We’ve done archeological digging sensory bins in previous years to learn about Israel but this year I created this Israeli Archeological Dig Brick for some added challenge!
Participating in an archeological dig was one of the favorite activities I experienced when I visited Israel on my Brightright trip after college. One day I hope my kids will get to experience a dig in real life, but for now, we had lots of fun with this miniature version!
What You’ll Need
- 2 cups play sand
- 2 1/2 cups Plaster of Paris
- 1 1/3 cups water
- Stir stick
- Old bucket
- Disposable tray/container
- Israeli artifacts—stones, shells, bracelets. You could also add coins, ceramic pieces (careful for any sharp edges!), jewelry.
- Tools like wooden mallet and paintbrush
Putting It Together
- Mix the play sand and plaster of Paris together in an old bucket you don’t care about destroying. Make sure you mix them well!
- Add the water and stir to combine. Make sure there are no dry spots.
- Spread your Israeli artifacts on the bottom of your tray or container.
- Pour (you will probably need to scrape it out with your stir stick) the sand/plaster mixture over the artifacts.
- Tap the container on the ground a few times to help the mixture settle.
- Let dry 2-3 days.
- Set out on a tray with your archeological tools.
- Invite your kiddo to use the tools to chip away the brick and reveal the artifacts!
Finished & Loving It!
The kids were so excited when they saw this Israeli Archeological Dig Brick on the Yom Ha’atzmaut Shelfie! They’ve done dig kits before where they discovered dinosaur fossils so they knew what to do and were excited to do it!
Each of the kiddos took turns using the wooden mallet and brush to try to chip away the brick to reveal their Israeli artifacts. These are awesome fine motor skill practices as well as concentration, problem solving and strategic thinking. Each time they dislodged a chunk of the brick or revealed any of the artifacts they were so excited and proud of themselves!
What can you do with the artifacts after they are revealed? You know I love extending the life of our activities! Try sorting them by type, color, or size. Discuss how each of them might have been used in ancient (or not so ancient!) times and how they could have ended up in an archeological site.
Happy digging!
Chag Sameach!
We have a whole page dedicated to Yom Ha’atzmaut, our Yom Ha’atzmaut Hub. Check it out! It includes some of the Yom Ha’atzmaut activities we plan to do this year, as well as the activities we’ve done in previous years.
And don’t forget our Yom Ha’atzmaut Montessori-Style 3 Part Cards, a wonderful way to introduce Yom Ha’atzmaut! And, now we also have all 13 Jewish holidays bundled together in A Year of Jewish Holidays 3 Part Cards.
The following sites are amazing resources for learning more about this holiday:
Reform Judaism: Yom Ha’atzmaut
Chag Sameach!
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[…] I think this archeological dig brick was the kids’ favorite activity this year! Check out how we made it here! […]