Dan&Darci Dig a Dozen Gem Blocks Mining Kit for Kids - Discover 12 Unique Real Gemstones, Mineral, Rock, Crystals Collection - Archaeology Science Gift Toys Set for Boys & Girls Age 8-12 Gifts

Purchased for Grandsons class. Everyone loved it.

I purchased this set for my 4 yr old grandson and we worked on digging out the gemstones and rocks together. He would attempt to identify each stone and we would discuss which of the stones had similarities to the one we uncovered, then read the information card for what we decided through careful deliberation was the correct stone. Hours of enjoyment and a great project to do together. I would have loved it if the stones were slightly bigger making them easier to identify and also to keep track of. Including a small drawstring bag to keep them in would also have been great. He was happy with the collection, enjoyed organizing the stones with the large chart included in the set and we talked about our favorites and the qualities of each stone numerous times. Later he used them as a load to be moved about using a small toy loader and dump truck.

These were so fun. I bought them for the kids stockings and they were a big hit! It came with everything shown. They were not too difficult to get into which can be the problem of others we have purchased before where the kids has to wet them first but that wasn’t the cause with these. Just a word of caution they will stain hands. It did get on their clothes but came out in a few washes.

As a geologist, I love giving family these little diggy-type activies during the holidays to unearth rocks and minerals. This one has been my favorite one I've ever done! The rocks inside were nicely polished, rather than cut into ugly squares, and they actually had some very interesting rock types than even I got excited about getting! This is definitely the perfect activity to give the people around you who need more digging for rocks in their lives - geologists included!I do have a couple of nitpicks, though, as someone who has done a lot of these digging-type things over the years. Firstly, the tools provided are very minimal - some kits will provide move shovel-type tools, but this one only has a tiny pick that is more suited to a child's hand size than an adult's - so if you have big hands, beware for cramps incoming! (I realize these kits are usually for children, so this is a minor nitpick, haha).The main problem with this one is actually the guide - the rock identification guide in my box actually had the Sodalite and Lapis Lazuli identification photos mixed up.The rocks also don't match the photos very well in general, so for the children (or adults) in your life who are interested in rock identification, this part may be a little difficult. To non-geologists, though, it might not matter what the actual ID of the rock is! But I had to identify them all for everyone, since the guide photos were not so forthcoming.Overall though, these kits were actually my favorite I've ever gotten! I'll definitely be getting them again next year, too!

My 9yr old has become interested in rocks. Got this as a Christmas gift and it was perfect!Me and my daughter would look at the big chart that comes in the box and guess which gem we thought would be dug out each time. She then dropped a block into a cup of warm water for a minute, pulled it out, and chipped away at it.I was impressed with the quality of everything included in the kit. The cards are a good thickness and print. The clay was not too hard or soft. The 12 picks a sturdy plastic with brushes on the end. The rocks included are an appropriate small size, all intact with no chips, and good coloring. They match the cards.This is an item I liked enough to add to my Birthday Present Idea list for my kid's friends.

My children loved digging through these blocks to find the hidden gems. And then discovering what they had uncovered. They are covered in a sort of plaster so it was very very messy, but we have rules to keep the mess to a minimum 😊 and it's easy to sweep up and wipe down. No staining. Love it!

Used these for a Minecraft birthday, so kids could feel like they were mining. We found hot water worked best, so a kettle is helpful, and I expected the outside to be chalky but it was more like a very dry clay. Gloves might be nice for sensory sensitive kids. But all the rocks came out gleaming and lovely, so that was nice!

Overall, this is a fun activity! My kids from ages 3-6 love them and are able to play with them *mostly* independently (littles still need some help). However, today my son was digging….and digging….and never found a gemstone inside. St. Nick delivered them this morning and my son was quite sad when his sisters got gems and he did not. We still have 9 more to open and sure hope none of the others are empty!