Dinosaur Theme

Concepts to Teach:

  • Dinos hatched out of eggs: we did speckle painting on large egg shapes
  • All meat eaters walked on 2 legs: we sponge painted two dino feet shapes onto a T-Rex cut out
  • Plant eaters walked on 4 legs: we sponge painted four dino feet on a setgosaurus cut out (there are a couple of exceptions to this plant eater=4 feet rule...but for preschoolers i think its a good rule of thumb)
  • What is a Paleontologist

Arts & Crafts

Dino Craft
Materials: Macaroni, spaghetti, construction paper cut out in a dinosaur shape and the sand table. Description: Teachers first read a book about dinosaurs. Then say, "We are going to find some bones." Dig pasta out of the sand table, let each child find ten pieces or something and "put the bones together " by gluing the pasta on the construction paper to represent a dinosaur skeleton.
Comments: Dark colored paper works best!

Dinosaur eggs
Cut out dinosaur egg shapes from brown paper bags. Have the children sponge paint the egg shapes. Then cut out
a white "inside" the same size as the paper dino egg shape and have the children color baby dinosaurs on it. Hang the sponge painted egg shape with the "inside" picture of a dinosaur next to it on your bulletin board.

Fossils
1/4 cup of plaster of Paris
1 Cup of Vermiculite (found at gardening center)
1/2 cup of water

Measure and mix together. Put some in the bottom of a regular size paper cup. Fill about 1/4 full. Next they put in a small plastic or rubber dinosaur. Then the fun: the children bury their dinosaur completely. Don't let any part of him remain uncovered!! Set aside for 2 days. This mixture will turn hard (if measured correctly).

Wearable Dinosaurs
Do dinosaur T-shirts using sponges found in local craft stores, fabric paint, whatever the imagination comes up with!

Dinosaur Crowns
Cut sponges into the shapes of tyrannosaurus dinosaur footprints. Fold paper towels in half and place them in shallow containers. Pour a small amount of brown tempera paint on top of each towel. Give the children crowns cut out of construction paper. Let the children cover their crown with dinosaur footprints by pressing the sponge stamps first into the paint and then onto their papers.

When the paint has dried, write "Tyrannosaurus (child's name) on the front of each crown.

Dino Skeleton
Provide the children with an outline of a dino. They glue on macaroni to resemble the dino skeleton.

Fossils:
Use small paper plates and home made play dough. Give each child a small ball of dough and a paper plate. They should first flatten the dough (with their hand) on the plate. Next they should press a small plastic dinosaur into the dough to create an impression. Use dinos that really show up: stegosaurus, dimetrodon, etc. Be sure the children press the dinos in sideways so the imprint of the dino side will show--unless you just want footprints.

Sponge Painted Dinosaurs
Cut a large mountain shape (rough outline) from easel paper. The children enjoy sponge painting dinosaurs on it.

Find Them Dino Bones!
Bury small dinos in the sand table for them to find. You can also find plastic bones for them to hunt, too.

Stuffed Dinosaurs
For each child cut two dinosaur shapes out of brown paper bags or brown butcher paper. Have the children hold their shapes together while you staple together around three sides. Then let them crumple small pieces of newspaper and stuff them into their dinosaur shapes. When the shapes are full, staple the remaining sides closed. Let the children decorate their stuffed dinosaurs with paint. When the dinosaurs shapes are dry, attach loops of yarn to them and hang around the room. Variation: Punch holes around the edges of the pairs of dinosaurs and let the children lace together with yarn.

Dino Hat
Duplicate a dinosaur pattern on construction paper for each child. Have the children decorate their dinosaur. Glue the dinosaur to a sentence-strip-shaped paper, staple ends of strip together to fit around the head. Have a dinosaur parade with children wearing their dino hats.

Dinosaur Shadow Box
Shoe box,crayons, grass (real or fake), toy dinosaurs or play dough dinosaurs that children make and rocks. Draw mountains or marsh on inside bottom of shoe box. Turn box on side and fill shadow box floor with grass, rocks and dinosaurs.

Coffee Dough
1 cup flour
1 cup coffee grounds
1/2 cup salt
1 cup water
1/4 cup sand
Mix ingredients together. Shape into a ball and place thumb in center to form a hole. Place a treasure inside and cover up. Let dry 4 to 5 days. It is suppose to resemble a rock or a pumice stone. Then the child cracks it like an egg. An idea is to shape it like an egg and place a dinosaur inside. Have it crack and let the child be amazed to find a dino inside.

Tyrannosaurus Rex Snouts
Plastic foam or paper cup with bottom removed
Four 2 1/2 inch pieces of rick rack or zig zag pieces of material or construction paper
Two 24 inch pieces of yarn

1) Starting at the bottom of the cup cut 1 wedge out of the cup. This is 1 side of the mouth. Cut another wedge out of the cup on the side opposite the first wedge.

2) For the teeth tape rick rack to the outer edges of the mouth. Decorate the snout anyway you like.

3) Tie a piece of yarn to each corner of the mouth. Put the snout up to your nose and tie the yarn around your head.

Cereal Apatosaurus
Dry cereal
Poster board
White crafts glue
Tempera paint
Waxed paper or newspapers
Cotton swab or paint brush

1) Draw a dinosaur outline on poster board. Cut the dinosaur out of the poster board.

2) Dab a small amount of glue onto the dino. Place cereal on the glue (as much as you like). Let glue dry for a few hours or overnight.

3) Cover your work area with newspaper or wax paper use the cotton swab as a paint brush and paint your dino. Let paint dry.

