Searching for treasures is a basic human desire. The delight of discovery is real, whether it be prehistoric bones on an archaeological dig or a plastic toy buries in playdough. This homemade dough is one of my favourites. It is sweet-smelling and soft to the touch, which makes it the perfect medium for an archaeological toy dig.
Materials (to make one dig site):
- Medium bowl
- About ½ cup (120ml) leftover hair conditioner
- 1 cup cornstarch
- Glitter and food colouring (optional)
- Baking dish
- Little toys (e.g. dinosaurs)
- Archaeology tools (coffee stirrers, toothpicks and/or spoons)
In a medium bowl, mix the conditioner and cornstarch together until it is the consistency of playdough. The amounts vary depending on the type of conditioner. Typically you need about half a cup of conditioner to 1 cup of cornstarch. If it is too sticky, add more cornstarch – if it is crumbly, add more conditioner.
Half the fun is mixing the ingredients. Add glitter for extra sparkle. Food colouring to colour the dough is optional. Store in an airtight bag. Add small amounts of conditioner as or oil to the dough after it has been stored to rehydrate the dough before playing with it.
In preparation for the dig, layer the bottom of a baking dish with your dinos. Press the soft dough over the tops of your toys. Try to extricate the toys, leaving as little remaining dough on the items, using tools found in your kitchen.
TIP: Do you have leftover sunscreen from last summer? You can replace the hair conditioner in this recipe with any lotion.
Source: 101 Kids Activities that are the Bestest, Funnest Ever! By Holly Homer and Rachel Miller.