5 Rawrsome Activities to Celebrate Dinosaur Day
- Hatch an icy dino egg
For a magical dinosaur experience, pre-make some frozen dinosaur eggs, by simply freezing some smaller dinosaur toys in balloons. Once frozen, the eggs can be removed from the balloon and set up in a suitable container. Using pipettes, jumbo droppers, ladles, (or anything that works!) along with some warm water, children can get to work melting the eggs, revealing the true wonder of a dinosaur emerging from the ice! This makes for a great science experiment, introducing the idea of liquids and solids, and is a perfect way for children to develop their fine motor skills.
- Tuff creatures
Tuff trays provide endless possibilities for exploration and imagination, allowing little people to explore the lost world. Pair a tuff tray with a dinosaur-themed mat or bring the prehistoric world back to life with some simple resources. Surround dinosaur figures with anything from pebbles and leaves to soil and shells, or create grassy land with vibrant green sand and ancient rivers using blue food colouring – perfect for a swimming Spinosaurus!
- Little hands, giant dinosaurs
What does an upside-down handprint make? It’s the legs and tail of a Diplodocus! Or how about using fingerprints to make the spiky plates on the back of a Stegosaurus. The use of good old-fashioned handprints and finger painting is a fun, creative and engaging way to learn the names of dinosaurs and their different characteristics. They also make for a great display piece, with a dinosaur themed name for the child, think Daisydocus or Theosaurus!
- Time to excavate!
Inspire awe and wonder in budding palaeontologists by creating a mini excavation site - either indoors or outdoors - in a sand tray or sandpit. Learners can unearth concealed fossils and bones with digging tools, easy to grip paintbrushes, toothbrushes or whatever they desire! With a little planning ahead, or as part of prior activity, create some individual dinosaur teeth using air-dry clay and watch as little faces light up when they discover the front tooth of a T-Rex!
- Fancy footprints
There are endless ways to have some fun creating dinosaur tracks. Children can dip the feet of larger dinosaur toys in washable paints and print them on paper or they can simply press pre-made footprints in vibrant play dough to create some funky footprints. Want to create a stir outside? Practitioners can pre dig a giant footprint in wet sand or mud and let children discover this mystery mark – a perfect way to encourage some open-ended discussion.