Tyrannosaurus Rex Necklace
Give each child a piece of wax paper and play dough (See recipe below) about the size of an orange. Have each child make about three to six dinosaur teeth, the thicker the tooth the less chance of breakage. With a pencil the children can poke a hole in the top of each tooth. Place the completed teeth on a cookie sheet and bake at 300F for 40 minutes. When cool, have the children string them onto a piece of yarn (tooth, knot, tooth..) Make sure the necklace can slip over the child's head and knot the ends together.

BAKERS PLAY DOUGH:
2 cups flour, 1 cup salt, 1 cup water.
Knead until smooth. Put in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap until needed.

Bones
Make up salt dough and let the children either mold their own bones, or use bone shaped cookie cutters. Let dry.

Skeletons
Using craft sticks, children glue what they think or want a dinosaur skeleton to look like.

Dino Footprints
Materials: Paint, construction paper, and children's fists.
Description: Dip the bottom of the child's fist into paint and print on paper. Next, dip the thumb into paint and print around the fist print (the thumbprints represent toes).

Playdough Dinosaurs
Materials: Playdough of different colors, different plastic dinosaurs and 5x7 piece of poster board.
Description: Playdough helps strengthen the muscles in children's hands and at the same time is very enjoyable for them to play with.
To start I make several different colors of playdough out of a home made recipe. Before I start this project I have had the children sit down and draw their favorite dinosaur on paper. We have already discussed the different parts of a dinosaurs body: legs, head, neck, tail, spikes, horns, etc. Now we are ready for the fun part!

1. Put a plastic dinosaur in middle of each table.
2. Give each child a piece of poster board and let them pick out any color or colors of playdough. I provide enough playdough so that the children can easily shape at least three balls.
3. Tell the children to create their own dinosaur and name it.
4. Put the dinosaur on the poster board and write on it what the child named it. Also make sure the child's name is on it too. I like to display the dinosaurs out in the hallway and then I send them home.
Comments: Remember whatever the child names the dinosaur is great!! DO NOT change it in any way or form. Also do not change what they make even if it doesn't look like a dinosaur. They are always proud of what they create. This is their creation, not yours.

Dinosaurs Puppets
Materials: Paper bags and items to decorate bags like dinosaurs.
Description: Teachers provide children with paper bags and ask them to create puppets that represent their favorite dinosaurs.
Next, have the children put on puppet shows with their friends or alone.

Fingerplays/Songs

Dinosaur
(sung to "Oh, Christmas Tree")
Oh, Dinosaurs
Oh, Dinosaurs
How big you are to me.

Oh, Dinosaurs
Oh, Dinosaurs
What a wonder you are to me.

So heavy,
So tall
As you lived long ago.

Oh, Dinosaurs
Oh, Dinosaurs
How wonderful you are to me.

Kristine Wagoner

Dinosaur, Dinosaur, Dinosaur
(Improvise a tune)
Never go to lunch with a dinosaur, dinosaur, dinosaur.
Never go to lunch with a dinosaur,
They're a mean, foul, nasty bunch.
They burp and slurp and never sit down,
Never sit down, never sit down.
They burp, and slurp and never sit down.
They're likely to step in your soup!
Comments: A very cute song! Once you've sung it, the kids will want to sing it again and again.

Dinosaurs
Five enormous dinosaurs
Letting out a roar--
One went away, and
Then there were four.
Four enormous dinosaurs
Crashing down a tree--
One went away, and
Then there were three.
Three enormous dinosaurs
Eating tiger stew--
One went away, and
Then there were two.
Two enormous dinosaurs
Trying to run--
One ran away, and then there was one.
One enormous dinosaur,
Afraid to be a hero--
He went away, and
Then there was zero.

Dinosaur, dinosaur Where can you be?
Dinosaur, dinosaur
Where can you be?
Hiding behind me (hands behind back)
Where you cannot see!
Now you see one (bring one hand out)
It's been waiting for you.
Here comes another (bring out other hand)
And now you see two!

Ten Big Dinosaurs
(Tune: 10 Little Indians)
1 big, 2 big, 3 big dinosaurs,
4 big, 5 big, 6 big dinosaurs,
7 big, 8 big, 9 big dinosaurs,
10 big dinosaurs!

They all lived a long , long time ago.
They all lived a long, long time ago.
They all lived a long, long time ago.
Now there are no more.

Dinosaur
(Tune: Twinkle Little Star)
Dinosaurs lived long ago,
Some swam, some walked,
Some flew, you know.

Some were very big and some were small,
Some were gigantic, very tall.
Dinosaurs lived long ago,
Some walked, some swam,
Some flew, you know.

5 Dinosaur Song
5 Dinosaurs driving in their cars (drive your car)
Having a really good time!
They said "step on the gas (step on your gas!)
We'll go really fast" and they did!
Until, kerchunk, kerchunk, kerchunk. (On each kerchunk, sink lower and lower until you are crouched on the ground)
One had a flat tire!
And he said "You go on without me!" (Cup hands over mouth)
So there were, 4 dinosaurs, driving in their cars etc. etc. until
1 dinosaur driving in his car
Having a really good time.
He said "step on the gas,
I'll go really fast!" And he did!
Until kerchunk, kerchunk, kerchunk.
He had a flat tire!
*spoken*
Now this was a smart dinosaur.
He jacked up his car (jack up your car! Crank crank crank)
Took off the flat tire (take off that heavy tire!)
Took out his spare tire (take out that heavy spare!)
Jacked it back down (crank crank crank)
Then he drove around and picked up all his friends
And then there were...
5 dinosaur driving in their car
Having a really good time.
They said "Step on the gas
We'll go really fast" and they did!
Over the hills and far away!
Comments: If you get really into the motions, the kids love this song! We sing it every day of Dino Camp!

