Have Fun with a Gemstone Dig Kit
Gemstone dig kits and fossil dig kits have become all the rage in the last couple of years. We explored the reviews to find out which ones are hot and which ones are not.
Dig-your-own-gemstone kits are pretty cool, let’s face it. You get the chance to be your own rockhound just for a day. You receive a block of chalky material, inside which is hidden treasure. Your job is to dig it out.
These little gemstone digging kits are brilliant for kids. It sparks an interest in crystals which may well last a lifetime. Before you know it you could have your own little person going out to collect crystals for you… Your rock collection is already expanding at the thought.
What is a Dig-Your-Own-Gemstone Kit?
The premise for these ‘toys’ is simple. There is a crystal inside a layer of plaster, clay, or another hard-but-soft material. The kit usually includes tools which you use to excavate your hidden treasure.
These kits are great fun because often they include one of a dozen or so minerals and you don’t know which one you get until you dig it out. People on TikTok have gone through hundreds of dig kits trying to find the complete set of gemstones. Some are far rarer than others – just like in real life.
The last thing we want to add about these dig kits is that the best of them know their audience well. When the (ahem) kids are bored and no longer want to dig, you can soak the plaster in water and the material will erode away. Just be careful with the dirty water. You probably don’t want to put it down the sink.
These cool little toys have the same energy as geodes which you smash yourself but let’s face it, they are safer.
The Best Dig-Your-Own-Treasure Kits in 2025
Anyway – onto the good stuff! We picked out a bunch of dig your own sets ranked by both popularity and by the strength of their reviews. Have fun digging for treasure!
10 – The Nat Geo Earth Science Kit
Regular readers of the Stone Circle Rock Blog will know that we appreciate a good National Geographic product in these parts. This massive National Geographic Earth Science kit has everything your kid (or you) need to learn the basics of geology – including a volcano and a crystal growing kit.
The kit includes two gemstone dig kits, one pyrite and one rose quartz. It also has activities like paint your own volcano, pop rocks and mentos volcanoes, and the start of their first rock collection. Aw, bless! The only reason we put it at number ten was because it is a bit bigger than your average dig kit.
Reviewers say both grandson and son played for hours!
9 – The Glow-0in-the-Dark Dino Fossil Kit
Now obviously these are not real fossils but this is a cool play set with mini dinosaurs that glow in the dark. Every kid wants this Dinosaur Fossils Digging and Excavation set. Even the teenagers that say they are too old to play. This set is a cheap dig your own fossils kit which contains three blocks of plaster with dinosaurs inside. A great STEM toy for children.
Rated 5 stars – all products come with expected mess!
8 – Insect Amber dig Kit
This is up at number eight for a similar reason to the glow in the dark dinosaur kit and that is that the fossils are not real. The amber and the bugs are not real but are rather made from resin. Cool but not what we want.
This kit includes six different insect specimens, a mallet and chisel, a magnifying glass, and other bits which make it a good learning tool. The Insect Amber Dig Kit is a good gift for a kid that likes bugs.
Adult reviewers particularly loved the scorpion!
7 – Small Set of Two Dig Kits
Are you an adult who really, really wants to try this? Don’t want to be seen online or in public buying a toy which is blatantly for children? Then this set of two dig kits is what you need in your life. You might also be interested in the diamond dig kits at number five. Both are very grown up.
These small kits contain a plaster block with a minimum of four crystals, fossils, or minerals inside. There are tools to scrape away the plaster and a cute little pouch to keep your crystals in. This product has a bunch of five star reviews.
Reviewers said students loved this activity!
6 – The Science Museum Gemstone Dig
Those of you who want to support the UK museum system can head over to the Science Museum website and pick up a Gemstone Digging and Excavation kit. And why wouldn’t you want to support our museum system? We have free entry to see works of art and original experiments up and down the country. Our ancestors would be astonished.
This kit is great for keeping kids entertained and getting them started on their own crystal collection. It is a good price and, since it comes from the Science Museum Group, you know you can rely on the quality.
Reviewers say this is a great gift for a birthday or Christmas present!
5 – The Real Diamond Mine Kit
These went a bit crazy on TikTok with users desperate to win the diamond. We did watch a whole episode of a guy doing nothing but mining these packs until he did find the diamond. Having gotten it appraised; he had spent more than it was worth. Not to put you off, more to enlighten you as to the product.
These are brilliant party favours for kid’s parties. Teenagers will love these. The box includes six packets and each packet has digging tools and the chance to win a real diamond. What’s great about the Real Diamond Mine Kit is that even if you don’t get a diamond, you still get a rather nice tumble stone and an hour or two of laughs. Also it’s a TikTok trend so it has a lot of traction with the teens.
Reviewers are ecstatic when they find a real diamond!
