Mobile STEAM Unit · Birthday Parties & much more!
through hands-on STEM construction play.
The Little Dirt Boss Quarry rolls right up to your driveway, park, or school in an impressive 38-foot mobile rig equipped with realistic play tools, safe play sand, and a whole lot of imagination. Kids dig in, build up, and pick up real STEAM skills alongside Little Dirt Boss, his sister Lilly Dirt Boss, and all their friends. Whether you’re hosting the best party on the block, a school event, or a community gathering, come build memories with us!
Meet the Crew
Little Dirt Boss
Lilly Dirt Boss
Little Dirt Boss is a woman- and veteran-owned, educator-led family business built around one big idea: kids learn best when they're building something real. Founded by Lisa Cranford — a special education teacher with over 20 years of experience turning learning into an adventure — alongside a co-founder who brings 10+ years of construction experience, our mobile unit brings construction-themed STEAM play straight to your driveway, park, or school.
We put diversity, equity, and inclusion at the center of everything we build, making sure girls, minority youth, neurodiverse learners, children with disabilities, and local families all have a seat at the workbench.
On every job site, kids get hands-on with:
Our Mission
Who says learning can't be a total blast? Through our high-energy edutainment programs, we bring science, technology, engineering, and skilled trades to life. From sensory-friendly events and adaptive workshops to exciting community demos, we blend real-world tools with active play so kids of all abilities can jump in, build together, and discover just how fun hands-on STEM can be.
The Work Order
$350
1.5-HOUR PARTY
Up to 12 children · Recommended ages 3–8
Additional hour: $75
Serving a 25-mile radius around Birmingham, AL (35210)
Large Events & Businesses
$500
2-HOUR MINIMUM
Holiday pricing applies the day before, the day of, and the day after a holiday, plus the weekend of a major holiday. Plus any travel surcharge, if applicable. See our service area.
Party Packages
We bring the party to you — Little Dirt Boss arrives in a fully loaded mobile rig, ready to dig into an hour and a half of hands-on construction play. Every party includes:
From the Job Site to the Page
Written by Lisa Cranford — teacher and the creator of Little Dirt Boss. Currently available on Amazon, with an in-store shop coming soon.
Little Dirt Boss and the Last Penny
View on Amazon →
Lilly Dirt Boss and the Last Penny
View on Amazon →
Girls Like Excavators Too
View on Amazon →
I-Spy Construction: Little Dirt Boss Style
View on Amazon →
Lilly Learns to Measure
View on Amazon →
Merch
Custom construction-themed birthday tees, including matching family shirts. Message us on Instagram or email to place an order.
Anywhere Kids Play
From a backyard birthday to a school field day, the Little Dirt Boss Quarry brings the job site to you.
An hour and a half of digging, building, and celebrating right in your driveway or park.
One parent books, everyone chips in, and the kids play while the grown-ups visit.
Hands-on STEAM play for field days, school visits, and homeschool meetups.
Libraries, churches, neighborhood gatherings, and festivals. We’ll roll up.
Coffee shops, food trucks, grand openings, and markets: give families a reason to stay.
Sensory play and STEM exploration designed so kids of all abilities can jump in.
Large Event Booking
Drawing a crowd? Hosting a block party, family reunion, Christmas party, or a city or community gathering like a back-to-school bash or National Night Out? The Quarry can roll right up to your office parking lot or off-site location for hours of stress-free, one-of-a-kind fun.
Guests will be impressed as they explore the rig. It may even be the highlight of your event! A pop-up tent outside provides shelter, and everyone can peek in through any of the eight windows.
To keep the line moving, each child gets a timer when they enter, so they can play and then make room for the next child in 10-minute (or longer) turns, depending on the size of the crowd. There’s no set limit on crowd size, just the time each child gets inside the rig.
Weekday Play Dates
You don’t have to foot the whole bill. One parent books the Quarry, then the group splits the cost, so the fun lands at just a few dollars per family.
The math
$15 each
10 kids · 1 hour
Cost split evenly at $150 per hour.
Bring Us to Your Space
Turn learning into a hands-on adventure. The Quarry brings real STEAM skills, teamwork, and creative building to:
Have a slower day? We can help boost your foot traffic. Picture the Quarry parked right outside your food truck, coffee shop, or special event, so parents can shop and families can eat at your place while the kids play.
Choose a flat fee, or we can charge per playtime so you pay nothing. Flat-fee bookings follow our large event rates: $500 for a 2-hour minimum, then $150 per additional hour or $75 per half-hour. The ideas are endless, and we can help!