Dinosaur Dance
If you want to be a dinosaur, now's you're chance,
Cause everybody's doin' the dinosaur dance.
Just stomp your feet, move your arms around.
Stretch up, stretch up and now touch the ground.
And you're doin' the dinosaur dance, oh yeah!
You're doin' the dinosaur dance.
OOOOOOO AAAAAHHHH OOOOOOO
AAAAAAHHHHH
OOOOOOO AAAAAHHHH OOOOOOO
AAAAAAHHHHH

You're doin' the dinosaur dance, oh yeah.
You're doin' the dinosaur dance.
(Dance around and do appropriate movements to the rhythm of the dinosaur chant. During the oooooo's and aaaahhhh's, stretch up to the right and down to the left. Continue dancing until the end.)

Ten Dinosaurs(flannelboard)
(Start with one number higher than the number of children you have so everyone will have a turn to remove a dinosaur.)
Ten(nine, eight, etc.) huge dinosaurs
Sleeping on a cave floor
Wake up and started to roar,
"There's no room, no more, no more,
No more room on this floor!"
They tossed and turned and pushed galore,
(Move dinosaurs around cave)
Till one poor dinosaur was shoved out the door. (have a child remove a dinosaur)
(Continue down to 1 dinosaur

Last verse:
One huge dinosaur
Sleeping all alone, on a cave floor,
Wake up and started to roar.

STOMP, STOMP, STOMP
The first big dinosaur went stomp, stomp, stomp
I said to the first dinosaur, "Stop, stop, stop!"
The second big dinosaur went run, run, run,
I said to the second dinosaur, "Fun, fun, fun!"
The third big dinosaur went thump, thump, thump.
I said to the third dinosaur, "Jump, jump, jump!"
The fourth big dinosaur went whack, whack, whack
I said to the fourth dinosaur, "You stay back!"
The fifth big dinosaur went creep, creep, creep.
I said to the fifth dinosaur, "It’s time to sleep!"

Dino-Pokey
(Tune: Hokey Pokey)
claws in/claws out/scratch 'em all about/
feet in/feet out/stomp them all about
teeth in/teeth out/chomp them all about
tail in/tail out/wag it all about

The Dinosaurs
The dinosaurs lived long ago, when life on earth began. (gesture palm up wave over your shoulder)
Some were tall (gesture high).
Some were small (gesture low).
Some liked water (gesture swimming).
Some liked land (gesture walking by alternating palms on your knees).
Pteranadons had leathery wings (gesture flying).
Brontausaurs, long necks (gesture to neck).
But the meanest dinosaur of all (gesture mean face).
Was Tyranosaurus Rex (gesture heavy stomping by alternatingpalms on your knees).
Comments: Ham it up!

Dinosaur Poem
Dinosaurs lived long ago.
They were so big and strong, you know!
Sharp teeth and claws,
Long tails too.
Some that walked
And some that flew.
Though they don't live here anymore,
We still adore the dinosaur!

The Dinosaur Who Couldn't Roar by Jean Warren
Once there was a dinosaur
Who tried and tried, but couldn't roar!
He would open up his mouth real wide,
But all he found were giggles inside.

He couldn't be mean, he couldn't be gruff
He couldn't roar, he couldn't be tough.
"I wish I could roar," the dinosaur said

Every night as he went off to bed.
And what do you know, one day he could roar,
He roared all day till his throat was sore.

But when he looked, he was all alone,
No one had liked his roaring tone.

Being tough wasn't much fun,
If it meant you were the only one.

So the next time the dinosaur went out to play
he took his roar and threw it away

Then he opened up his mough real wide,
And shared again the giggles inside.

So, if you think you need to roar
Just remember the dinosaur.

It's better to have a lot of fun,
Than to be the only roaring one!

Dinosaurs
Lived long ago.
Some walked (stomp in place)
Some swam (pretend to swim)
Some flew, you know! (flap arms at sides)
Some were big (hold hands high)
Some were small (hold hands low)
Some were gigantic--(stretch arms out wide)
V-e-r-y tall! (stretch arms up high)

The Dinosaur Song
(sung to The Wheels on the Bus)
The tyrannosaurus rex had great big teeth,
Great big teeth, great big teeth.
The tyrannosaurus rex had great big teeth,
When the dinosaurs roamed.

Additional verses:
The apatosaurus had a very long tail......
The diplodocus' nostrils were on top of his head.........
The saltopus was as small as a cat.......

Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs
(sung to Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear)
Dinosaurs, dinosaurs, stomped around.
Dinosaurs, dinosaurs, shook the ground.
Dinosaurs, dinosaurs, some gave fear.
Dinosaurs, dinosaurs, we wish you were here.

The Dinosaurs go Marching
(sung to The Ants go Marching)

The dinosaurs go marching one by one, hurrah, hooray
The dinosaurs go marching one by one, hurrah, hooray
The dinosaurs go marching one by one, the little one stopped to stand in the sun,
And they all go marching round and round and up and down.

All Around The Swamp
(sung to The Wheels on the Bus)
The Pteranodon's wings went flap, flap, flap,
flap, flap, flap,
flap, flap, flap,
The Pteranodon's wings went flap, flap, flap,
All around the swamp.

The Tyrannosaurs Rex went grrr, grrr, grrr,
grrr, grrr, grrr,
grrr, grrr, grrr,
The Tyrannosaurs Rex went grrr, grrr, grrr,All around the swamp.

The Triceratop's horns went poke, poke, poke,
poke, poke, poke,
poke, poke, poke,
The Tricearatop's horns went poke, poke, poke,
All around the swamp.

