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Craft: Homemade fossils

May 11, 2011 by Anne Campbell 19 Comments

Before you throw away the used coffee grounds from your coffee maker, try recycling them into a fun fossil craft. My recipe makes enough dough for three kids to make one large or three small “fossils” each, and it uses just the right amount of leftover coffee to empty my coffeemaker. {Note: If you use a K-cup type coffee maker, just save a week’s worth of used K-cups}

#homemade #fossils #craft @mylearningtable.com

You will need:

1 cup of wet, used coffee grounds

1/2 cup cold coffee

1/2 cup salt

1 cup flour

Mix together with your hands, and add more flour if dough is too sticky. Divide into even pieces and place on waxed or parchment paper.

Send kids out in the yard to collect specimens to “fossilize.” My kids each tried various things from plant leaves, flower petals, and tree bark to sea shells and pine cones. Press the items in the dough using fingers or the back of a spoon and carefully lift out each item after the desired impression is made. {If desired, use a drinking straw to make a hole through the fossil near the edge for hanging with twine or yarn when dry.} Set “fossils” out to dry overnight. You may need to turn them over and let them dry a little more on the other side for even drying. Ours got hard like stone after 24 hours.

A great way to recycle the leftover coffee and do a little science and nature study at the same time!

#homemade #fossils #craft @mylearningtable.com

 

#homemade #fossils #craft @mylearningtable.com

#homemade #fossils #craft @mylearningtable.com#homemade #fossils #craft @mylearningtable.com

 

#homemade #fossils #craft @mylearningtable.com#homemade #fossils #craft @mylearningtable.com#homemade #fossils #craft @mylearningtable.com

Our fossil craft was featured on PBS Parents and Red Tricycle! Thank you!

#homemade #fossils #craft @mylearningtable.com

 

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Filed Under: Homeschool, STEAM

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Comments

  1. The Cast says

    May 12, 2011 at 12:24 AM

    Very cool! How hard do they get? Would be cool to have the kids stickem around the farm.

    Reply
  2. learning table says

    May 12, 2011 at 2:43 AM

    They got pretty hard after a night out on the porch and took on a stone-like apprearance (about the same hardness as dry salt dough, but not as durable as ceramic.) They smell wonderful!

    Reply
  3. Kate @ An Amazing Child says

    May 14, 2011 at 5:21 AM

    These are fabulous. I am always awed by the wonderful things homeschooling families get up to.

    Thanks again for sharing with us.

    Reply
  4. Mama Pea Pod says

    May 14, 2011 at 8:38 PM

    I recently fell in love with the homemade fossils that Discovery International School did with plaster with his preschool students, but your recipe looks really easy, I think I might have to try this!

    Reply
  5. Kelli- AdventurezInChild'Rearing says

    May 15, 2011 at 9:19 PM

    ok- this is Fab-u- lo-so! can I use it as a guest post on my homeschool blog? it will be a great way to drive some more traffic your way too!!! love love it and can’t wait to do it w my boys! they’re gonna “dig” it- (i’m so sorry- i just can’t help myself)

    Reply
  6. learning table says

    May 15, 2011 at 9:56 PM

    Kelli-Sure you can! Thanks for the kind words.
    By the way, the longer they sit out, the harder they get. Now they look and feel like stone.

    Reply
  7. Art For Little Hands says

    June 5, 2011 at 3:19 PM

    How Fun! Your recipe looks very easy to use. And seems like it took to the pressing of nature items well. Much better than my store bought air dry clay. Thanks so much for sharing your blog with me. I am going to try your version this week.

    Reply
  8. Aimee from Classified: Mom says

    June 10, 2011 at 3:11 AM

    That looks very easy to make and what fun the kids would have creating this! Thanks for sharing this idea at The Sunday Showcase!
    Aimee
    Classified: Mom

    Reply
  9. Aimee from Classified: Mom says

    June 12, 2011 at 7:17 PM

    Congrats you have been featured! http://www.classifiedmom.com/2011/06/sunday-showcase-612.html

    Reply
  10. The Sunshine Crew says

    June 13, 2011 at 11:49 AM

    Very cool project! My boys love to collect things in nature and will really enjoy doing this.
    Thanks for sharing.
    Lovely blog, BTW. am now following you.I popped over from Sunday Showcase.
    Colleen:)

    Reply
  11. Justine says

    July 6, 2011 at 4:32 PM

    I found your post today over at Come Together Kids. I think that we will be doing this today, provided I have enough coffee left! Thanks for sharing! I’m a new follower!

    Reply
  12. Mama Pea Pod says

    January 2, 2012 at 4:04 PM

    I still love this post, and I still have to make these! They were on my summer to do list, and I even had the coffee set aside in the fridge for a couple of days, but we just didn’t get to them. Love them!! Thanks for linking them up to the 2011 Best Ideas for Kids blog hop – I truly think this IS one of the BEST ideas I saw for kids in 2011!

    Reply
  13. Mommy Cameron | Raising the Cameron Clan says

    January 3, 2012 at 3:36 AM

    My boys and I have done this with both dinosaurs and leaves. It is so much fun and keeps my boys busy for hours.

    Stopping by from Best Ideas of 2011 Kids Blog Hop. Happy New Year.

    Reply
  14. Thaleia @Something2offer says

    February 10, 2014 at 2:36 PM

    Love the suggestion of using K-cups! Will definitely keep this in mind when we start our Geology!

    Reply
  15. Heather says

    September 30, 2015 at 2:37 PM

    What an amazing idea! I love that you have so many activities on here, I can come and glean and then do them with my kiddos! Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply
    • Anne Campbell says

      September 30, 2015 at 6:09 PM

      Thanks so much, Heather!

      Reply
  16. Lori Hill-Smith says

    September 30, 2015 at 7:44 PM

    What a fun idea! The kids will love this.

    Reply
  17. kite says

    October 27, 2017 at 2:28 AM

    Hello,
    Awesome project! My kids love to collect things in nature and will really enjoy doing this.

    Reply
    • Anne Campbell says

      October 27, 2017 at 8:21 AM

      Thanks so much! I hope you have fun doing it. It is a cool way to use up old coffee grounds!

      Reply

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Anne Campbell mylearningtable.com

I’m Anne, a homeschool mom, editor, writer, reviewer, tutor, homeschool consultant, English and ESL teacher.

We spend our days embracing the light bulb moments of discovery and cherishing our spontaneous life. Click here to read more. This blog uses referral links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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