Booking a public park or other public spot? Check with your venue about permits and permission to park before you book.
Good to Know
A 1.5-hour party is $350 for up to 12 children, with recommended ages of 3–8. An additional hour is $75. We serve a 25-mile radius around Birmingham, AL (35210).
Hands-on digging and building time in our Sandtastik® play sand, construction hats and safety vests, a construction-site photo backdrop, and a crew member to ensure safe-play inside the vehicle.
Yes! Construction hats and safety vests are included so kids can feel like real builders.
The Little Dirt Boss Quarry is a 38-foot mobile rig, 8.5 feet wide, that parks right at your location. To set up safely, the space should include:
If you’re unsure whether your space will work, contact us and we’ll be happy to help determine the best setup location for your event.
Yes. While our equipment is designed for safe play, we require at least one adult with the kids at all times. There are three benches available for parents in the bus.
Yes, a waiver must be signed by all parents. We’ll email it to you, or it can be signed the day of the event.
A 50% non-refundable deposit reserves your date. The remaining balance is due any time before your event, or the day of the event before it begins. Reservations aren’t confirmed until the deposit is received.
Deposits are non-refundable.
If you cancel more than 14 days before your booking, we’ll provide a credit by email to use toward a future booking within 12 months.
If you cancel within 14 days of your booking, payments made are forfeited. No-shows aren’t eligible for refunds or credits.
We’re able to operate in rainy weather, depending on the location and the severity of the weather.
We may cancel for severe weather alerts, such as flooding, wind damage, or tornado watches and warnings. If weather affects your date, you can reschedule, subject to our availability.
Please check with your venue about permission to park at any public spot, and secure any permits you may need before we operate at a public park.
If we are told to leave, payments are not refunded unless you can show prior written permission.
And ask your spouse before you book… just kidding. Well, maybe you should!
Yes, Little Dirt Boss is insured.
Yes. We use Sandtastik® Sparkling White Play Sand, made from feldspar rock with no silica, crystalline silica, or quartz, and no dust. It is ACMI certified, toxicology tested, and free of the “Big 9” food allergens. We regularly sift, fluff, and sanitize it. See the full details.
Large events such as grand openings, block parties, family reunions, and community gatherings are $500 for a 2-hour minimum. Additional time is $150 per hour or $75 per half-hour. Holiday pricing is $100 more per hour and covers the day before, the day of, and the day after a holiday, plus the weekend of a major holiday. A travel surcharge applies if you’re outside our service area.
One person books, and the group splits the cost. Play dates are $150 per hour, Monday through Friday from 10am to 2pm, for up to 12 children. The same 50% non-refundable deposit and parent waivers apply.
Where We Roll
The Quarry travels within a 25-mile radius of Birmingham, AL (zip 35210) at no extra charge.
Just outside the circle? We can still roll your way. The surcharge is based on driving distance from zip 35210:
Not sure if you’re in our service area? Check your driving distance from 35210 with this free distance calculator, or just ask us!
Safety First
Kids dig in with their whole hands, so what’s in our sand pile matters.
We use Sandtastik® Sparkling White Play Sand, made from feldspar rock, which does not produce dust like other sands. It has no silica, crystalline silica, or quartz, so it doesn’t produce dust or stick to you like the sand at the beach.
Sandtastik tests its sand at great lengths to make sure it’s safe for people of all ages. It is ACMI Approved Product (AP) certified, as well as ASTM D4236 and ASTM F963-23 compliant. All of it is submitted to the toxicology testing labs at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, NC, and the results are forwarded to the Art & Creative Materials Institute (ACMI) for mandatory industry certification.
All of Sandtastik’s play sands are made from non-food materials, so they are free from the “Big 9” major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame. Learn more in the Sandtastik FAQ. We also keep an eye-wash station on board, just in case.
We regularly sift and fluff the sand, then sanitize it with a light mist on the surface of a 50-50 mix of rubbing alcohol and water. Rubbing alcohol disinfects quickly and evaporates much faster, which prevents moisture.
Sticky floor mats at the entrance keep outside contaminants outside, and shoes go in our shoe parking lot at the door. No shoes and no food or drinks are ever allowed in the bus. Kids can play in socks or bare feet. All that’s required is that you have fun!
Have questions about our sanitizing process? Ask us — we’re happy to walk you through it.
Book the Rig
Send us a message with your date, city, and party size and we'll check availability.