Jungle Animal Excavation


This activity was so much fun! Both my boys (ages 3, 1) really enjoyed excavating and playing with our jungle animals. We decided to do this activity in the tub to contain the mess and to easily wash off afterward. It was a perfect winter activity to do indoors that took up over an hour of our morning. Here's what you need (per child):
  • jungle animals
  • 4 envelopes knox original gelatin (the box I bought at the grocery store came with four envelopes inside.)
  • excavating tools (we used play knives, tweezers, straws and a play spatula)

How To Make The Mold: Pour one cup of cold water into a mixing bowl and sprinkle all four bags onto the water. Let it rest for one minute. Next, add three cups of hot water and stir to combine. In a separate bowl (or mold) spray the entire inside of the bowl with cooking spray. Place the jungle animals in the bottom of the bowl and then pour the gelatin mixture over the animals. Place the bowl in the fridge and allow to set overnight. In the morning, my gelatin mold slowly slid out of the bowls without a problem. My three preferred to leave the gelatin in the bowl (first picture below), and my 19 mo. old had his out (second picture below). 



How To Play: Provide excavating tools and let your child explore and take the lead. Both boys enjoyed cutting slits in the gelatin with a plastic knife and scooping with spoons (first picture below). My three used play tweezers to get the animals out. After my boys got the majority of the animals out of the gelatin, my boys had about as much fun washing the animals off in the tub faucet (second picture below). We sang our jungle song and both boys thought it was so funny to put a jungle animal in their mouth (picture three below). Such a fun day!




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