Ancient Archeology

Many consider archeology to be modern day treasure hunting. Set up an archeological dig for residents to find their own ancient wonders. Create a table sized sandbox by attaching trash bags securely to a wooden frame. Then fill the structure with sand and hide gifts in the sand. Invite those interested in participating and give them a small garden trowel or rake and let them mine for treasure. Remind them that it is important to search gently so as not to break what is buried. You can even go so far as to bury objects that tell some kind of story and then tell your diggers the history of the place before they begin to search. Another variation is to bury things that need to be put together to make a gift, or even puzzle pieces. Artifacts are often just parts of things that need to be pieced together before the full story is told and the true value seen.