These diy dinosaur kits in a jar are a fun, interactive homemade dinosaur gift for kids that’s customizable and really affordable.
How to Make a Dinosaur Kit in a Jar
- Get everything you need: Gather dinosaur figures, fuzzy sticks, craft sticks, paper straws, dinosaur cookie cutters, playdough (green, red, and blue), plastic trees, pebbles, a disposable wooden knife, a plastic hammer, a plastic chisel.
- Assemble the jar: Add all the items into a large jar, starting with the largest objects.
- Decorate: Decorate the jar as you wish.
Additions to Dinosaur Kits
Origami dinosaurs: Swap plastic figures for origami paper and a guide. Use square paper, follow origami instructions, and fold into dinosaur shapes. Take into account the age group for which you’re making these jars.
Clay dinosaurs: Replace plastic toys with molding clay. Mold dinosaurs using green, red, and blue clay. Make sure to add some molding tools to make things easier.
Dinosaur diorama: Upgrade by creating a mini habitat. Add craft sticks as trees, paper straws as fences, and pebbles for terrain. You’ll need extra craft sticks, paper straws, and pebbles.
Dinosaur fossils: Add playdough to make fossil imprints. Use the existing plastic toys and press them into the dough, then bake. You’ll need additional playdough and an oven. Make sure to supervise.
Dinosaur excavation challenge: Turn it into a game. Bury plastic toys in a sandbox or flour, then let kids excavate with tools. You’ll need sand or flour for burying and extra tools for digging. You can also make it more challenging by burying plastic toys in clay and letting them harden. Let the children chisel the clay away to uncover the dinosaur inside.
Dinosaur terrarium: Create a mini ecosystem. Use plastic trees, pebbles, and live plants to build a terrarium inside the jar. You’ll need small live plants and soil.
Dinosaur jewelry: Transform figures into accessories. Attach fuzzy sticks to make necklaces or bracelets. You’ll need extra fuzzy sticks and string.
Dinosaur magnet art: Turn the dinosaurs into fridge magnets. You’ll need some magnets and a bit of glue. Stick the magnets onto the backs of the plastic toys and secure them with glue. Help your children to draw a prehistoric scene and stick it to the fridge with the dinosaur magnets.
Dinosaur shadow puppets: Craft shadow puppets for storytelling. Trace dinosaur cookie cutters onto black paper, cut out the dinosaurs, and attach them to craft sticks. You’ll need black paper, a white pencil, and extra craft sticks.
Dinosaur kaleidoscope: Create a kaleidoscope view. Fill the jar with colored pebbles and plastic toys, seal, and shake for a dynamic display. You’ll need extra colored pebbles.
Dinosaur Kit in a Jar
Materials
- dinosaur figures
- fuzzy sticks
- craft sticks
- paper straws
- dinosaur cookie cutters
- playdough, green, red & blue
- plastic trees
- pebbles
- disposable wooden knife
- plastic hammer
- plastic chisel
Instructions
- Add all the items into a large jar.
- Decorate the jar as you wish.
Notes
- Jar size matters: Make sure the jar is big enough to comfortably hold all the items, leaving room for shaking and adding more items later.
- Secure items: Tape the items together to make things look neat during the initial assembly. This includes the straws and fuzzy sticks.
- Playdough freshness: Seal playdough in separate bags to maintain freshness and prevent colors from mixing.
- Safety first: Supervise younger children when using tools like the plastic hammer and chisel to avoid accidents.
- Creative twist: Encourage personalization by providing markers, stickers, paint, and other arty items to decorate the jars.
- Reuse materials: Emphasize the versatility of the kit by suggesting ways to repurpose items for future crafts or play. Show your children how a fuzzy stick can look like branches on a tree, the wings of a butterfly, or even a flower petal. Encourage creativity and imagination.
