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How to get a shovel in animal crossings new horizons

Mark Stevens

May 21, 2025

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a charming and addictive game that allows players to create their own virtual island paradise. One important tool that players need to progress in the game is a shovel. With a shovel, players can dig up fossils, plant trees, and even discover buried treasure. In this guide, we will show you how to obtain a shovel in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

To get a shovel, you first need to progress through the game’s storyline. After setting up your tent and meeting the friendly residents of your island, you will need to complete a few tasks for Tom Nook, the raccoon who runs the island. These tasks typically involve gathering resources and helping out your fellow villagers.

Once you have completed the initial tasks, Tom Nook will give you a crafting recipe for a flimsy shovel. This recipe requires crafting materials such as hardwood and softwood, which can be collected by chopping trees with an axe. Once you have the necessary materials, simply head to a crafting station and follow the recipe to craft your flimsy shovel.

With your flimsy shovel in hand, you can start digging up various items and resources around your island. You can dig up fossils, which can be donated to the museum or sold for bells, the game’s currency. You can also dig up buried treasure, which can include valuable items such as furniture or rare bugs.

As you continue to play the game, you will have the opportunity to upgrade your flimsy shovel to a stronger and more durable version. This will allow you to dig up even more valuable items and resources. To upgrade your shovel, you will need to collect a special crafting material called a gold nugget. Gold nuggets can be found by hitting rocks with a regular or flimsy shovel. Once you have a gold nugget, simply head to a crafting station and follow the recipe to upgrade your shovel.

Now that you know how to get a shovel in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you can start exploring and discovering all the hidden treasures your island has to offer. Happy digging!

How to Obtain a Shovel

In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, a shovel is an essential tool that allows you to dig up fossils, plant flowers and trees, and even unearth buried treasure. Obtaining a shovel is crucial to advancing your island life and expanding your collection. Here’s how you can get a shovel:

1. First, make sure you have a tent or a house on your island.
2. Next, wait for the Resident Services tent to be upgraded into a building.
3. Once the Resident Services building is complete, you can speak to Tom Nook to start the Nook’s Cranny upgrade process.
4. After you’ve started the Nook’s Cranny upgrade, you’ll need to wait a day for it to be built.
5. On the day that Nook’s Cranny is finished, Timmy and Tommy will give you the recipe for a shovel as a celebration present.
6. Once you have the recipe, you’ll need to gather the necessary materials to craft the shovel. You’ll need 5 hardwood and 1 iron nugget.
7. With the materials in hand, you can craft your very own shovel at a DIY workbench.

Now that you have your own shovel, you can start digging up fossils, planting beautiful gardens, and discovering buried secrets on your island. Make sure to explore every corner of your island and use your new shovel to enhance your Animal Crossing: New Horizons experience!

Finding a DIY Recipe

To obtain a shovel in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you will first need to find the DIY Recipe.

In order to find the DIY recipe for a shovel, you will need to progress through the game and complete certain tasks. Initially, you will need to set up your tent and start inviting villagers to your island. Once you have done this, you will be able to access the Resident Services building, where you can find a variety of DIY recipes.

You can obtain DIY recipes in a few different ways. One way is by purchasing them from Timmy and Tommy’s shop, Nook’s Cranny. They will have a rotating selection of DIY recipes available for purchase each day, so be sure to check back regularly to see if they have the shovel recipe in stock.

Another way to find the shovel DIY recipe is by completing tasks for your island’s residents. As you build relationships with the other villagers, they may give you DIY recipes as rewards for completing tasks or simply as gifts. Be sure to interact with them regularly and help them out whenever possible to increase your chances of receiving the shovel recipe.

Additionally, you can find DIY recipes by shaking trees on your island. Sometimes, a piece of furniture will fall out of a tree, but occasionally you will find a DIY recipe instead. This is a random occurrence, so keep shaking trees and collecting the items that fall out to increase your chances of finding the shovel recipe.

Once you have obtained the shovel DIY recipe, you can use it to craft your very own shovel. Gather the required materials, which typically include wood and iron nuggets, and head over to a crafting bench or table to create your shovel. Once crafted, you will be able to use the shovel for various tasks, such as digging up fossils, planting trees, and more.