The Brontosaurus went munch, munch, munch,
munch, munch, munch,
munch, munch, munch,
The Brontosaurus went munch, munch, munch,
All around the swamp

The Stegosaurus tail went spike, spike, spike,
spike, spike, spike,
spike, spike, spike,
The Stegosaurus tail went spike, spike, spike,
All around the swamp

I'm Bringing Home a Baby Dinosaur
(sung to Baby Bumble Bee)
I'm bringing home a baby dinosaur
Won't my mommy fall right through the floor
I'm bringing home a baby dinosaur
Tromp! Tromp! ROAR! ROAR!

I'm bringing home a baby dinosaur
Won't my mommy hide behind the door
I'm bringing home a baby dinosaur
Ouch! He squashed me!

Oh I Want To Be a Great Big Dinosaur
(sung to Oh I Wish I Was An Oscar Meyer Weiner)
Oh I want to be a great big dinosaur
That is what I really want to be!
For if I were a great big dinosaur,
Everyone would run away from me. . .
Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!
(You can also add skip away from me, stomp away from me, crawl away from me, etc.)

Five Little Dinosaurs
Five little dinosaurs went out to play,
Out in the land of the lost one day.
Tyrannosaurus Rex ate one for a snack,
Four little dinosaurs came running back!
Continue 4-3-2
One little dinosaur went out to play,
Out in the land of the lost one day.
Tyrannosaurus Rex ate him for a snack,
And no little dinosaurs came running back!
No little dinosaurs went out to play,
Out in the land of the lost one day.
Tyrannosaurus Rex couldn't find anything to eat,
So off she went to go to sleep!

DINOSAUR HUNT
Going on a dinosaur hunt. (slap thighs)
And I'm not afraid. (point to self)

There's a tall mountain. (look with hand over eyes)
Can't go under it. (move hand down)
Can't go around it. (move hand around)
Guess I'll go over it. (reach hands as if climbing)

There's a river. (hands over eyes)
Can't go over it.
Can't go under it
Guess I'll swim across it. (move arms as if swimming)

There's some tall grass.
Can't go over it
Can't go around it
Guess I'll go through it (slap hands up and down in front)

There's a cave!
Can't go over it
Can't go under it.
Guess I'll go in it!

It's dark and spooky in here (shake)
It's cold in here! (wrap arms around self and shiver)
I feel some scales (pretend to rub something)
I feel some big teeth! (pretend to touch something)
AAHHHH! It's a Dinosaur! (scream)

Run out of the cave (slap thighs)
Go through the grass
Swim across the river
Climb the mountain
Run home (slap thighs)
Open the door
Jump into bed (cover head with arms as if hiding under a blanket)

I went on a dinosaur hunt
And I wasn't afraid!

BIG APATOSAURUS
(not sung to the tune of any other song you know..so just make up something...he he or just say it instead of sing it!...you could even make it a felt board story)
BIG APATOSAURUS LIVED IN THE SWAMP
LOOKING FOR FAVORITE PLANTS TO CHOMP
HE WAS SO BIG THAT ALL HE COULD DO WAS...
EAT EAT EAT EAT
ALL DAY THROUGH!!!

Learning Centers

Dinosaur Land
A wonderful addition to your science area. Display is based on the book "Patrick's Dinosaur" by Carol & Donald Carrick.
Set up a dinosaur park on the floor using sand and rubber dinosaurs. Children can help make a cave (a box covered with papier mâché), trees (toilet paper rolls) and pools of water (if you are brave enough).

Dinosaur Garden
Display is based on the book Dinosaur Garden by Liza Donnelly.
To make a terrarium: plant seeds in an aquarium; add rocks, miniature dinosaurs and a pool (using a small tin foil plate); cover the top with plastic; and watch a prehistoric jungle grow.

Dino Memory
Make a dinosaur memory game from dinosaur stickers put on juice can lids.

Dino Stompers
Purchase inexpensive oversized rubber boots. Spray the boots green and let the paint dry. Add red paint or stickers for toe nails.

Snacks

Delicious Dinosaur Eggs.
4 hard cooked eggs
a small bowl
3 cups COOL water
1 envelope of unsweetened soft drink (brightly colored)
Clear plastic wrap

  1. Gently tap the shell over until the shells crack. Do NOT take the shell off.
  2. In a small bowl stir together water & soft drink mix. Add cracked eggs to the colored water
  3. Cover the small bowl with plastic wrap. Place it in the refrigerator. Leave it in for 1-2 days. Remove the eggs and throw away the colored water. Peel the shells off the eggs. Your dinosaur eggs are ready to eat

Dinosaur Egg Jigglers
2 1/2 cups boiling water
2 pkgs (8 oz serving size) of Lime flavored gelatin
1 cup cold milk
1 pkg (4 oz. serving size) vanilla flavor instant pudding mix
1/2 Tsp. ground cinnamon or cocoa

Stir boiling water into gelatin in large bowl 3 min. or until completely dissolved. Cool 30 min. at room temperature. Meanwhile, prepare egg mold, use paper towel dipped in vegetable oil to lightly wipe inside of both sides of eggs mold and along rims. Close egg mold, matching up the rims of the egg halves. \

Pour milk into medium. bowl. Add pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 1 min. Quickly pour into cooled gelatin. Stir with wire whisk until well blended. Pour gelatin-pudding mixture into measuring cup with pour spout.

Immediately pour into eggs until each egg is filled to the top of the egg shape. Pour remaining mixture into 8 inch square pan.

