Does anyone have a recipe for mimicking the "Dig and Play" kits?

[Pegasus]

My DDs love those overpriced kits where you chip away to unbury various faux artifacts. We've tried making our own with plaster of paris but the result was not satisfactory (too brittle and easy to uncover the hidden items). I imagine concrete would be TOO tough to dig.

 

Any great ideas out there? :D

 

Thanks in advance,

Pegasus

[Pegasus]

Thank you, CarolW! I tried a search and didn't find anything. This one that you linked looks great. We'll definitely give it a try.

 

Pegasus

[sparrow]

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2007/07/make-your-own-f/ I found this one.

 

 

Thanks for posting this!

[KarenNC]

When my daughter turned 4, we had a "princess paleontologist" birthday party:001_smile:. The cake was decorated with "glass" slippers and iced pink, the activity was excavating plastic dinosaurs. I made my "rocks" from homemade play dough with sand added in for texture. They excavated with popsicle sticks. I did have to do it several days ahead of time to allow the "rocks" to dry.

[Plink]

We made them without plaster of paris for DD's birthday. They were a bit softer to dig through than the dig & play kits, which was a benefit in my mind. The toys didn't get damaged from repeated hammering. Here is the recipe I used.

[jenL]

Thank you for asking this question! Ds received one of these kits for his birthday. I had no idea what they cost, and nearly died when he asked for another one.