Remember to keep exploring, interacting with villagers, and checking for DIY recipes regularly to increase your chances of finding the shovel recipe in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Crafting a Shovel

To craft a shovel in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you will need the following materials:

• 5 Tree Branches
• 1 Iron Nugget

You can find tree branches by shaking trees or hitting them with a tool, such as an axe. They will fall to the ground and you can pick them up. Iron nuggets can be obtained by striking rocks on your island with a shovel or an axe.

Once you have gathered the required materials, follow these steps to craft a shovel:

1. Open your inventory by pressing the “X” button on your Nintendo Switch.
2. Select the “DIY Recipes” tab.
3. Scroll through the list of available recipes until you find the shovel icon.
4. Select the shovel recipe and press the “Craft” button.

After crafting the shovel, it will appear in your inventory. To equip it, press the “A” button while it is selected.

Using the shovel, you can dig up and bury fossils, plant flowers, and dig up hidden items buried underground. It is an essential tool for exploring and customizing your island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Collecting Materials

Before you can craft a shovel in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you’ll need to gather the necessary materials. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to collect the materials needed for crafting a shovel:

Step 1: Find Rocks

Start by exploring your island to locate rocks. Rocks are scattered throughout the island and can be found on the beach, cliffs, and other areas. Use your trusty shovel or an axe to hit the rocks and gather resources.

Step 2: Collect Iron Nuggets

When you hit a rock with your shovel or axe, it will drop various items. One of the materials you can collect from rocks is iron nuggets. Keep hitting rocks until you have gathered enough iron nuggets. You will need a total of 5 iron nuggets to craft a shovel.

Step 3: Gather Wood

Wood is another essential material needed for crafting a shovel. You can obtain wood by hitting trees with an axe. Aim for the trunks of the trees to maximize your wood collection. Gather enough wood to craft a shovel. You will need 5 tree branches and 1 hardwood for the shovel.

Note: Tree branches are common drops when hitting trees, while hardwood is a rarer drop.

Step 4: Craft the Shovel

Once you have collected enough iron nuggets and wood, head to a workbench or crafting table. Access your DIY recipes and select the option to craft a shovel. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the crafting process.

Now that you have successfully collected the necessary materials and crafted your shovel, you’re ready to dig up fossils, plant trees, and explore your island with new possibilities!

Using Nook’s Cranny

Nook’s Cranny is the main shop in Animal Crossing: New Horizons where you can buy various items, tools, and furniture for your island. To get a shovel in the game, you’ll need to visit this shop and check their inventory.

Here are the steps to find and purchase a shovel from Nook’s Cranny:

1. First, make sure that your resident services tent has been upgraded to a building. This is a requirement for Nook’s Cranny to be unlocked.
2. Once you have the upgraded resident services building, head over to Nook’s Cranny, which can be found on the left side of the island.
3. Enter the shop and approach the counter. Here, you will find Timmy and Tommy, the shop owners. They will be selling various items, including tools like the shovel.
4. Interact with Timmy or Tommy and choose “What’s for sale?” to see their inventory. Use the “R” button to scroll through the available items until you find the shovel.
5. Once you have found the shovel, select it and choose “Buy it!” to make the purchase. The price of the shovel may vary, so make sure you have enough Bells to buy it.

Congratulations! You have now purchased a shovel from Nook’s Cranny. You can use it to dig up fossils, plant trees, and perform various landscaping tasks on your island.

Note that Nook’s Cranny has limited inventory, so the shovel may not always be available. The shop’s inventory refreshes every day, so be sure to check back regularly if you can’t find it initially.

Obtaining a Shovel from a Friend

If you are unable to acquire a shovel in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, one option is to ask a friend who already has one to help you out. By playing together and visiting each other’s islands, you can easily obtain a shovel from a friend. Here’s how:

Remember to always be respectful and considerate when visiting other players’ islands. Make sure to thank your friend for their generosity and return the favor in the future if possible. With a shovel in hand, you can now dig up fossils, plant trees, and customize your island to your heart’s content. Happy crossing!