Refrigerate at least 3 hours or until firm. Open egg mold using a dull flat knife to gently pry between each egg. Turn egg mold over and shake gently to unmold eggs. Dip bottom of 8 inch pan into warm water about 15 seconds. Cut into decorative shapes with cookie cutters all the way through gelatin. Lift from pan. Makes 6 eggs and about 12 Jigglers pieces.

You can order Jello egg mold from :
JELLO JIGGLERS
P.O. Box 1129
Maple Plain, MN
55593-1129
They cost $3 and each one makes 6 eggs.

Dino Lunch
A suggestion for a Dinosaur lunch is:
Dino legs (chicken legs)
Tree tops (broccoli)
Quicksand (apple sauce)
Dino bread (Dinosaur shaped graham crackers)

Dinosaur Delight
1/4C dirt(cocoa)
1/2C swamp water (milk with green food coloring)
2C crushed bones (sugar)
1/2C fat(butter)
2C dead grass (uncooked oatmeal)
1/2C squashed bugs(peanut butter)

Mix cocoa & milk. Add sugar and butter. Boil about 3 min. Add peanut butter and oatmeal and stir until melted. Remove from heat and stir until mixture begins to thicken, Drop by tablespoonful onto waxed paper cool, eat and enjoy.

Dippy Diplodocus Dip
1 cup of plain yogurt
1 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbs. chopped onion
2 tbs. parsley
1 Tsp. dill weed
salt and pepper to taste

Mix everything together in a medium bowl. chill for 1 hour. Cut up some fresh broccoli. pretend you are a diplodocus munching on treetops as you dip the broccoli into the dip.

Thunder Roll-ups
1 1/2 cups coconut
1 cup peanut butter
1/3 raisins
1 Tsp. vanilla

Spread the coconut on a sheet of waxed paper. Mix everything else together in a medium bowl Roll a spoonful of the mixture into the coconut. Chill for 1 hour. Stomp around like a thunder-lizard while you eat them.

Swampy Salad
2 cups applesauce
1/2 cup peanuts
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup miniature marshmallows

Mix everything together in a medium bowl. Pretend you are a Brachiosaurus hiding in a swamp from a fierce meat-eating dinosaur.

Dinosaur Crumble
Gather a package of graham crackers and chewy candy dinos.
Crumble the crackers and mix in candy. Place a scoop of the mixture in a cup for each child and using a spoon they have to hunt for dinos.

Stone Age Shakes (Frosty banana milkshakes)
Prep time: 15 min.
2 C milk
2 ripe bananas
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 pt vanilla frozen low-fat yogurt

Mix all in blender and pour into paper cups. For that added touch, add green food coloring.

Dinosaur Dip
Ranch dressing with green food coloring. Cut up some fresh broccoli. Pretend you are a diplodocus munching on tree-tops as you dip the broccoli into the dip.

Group Activities

Digging For Bones
Materials: Dinosaur puzzle pieces made out of cardboard, sand in sensory table and utensils for digging.
Description: Draw a picture of various dinosaurs cut up into puzzle pieces place the pieces in the sand in the sensory table. Allow the children to dig for the puzzle pieces as if they were digging for dinosaur bones. As they find the pieces they can put together the puzzles.

Dinosaur Puzzles
Materials: Pictures of dinosaurs, color, laminate and cut into halves.
Description: The children put together the dinosaurs. You could also use this for a flannel board activity.

Dinosaur Stomp
Materials: Paper sacks and masking tape.
Description: Place the sacks on the feet of the children. Tape to secure. Help the children stand up and allow them to stomp and growl to their hearts content!!

Land Of The Dinosaurs
Materials: Wrapping paper with dinosaurs on it. Colored paper, marker and tape.
Description: Teachers take dinosaur wrapping paper and cover your entrance door with it. Use colored paper and write LAND OF THE DINOSAURS on it then attach to door also.
You can also make construction paper foot prints or chalk footprints that lead to your room. If you use construction paper use contact paper to attach to floor then just peel up when done with them.

Passport Back In Time
Materials: Egg shaped stamp, a stamp of each dinosaur you are learning about. You can buy them or make your own out of foamies by cutting a dinosaur shape and gluing it to a block of wood. Ink forV the stamps. Paper to make each child a passport with enough pages for each dinosaur you are going to learn about. Paper to make a passport holder.
Description: Make a passport holder by folding a sheet of paper up from the bottom about three inches, tape or staple to make a pocket (can make two pockets per sheet of 8x11 paper or use a large sheet and make them in a row together out of the same piece).

Each child needs a pocket for their passport. Each child needs a passport. You can make one by cutting paper and stapling it on the side like a book. Size about 3" wide and 4" tall. Put child's name on the passport. I had two passport holders one outside the door and one inside the door. In the morning when child arrives the child finds their passport and brings it into the room. It is then stamped with a egg shape on the top of the page. The child then puts it into the passport holder in the class room. We learned about a new dinosaur each day. At the end of the day we stamped the dinosaur they learned about on the same page near the bottom and the child put it into the outside passport holder when they went home (for the next day).


Dinosaur Egg Hunt
Materials: Small and large toy dinosaurs, plastic eggs (the ones from LEGGS pantyhose work the best), digging utensils and sand.
Description: Teachers put the small dinosaurs into the plastic eggs and bury them in the sand area. The children are then encouraged to dig up the eggs, hatch them, and find the matching large dinosaur (the babies mommy or daddy).
Comments: The children are very excited when they find the eggs, and are eager to hatch them. It really is a lot of fun!

Science: Dinosaur Environment
Materials: Playdough - we made it chocolate scented to look like mud, juice can, plastic dinosaurs and plastic plants, blue gel glue and rocks. I got a bag of dinosaurs and plants for under $2 at Walmart.

