Fossil Finds
Did you ever find a footprint in mud and wonder what animal made it? If left untouched for thousands of years, it would turn into a fossil! Create your own fossil replicas.
1. Think about something that lived long ago, such as dinosaurs. How do we learn about their appearance? When scientists study fossils, they can estimate the size of animals by the sizes of their footprints and skeletons. Fossils are a tangible link to the past, and new information is being discovered each day.
2. Making replicas of fossils with Crayola® Air-Dry Clay is easy. You can create fine details because of the smooth finish of the clay. What kinds of fossil imprints can you make with found objects such as plant leaves, sea shells, or even the foot of a toy dinosaur?
3. On a clean, dry surface flatten a handful of the clay. Make the edges uneven and jagged, like a rock. Cracks in the edges make it look authentic. Press objects into your rock and carefully remove them, so that you leave fossil prints. Air-dry your fossil for at least 48 hours.
4. Spread newspaper on your art table. Place a few drops of brown or black Crayola Tempera Paint on the surface of your fossil. With a paper towel or sponge, rub the paint over the surface. Rub off any excess so that the paint sticks only in the indentations for a rock-like finish. Add another earthy color and repeat the process.
5. What interests you about being a paleontologist? They are the scientists who study dinosaur bones.
Adult supervision is required for any arts & crafts project.
Crayola Modeling Materials including Crayola Model Magic®, Model Magic Fusion™, Crayola Air-Dry Clay, and Crayola Dough With Small Parts—
WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD—
- Keep away from open flames. Do not use to make candleholders, hot plates, trivets, or other similar objects that will be used or placed near fire and other heat sources.
- Do not put in an oven, microwave, or kiln.
- Do not make into vessels/containers that will hold unpackaged food.
- If the arts & crafts project involves making small objects, follow the small parts/choking hazards standards: WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD—Small parts. Not for children under 3 years."
- The use of modeling material to make items that look like food is discouraged for children younger than age 5 to avoid their confusion with real food.
- Unless sealed with a water-resistant glaze, do not make projects exposed to or immersed in water, such as boats or outdoor bird feeders. They would disintegrate when exposed to moisture.
- Crayola Dough—contains gluten (wheat flour) as an ingredient. Crayola Air-Dry Clay, Crayola Model Magic, and Model Magic Fusion are gluten-free. However, they are produced on the same machinery as Crayola Dough which does contain gluten. Although the machines are cleaned prior to the start of each production run, there is a slight possibility that trace amounts of gluten from Crayola Dough may be present in the other modeling compound products. For information regarding specific ingredients or allergic concerns, please call our Consumer Affairs department at 1-800-272-9652 weekdays between 9 AM and 4 PM Eastern Standard Time.
Small Parts— WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD—Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.
Crayola Washable Paints—Not for use as body/face paint.
- Chart the different types and sizes of dinosaurs. Learn their names and how to spell them.
- Try making footprints of dogs or other cooperative pets. Air-Dry Clay can be made a little softer with just a few drops of water. It washes off easily, too. How do today’s animals compare with the size of dinosaurs?
- Collect shell or plant fossils. Which kinds of fossils have been found in your area?
- Assessment: Observe children’s problem-solving process as they select objects and make imprints. How well do they follow directions with the paint?
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