4 – The Mega Gemstones Dig Kit
The cool Mega Gemstones Dig Kit contains multicoloured plaster balls in the shape of bath bombs. These balls contain 15 different gemstones for you (or your child) to find. Become a treasure hunter as you dig through colourful plaster in this interactive and educational toy.
We loved this kit because it has such lovely colours and because it was the only one on our list to provide safety goggles for the destruction. Another good tip for using these sets is to keep that plaster wet. Nobody wants to breathe in dust.
Customers say this is great value for money but lay down newspaper because it’s messy!
3 – Smash your own Geode Kit
We sell these once in a blue moon when we can get our hands on them. Fortunately, there are other UK crystal sellers who supply them. They tend to have a lot of air miles attached so we try to only buy if they are second-hand.
As usual, the best smash your own geode kits you can pick up belong to National Geographic. This set of Break Open 10 Geodes includes not simply different colours but different crystals. One of the geodes is amethyst, for example. You will get a 1 page guide, your own goggles because smashing is dangerous, and some beautiful crystals once the learning is done.
If you want to spend a bit less we recommend Shropshire Crystal’s Break Your Own Geodes. They won’t have far to fly to reach you if you are in the UK. Reviews are excellent at 4.6/5 stars. This is a nice party pack of quartz geodes that a small group of kids would love.
Top Tip for Geode Smashing: Wrap the geode in fabric before you smash it. A hammer works best. Use eye protection and an old towel or pillowcase. Use an old one as it is likely to develop holes…
2 – The National Geographic Dig Your Own Gemstone Kit – Mega or Super
Based on sheer volume of product alone, we have to rank the National Geographic Mega Gem Digging Kit as top of the class. Not only is it at the top, but it is also closely chased by the Super Gemstone Excavation Kit, which has 10 real gemstones in plaster, waiting for you to dig them out.
The mega kit contains 15 different gemstones, some of which are naturally shaped instead of cut – and you know we love a rough rock at The Stone Circle. This dig kit comes with a magnifying glass, tools to excavate with, learning guides, and fun activities. Even better? This is a Nat Geo product that comes with a satisfaction guarantee. Let them know if you are unhappy and they will do something about it.
Nat Geo have some of the best customer service out there!
1 – The Science Kidz Mega Fossil Dig Kit
Coming in at the best price, this cheap gemstone/fossil dig kit does not scrimp on quality. Science Kidz products are known for creating an energetic buzz around real life experiments. This kit allows kids to excavate 20 prehistoric fossils from the plaster. It comes with everything you would expect – from tools to a handy guide and a pouch to keep everything in.
The Science Kidz Mega Fossil Dig Kit is the best fossil dig kit for kids on our list. It has ammonites, trilobites, teeth, sea urchins – and even a bonus fossil find that remains a mystery. This is a toy that both challenges kids and educates while keeping them off their phones for hours.
Reviewers say this product is highly recommended, hours of fun, and high quality.
The Outsider – Kids: Grow Your Own Crystals Instead!
The underdog in all this is the Grow Your Own Crystals kit. These are not technically dig-your-own gemstone kits but they are great fun. Kids will be amazed for days as they watch their own crystals slowly form. It’s both educational and mind blowing. This particular set comes with a glass terrarium, sands you can layer yourself, and some toy dinosaurs because why not?
How to Use the Dig Your Own Gemstone Excavation Kit?
Tips for using the gemstone excavation kits include:
· Making sure you put down newspaper or work at a table where the mess can be easily cleaned.
· Watch out for the coloured plasters as some reviewers noted that they could stain.
· Use the tools provided to excavate your mineral.
· We suggest you use water and wet the plaster first or use a mask so you don’t breathe in any dust.
· We suggest eye protection for the same reason.
· Once the kids/you get bored you can soak the plaster away in water. Please don’t put this plaster-filled water down your drains, empty it outside.
· Use the wee pouch they give you to keep your winnings.
· Clean up.
Simple!
Wrapping Up: Dig Your Own Gemstone Kits are Messy, Educational, and Great Fun
The outcome of all of this? Excavating your own gemstones and fossils from plaster is brilliant fun and we do not care what age you are. It scratches the perfectionist itch in all of us. You know there is something good hidden in there and you have to get it out… They are addictive for both kids and adults.
We will/would/do/can buy these gemstone dig kits for birthdays and Christmas gifts. We buy them for ourselves… we really need to find a supplier for the shop. Maybe we could make our own…
Since we just spent 1700+ words describing other people’s products, we thought we would mention our own.
You can shop online for crystals from the UK, found in the UK, and polished in the UK. We do deliver internationally and we are all about providing crystal healers with ethically sourced, nurturing, beautiful crystals, fresh from the hills and crags.
It sounds really cool when you say it like that.
Shop for Agates from Scotland
Shop for Drusy Quartz (Looks most like geode innards)
Shop for Recycled and International Gems
Comentarios