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Finding Dinosaur Teeth and Other Fossils

Posted by Gav Grayston.
First Published Jan 2014; updated May 2023.

Finding Dinosaur Teeth is an activity our little lad came up with, and could be a useful distraction when out on a walk. There are places though where you can find real fossils, and we cover those too.


This little activity may rejuvenate your kids if they have flagging spirits when out for a walk. All you need is a bit of imagination...


Finding a Dinosaur Tooth

So this little activity comes from our little lad and his active imagination.

Inspired after watching the Walking With Dinosaurs movie, where the story starts with a fossilised dinosaur tooth, he wanted to find his very own.

Now obviously, finding a real dinosaur tooth wasn't going to happen, but he did find a tooth-shaped stone. He knew it was a stone but was extremely content also to think it was a dinosaur tooth.

Look! I found a dinosaur tooth!

This is so simple and something any child will come up with, but we thought it's a useful idea if you are out on a walk in a stoney area. 'See if you can try and find a dinosaur tooth - a stone that looks like a large tooth'.  This may perk up their interest a bit.

You won't progress much on the walk, but they'll enjoy it more.

You could always adapt it on the beach by asking them to find a stone shaped like a shark's tooth.

Finding real fossils

Where he found 'the tooth' wasn't far from where a woolly mammoth was found by someone walking their dog. So it is just possible to find something real.

There are places you can take your kids and find real fossils.

Near us is a walk in some woodland where you can find fossilised sea shells (Wenlock Edge) and big fossils on the beach at Watchet in North Somerset.

However, as fascinating as sea creatures could be, our little boy wanted a Gogrosaurus tooth! (Which are about 6 inches long and found on the other side of the world!)