’s a great way to slow down and focus for a few hours. I’m currently reading the PaleoJoe Dinosaur Detective Club series to my son, and the books have re-sparked his passion for paleontology.
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These are excellent! I remember when we went through them all – our house was one big archaeology excavation! We had so much fun….
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So fun!! I’ll bet they have great memories of those days. 🙂
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