Description: First we read the book "Dazzle the Dinosaur". Then we discussed where Dazzle lived and why the dinosaurs wanted to return to the cave. We discussed real dinosaurs and pretend dragons. Next, we used the bottom cardboard from a case of soft drinks, I sprayed it black and green. The kids used playdough for mud and dirt, added rocks and plants and used the blue gel glue for a watering hole. We also covered a small juice can with playdough for a volcano. Then, we put the environment on display for the week and on friday we had a "dino" party and made the volcano explode using a mixture of vinegar and baking soda. Have extra vinegar and baking soda available the kids wanted to see the volcano explode several times and they wanted to show the parents at pickup time also.
***** I added red food color to the vinegar ******

Measure up to Dinosaurs
Materials: A book about dinosaurs with sizes included, masking tape, and a tape measure.
Description: Check the sizes of various dinosaurs in the dinosaur book, then use the tape measure to measure out the distance across the floor. Use the masking tape to create a line on the floor the same distance as measured.
I usually use two or three dinosaurs: to show a small one and a large one, like T-Rex or Apatasaur and a smaller dinosaur. I mark the name of each dinosaur next to the tape line and then have the children lie down at the end of the tape line and mark their name off at where they measure against the line. When finished the children can see how tall or long they were compared to the dinosaurs.
Comments: I have found that the children really enjoy this activity and are very eager to show the results to parents. The longest dinosaur I have ever used to measure against was an Apatosaurus and the tape line extended the entire length of a hallway and into another room! The other teacher, let us borrow the room for the activity.

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Dinosaur Dig
Materials: Chicken bones, thoroughly cleaned. Tools for digging, sand table or sand area.
Description: Teachers clean chicken bones thoroughly, add a few drops of bleach to the water, if you would like. In your sand center or sand area, bury the bones and give children digging tools, small brushes, toothpicks etc. and have them dig up bones!

Dinosaurs
Spread your arms, way out wide,
Fly like a Pteranodon, soar and glide.
Bend to the floor, head down low,
Move like Stegosaurus, long ago.
Reach up tall, try to be
As tall as Apatosaurus eating on a tree.
Using your claws, grumble and growl
Just like Tyrannosaurus on the prowl.
Comments: After this I have the children try to come up dinosaurs and matching actions for us to do. The children love it!

Dinosaurs and More
Materials: Pictures of dinosaurs, pictures of present day animals on the endangered species list, poster board, glue, scissors.
Description: Teachers, in advance, glue the pictures on the poster board and cut them out individually. Invite the children to join you either at a table or on the floor. Explain to them that they are going to get to pretend that animals can talk.
Steps:
1. Show the children the pictures. Ask them which dinosaur and animal they want to talk with.
2. Hold up the dinosaur and animal pictures and begin a conversation between them. For example:
The animal, "Hey, I haven't seen you around here before." The dinosaur, "I lived here a long time ago." etc.
3. Continue the dialogue, including facts about each animal / dinosaur, especially the fact that the present day animal is an endangered species.
4. Have the animal and/or dinosaur ask the children questions.
5. Encourage the children have asked all their questions.
6. Continue until the children have asked all their questions.
7. Have the dinosaur and animal tell the children good bye.

Dinosaurs: Be a Paleontologist!
Materials: Sand, clean chicken or turkey bones and Plaster of Paris.
Description: Teachers can have children become a paleontologist (a scientist who specializes in finding and studying ancient fossil remains) by bringing clean chicken or turkey bones to school. Place each bone in wet, packed sand to make an imprint. Remove the bone and pour Plaster of Paris into the imprint (or mold). Let it harden and then remove it from the sand. Have the children label and display their fossils.


Dinosaurs
Materials: Large sheet of white butcher paper, depending on the size you want your mural. Pictures of dinosaurs that the children can color, glue, crayons, green and brown construction paper.
Description: After several discussions and lessons about dinosaurs, make available several print-outs of various dinosaurs (I found several on the internet). Allow the children to chose one or two to color and cut out, remind them they don't have to cut right on the lines if they are highly detailed, they can cut a circle around them.

Next, tape the butcher paper to a large table. Let the children chose what scene they want to color on the paper. I helped out a little by drawing and outline of water with blue and mountains of brown. Two boys wanted a volcano so I helped with an outline. They can then color it in working as a team. The volcano was great, with lava spewing into the air. I guided them to use scraps of brown construction paper to twist into tree trunks and we tore paper to make fern like leaves for the trees. We then glued all of the details to the mural. They even added black balls of paper for rocks and lava from the volcano. Each child chose where their dinosaur might live, air, water or land.

Silly-O-Saurus Names
Make new name tags using dino suffixes such :
Apato: SAURUS
Dino: NYCHUS
Tri: CERATOPS
Pter: ADON
Gali: MIMUS
Para: SAUROLOPHUS
And added them to the kid's names:
Lindasaurus Rex, Ryanychus, Brianadon
Kaylasurolophus, Kyleemimus, etc...
I put the names on eggs i have cut out of speckeled paper..and hang them on the wall all month for them to look at. I "nest" the eggs in green plastic table covering that I bunch up and staple to the wall and then shred a little with scissors to make it look like swamp grass.

Read Dazzle the Dinosaur then:
Dinosaur Shapes
Crayola Glitter Crayons
Extra paper
Iron
Provide the children with pre-cut construction paper dinosaurs. Have Crayola glitter crayons available. The children color on the dinos with the glitter crayons. Place the colored dinos between two sheets of paper and rub with a warm iron across the paper. Remove the paper. The melted wax and shimmering glitter will make the dinos dazzling!

Dinosaur prints: Use different size toy dinosaurs and let children dip the feet into paint and make dinosaur tracks.

