Hi, I've just struck up a new interest in fossils (thanks Thermopolis, WY!) and I want to share it with my nephews (6 of them!). I know the fossil sorting kits you buy don't have the most exciting of specimens (Ammonite, brachiopod, clam, coprolite, coral, crinoid stem, crinoid star, dinosaur bone, gastropod, orthoceras, petrified wood, sea urchin, shark teeth, stingray teeth, and fish vertebrae), but I thought it would be a fun start if I bought a pack of them to make some DIY dig kits. The recipe I found for it is 1 part plaster of paris, 1 part water, 2 parts sand, though I'm open to other suggestions if someone knows a better mix! http://longlivelearning.com/2012/11/homemade-geology-dig-kit/#comment-164564
A few questions:
Will the plaster mix damage the fossils?
What is the best way to clean off the excess plaster once the kids dig them out? I've heard vinegar, is that safe/will it work?
Can you recommend some other inexpensive but interesting fossil types that I could buy to mix in?
Anyone have fossil/dinosaur/prehistoric life book recommendations for ages 4 - 9?