Messy Monday - Play Archeologist/Paleontologist (Find)

Today marks the 13th Messy Monday post and for that, I need a button.  So here's the Messy Monday button (the code is on the sidebar) - feel free to add it to your blog (or a Messy Monday-esque post) if you like Messy Monday.  As a former art teacher, I LOVE Messy Mondays, but I thought I'd ask you if there are any projects that you'd like a little direction on. For instance, you've always wanted to do potato prints, but can't remember how.  Leave a note in the comments section and I'll add it to the line up.  As of right now, I'm not going to make it a linky party, but if you do a Messy Monday project (it doesn't have to be done on a Monday), leave the link in the comments section or email me the link and  I'll link it into the following week's post.  A little exposure for you and fun for the rest of us to see - sound good?  In honor of the 13th Messy Monday post, I'm going to ask you for a favor - would you mind clicking on that little brown "vote for me button"on the sidebar - thanks!  (If you want to of course - no arm twisting here.)  Also, I am trying Twitter and Facebook so feel free to add/like me in your "free time" and I'll add/like you back.  There will be a freebie giveaway announced later this week via Twitter/Facebook, so it might pay off.  And now, on to the show....

Today's post is for all of the moms of kids that like to dig and search for "treasures". This is a great idea for a rainy day when you can't get outside to do the digging.  Let's make play clay look like dirt and hide plastic dinosaurs and animals in it and "search/find" them just like archeologists and paleontologists.  Sound like fun?  Maybe not for you, but your little diggers will love it!

Here are a couple fun web sites for researching purposes (with your kids) if you are interested:
Paleo Explorer Kids!

Dinosaur Train

Make this play clay recipe - for color, do what your food coloring directions say will make brown.

Mix in about a tablespoon of wet coffee grounds from the coffee pot - sounds gross, it's worth it.

Place small plastic animals in the play clay and fold it over on itself to "bury" the animals.

Dig with any tools that you have that will successfully uncover the "bones"/animals

Fun, right?  

I'd love to hear your "requests" for Messy Monday in the comments section....

I am linking this up to some of my favorite linky parties, check them out!