Dancin' Dinos: Use brown paper bags, trace a doubled dinosaur pattern (whichever one you like). Have children stuff with newspaper, or scraps, and lace around. You can add a string, like a handle that goes to the head (or neck) and tail. ALSO: if you want to do the letter Dd, you can add a large D, to be glued on one or both sides. (Dancin' Dinosaur!)

  • --Use dinosaur cookie cutters for tracing (also with playdo, or to make cookies)
    -- Use a potatoe to cut a large dinosaur footprint, and let children dip in paint and make prints. **** push the dinosaur potatoe print into plaster of paris -- make a print.
    --T-rex puppets: Use 1/2 an egg carton, rip the top and bottom apart.attach them back together (with those gold brad fasteners). When you attach them, attach what was the middle of the carton, so the other end will still meet, to be the mouth. You can add ears on the top of the egg carton. Make teeth to go on the inside of the mouth. paint
    green.
  • There is a dinosaur lotto game, that you can play with the kids.
    Talk about and make you own fossils.
  • We played "pass the dino" each day to music. I used a different Dino each week (i had a "dino of the week") and passed it around our circle to music, like musical chairs....when the music stopped, that child had to tell me which dino they were holding..and if it was a plant eater or a meat eater!
  • There is a series of books called the "Dinofours" and theyre kinda like the berenstein bears books. Each one battles a different social circumstance...like missing mommy, or fighting or time outs etc. I got them thru scholastic books....and I highly reccomend them. The characters in the books are all dinos...so you can kinda rationalize reading them during dino month...to sort of take a break from all the "heavy" nature of all the dino learning going on the rest of the month!
  • We made fossils out of salt and flour dough....pressed our hand and a shell into the dough then dried them and then spray painted them to look like stone!
  • We brought in a scale and weighed each child....and teacher and helper....made a graph and added up all the weights to see how many classes it would take to weigh as much as a T Rex...or any other dino.
  • We excavated the chocoloate chips out of a cookie using toothpicks and paint brushes.....and learned about being paleontologists.
  • My favorite craft tho, was called "find the hidden dinos" You buy cheap, plastic flat tracers in dino shapes (or cut them out of sandpaper, but you need alot so this isnt so easy unless you only do one dino per child) You tape the tracers to the table...then tape a plain white piece of paper on top of that. Give each cihld a crayon and let them rub the crayon over the paper and the dino shapes will come thru. The kids went wild for this..and had so much fun finding the hidden dinos. (note: set this craft up while kids aren't present..so all that they see when they sit down is the white paper...they will be so much more supprised to see what they find!)

I also found the funniets book called "10 Little Dinosaurs" that was helpful in learning what dinos had what features:

10 little dinosuars bouncing on the bed
Pacyacephalasaurus fell off and broke his head
Momma called the doctor and the doctor said
"No more boneheads bouncing on the bed"
(that dino has a big boney plate on his head)
9 little dinosaurs riding on a bike
stegosaurus crashed and smashed up his spike
the policemen yelled from atop his trike
"No more nut-brains riding on a bike"
(stegos only had brains the size of walnuts)
8 little dinosaurs munching on a mooth
Tyrannosaurus chomped and broke his tooth
the dentist shouted from the dentist booth
"No more sharp tooths munching on a mooth"
(trex had lots of sharp teeth)
7 little dinosaurs rafting down the river
Spinosaurus flipped over and went all aquiver
the lifeguard said with a cold, wet shiver
"No more silly sails rafting down the river"
(spinosaurus had a large sail on his back)
6 little dinosaurs jumping off a peak
archepoteryx dove off and tweaked his beak
one called the ranger and the ranger shrieked
"No more feather heads jumping off a peak"
(archeopteryx was the 1st dino with real feathers)
5 little dinosaurs playing in the street
ankylosaurus saw a car to beat
he charged and ran and went down the street
"no more dino tanks playing in the street"
ankylosaurus was covered in armor like a tank)
4 little dinosaurs acting sorta cool
Suprasaurus wore his shades to school
the teacher sighed "why thats against the rules"
"No more super lizzards acting sorta cool"
(suprasaurus was the longest dino)
3 little dinosaurs on a camp out
Chasomsaurus asked whats that lava tube about?
then he slid down the tube and he blasted out the spout
"No more frill seekers on a campout"
(chasomsaurus had a big frill on his head)
2 little dinosaurs watching baseball
Saurolophus yelled "hey thats a bad call"
The umpire didnt like that talk at all
"No more big mouths watching baseball!"
(saurolophus had a huge mouth like a snake)
1 little dinosaur walking all alone
the sun burnt triceratops into dried up bones
"look" called the scientist "at all the fossil stones"
"No more three horns walking all alone"
(triceratops has 3 horns)
No more dinosaurs hanging on the brink
they all dissapeared in a geologic wink
the doctor cried "well this just stinks"
"No more dinosaurs..now theyre all EXTINCT"
(I think this would make an excellent felt board story, look for pictures online)

Games and Activities

Paleontologist Dig
Pretend to be paleontologists and dig for dinosaur bones in the sandbox. (Use toothpicks/popsicle sticks/tongue depressors, etc.)

Dinosaur Skeleton
Use the "bones" that the children dug up and cleaned from the Paleontologist Dig and let the build free form skeletons or build within the precut shape of a dinosaur.

Skeleton Hunt
Purchase small plastic dino skeletons, you can get them through Oriental Trading Co. catalog. Put them in the sand table with soft, small-sized paint brushes and small shovels and magnifying glasses. Pretend to be paleontologists. To change the familiar texture of the sand table, wet the sand. Easier to make impressions this way and understand fossils.

Dino Prints
Make life sized dinosaur foot prints, and see how many children will fit into it.

Dino Vote!
Vote for favorite dinosaur. Count the votes. You can vote by clipping a clamp type clothespin on a picture or word which you are voting for. Give a few choices.

Dinosaur Collage
Put out scraps of color paper and glue and dinosaur shaped pasta and have the children make a dinosaur scene or collage.

Dino Grouping
Have a large selection of plastic dinosaurs in a pile. Have the children work out a way to put these dinosaurs into groups. for example: all the long tails or all the ones with spikes, etc. They can come up with great ideas.

Which Skeleton is Mine?
Match skeletons to the pictures of dinosaurs.
How Many Dinosaurs Will Hatch?

Using plastic Easter eggs, put small dino figures or construction paper cutouts. Use it as an adding game, a number recognition, or a sorting activity.

Herbivore or Carnivore? Sort animals by herbivores or carnivores. Great opportunity to learn some fun words.

Dinosaur Fact Book
Have the children take turns dictating a favorite dinosaur fact to you. Write each child's fact on a separate sheet of paper and let him or her illustrate the fact with crayons, markers or dinosaur stickers/stamps. Staple the pages together to make a Dinosaur

Fact Book.
Tyrannosaurus Toss
Draw a picture of a large Tyrannosaurus head on a piece of sturdy cardboard. Use a sharp knife to cut the dinosaur's mouth including lots of teeth. Then prop the cardboard Tyrannosaurus head against a chair or secure it with tape across a doorway. Give the children bean bags and let them take turns "feeding the dinosaur" by tossing the bean bags into its mouth.

Prehistoric Parade
Play different types of instrumental music. Have the children move around the room, pretending to be the dinosaurs that the music reminds them of. For example, a march might remind them of
Tyrannosauruses; light airy music, Pteranondons; slow music, Apatosauruses, munching on plants in the swamp. When you stop the music, encourage the children to tell you which dinosaurs they were.

Dinosaur is Sleeping
One child is Dinosaur who pretends to be asleep while everyone else hides. The everyone yells "Wake up, dinosaur." Dinosaur wakes up and tries to find everyone. Let children take turns being dinosaur.

Volcano
Take an empty glass spice jar. Use play dough to surround the jar into a mountain-looking structure. Put a drop of food coloring into the spice jar about a tablespoon of baking soda and add vinegar to it to make an erupting volcano.

Class Dinosaur
How about making up a story about your "classroom dinosaur". Have the children work together to come up with a name and story for the dino.

Tyrannosaurus Rex Tag
Use Hula Hoops to define the water and let children act out the various plant-eating dinosaurs. When you call out "T. Rex" they scramble to their safe zones inside the hoops. Whoever is tagged gets to act out the next dinosaur.

Scavenger hunt
Draw simple pictures of various areas in the classroom and number from 1-?? Hide the sheets in the classroom (giving the first card to the children) so that when the children look at each card, it leads them to the next card. Have something special hiding (maybe a dinosaur book for story time??) at the last location.

Book List

Patrick's Dinosaurs by Carol Carrick.
A Dinosaur for Gerald - Helena Clare Pittman
A Dinosaur Named After Me - Bernard Most
Baby Stegosaurus - Beth Spanjian
Big Old Bones - Carol Carrick
Bones, Bones, Dinosaur Bones - Byron Barton
Can I Have A Stegosaurus, Mom? Can I? Please!? - Lois G.Grambling
Dad's Dinosaur Day - Diane Dawson Hearn
Danny And The Dinosaur - Syd Hoff
Dazzle the Dinosaur - Marcus Pfister
Derek, the Knitting Dinosaur - Mary Blackwood
Dinny and Danny - Louis Slobodkin
Dinosaur Alphabet Book - Pat Whitehead
Dinosaur At The Supermarket - Lindsay Camp
Dinosaur Babies - Lucille Penner
Dinosaur Chase - Carolyn Otto
Dinosaur Days - Linda Manning
Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs - Byron Barton
Dinosaur Dress Up - Allen Sirois
Dinosaur dreams, Ahlberg, Allen
Dinosaur, My Darling - Edith Hurd
Dinosaur Fright - Colin Threadgall
Dinosaur's Halloween - Liza Donnelly
Dinosaur Roar! - Paul and Henrietta Stickland
Dinosaurs - Gail Gibbons
Dinostory - Michaela Morgan
Full Moon Birthday - Jeff Sheppard
How I Captured A Dinosaur - Henry Schwartz
I am a Big Dinosaur - Francois Crozat
If I Rode A Dinosaure - Miriam Young
If The Dinosaurs Came Back - Bernard Most
King Of The Dinosaurs, Tyrannosaurus Rex - Michael Berenstain
Little Grunt and The Big Egg - Tomie dePaola
Littlest Dinosaur - Bernard Most
Mrs. Toggle And The Dinosaur - Robin Pulver
Oh My Oh My Oh Dinosaurs - Sandra Boynton
Quiet On Account Of Dinosaur - Jane Thayer
Terrible tyrannosaurus - Elizabeth Charlton
The Day Of The Dinosaur - Stan and Jan Berenstain
The Dinosaur Egg Mystery - Val Biro
The Dinosaur Who Lived In My Backyard - B.G. Hennessy
The Secret Dinosaur - Marilyn Hirsh
Time Flies - Eric Rohmann
Tyron The Horrible - Hans Wilhelm
We're back!: A Dinosaur's Story - Hudson Talbot
Whatever Happened To The Dinsoaurs - Bernard Most
When Dinosaurs Go Visiting - Linda Martin

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