It is Dinosaur Week at my preschool and the kids are having a GREAT time exploring and studying these amazing creatures. We like to study Dinosaurs in October normally, but it got pushed to November this Fall. I thought I would share some of the things we have out this week (both store bought and teacher created). I hope you find something you could try with your wee ones! Enjoy :)
I'll also add that for the week we tried to learn about 3 new dinosaur facts each day :) What I noticed: During the following activities and projects the kids were able to work on our facts through play! They could work on dinosaur names, talk about their traits...or use our project ideas in their play. Woo-hoo!
I'll also add that for the week we tried to learn about 3 new dinosaur facts each day :) What I noticed: During the following activities and projects the kids were able to work on our facts through play! They could work on dinosaur names, talk about their traits...or use our project ideas in their play. Woo-hoo!
Fun Group Projects
1. Make Your Own Dinosaur Soap
This was a fantastic project. And it is kind of like an awesome Amber fossil :) You could even color it to be the color of Amber. I have done it for the past three years and will continue to do it during my yearly Dinosaur Study. You can read about how we do it at my preschool in THIS post from earlier this week.
2. Make Dinosaur Footprint Fossils
This is engaging for kids and really helps them learn about the fossil process in a hands-on, age-appropriate way. You can read my entire post about how we discuss and make fossils HERE.
3. Predicting: A Dinosaur Surprise!
Because we are studying Dinosaurs, which leads to a lot of science-related discussions I thought it was appropriate to talk about "predicting" with the preschoolers. I got some "Dinosaur" Magic Grow Capsules from Micheal's. The kids predicted what would happen if we put them in warm water. Fun!
4. Dino World Fossil Kits
I had never tried Fossil Kits with the preschoolers, but braved them this year...and was glad I did! I was a little worried it would be too hard, or that they could stab their fingers, but we discussed safety first :) The tools were plastic and perfectly sized for their hands. We had brown construction paper out as our "dig sites". We decided it would be fun to be Paleontologists for the day, and the kids really got into it. Over and over I heard, "We are just like the real scientists!". This was the most focused I had seen the kids...EVER. It was quiet, except for excitement and sharing when they found a bone. Most of my kids wanted to take the time to do this themselves. My three year old needed some assistance though. The one downside was that the eggs didn't always have all their bones :( We may have lost them, or missed them...but we decided that real scientists can't always find all the bones either...so it was OKAY! **Heads up-these were messy but well worth it!
Engaging Centers or Work Stations
5. Books, Books, Books!
In my opinion, there can never be enough books available for kids :) We transition to our circle time with book time because it is calming and fun for the kids. Our library is open during choice time and our center/stations time.
Here are a few of the kids favorites this week:
1. Oh Say Can You Say Di-No-Saur? by Bonnie Worth
2. Dinosaur Bones by Bob Barner
3. ABC Dinosaurs from American Museum of Natural History (this was an awesome book with new pictures based on the new findings about dinosaurs)
4. The Mine-0-Saur by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen
5. First Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life by Usborne
AND, for something more comical (if your kids like that sort of thing):
6. Golilocks and The Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems
Here are a few of the kids favorites this week:
1. Oh Say Can You Say Di-No-Saur? by Bonnie Worth
2. Dinosaur Bones by Bob Barner
3. ABC Dinosaurs from American Museum of Natural History (this was an awesome book with new pictures based on the new findings about dinosaurs)
4. The Mine-0-Saur by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen
5. First Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life by Usborne
AND, for something more comical (if your kids like that sort of thing):
6. Golilocks and The Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems
6. Dinosaur Puzzles
Dinosaur puzzles are everywhere and my kids will make them over and over again. Melissa and Doug has a great Dinosaur puzzle- Jumbo pieces and great images :) Such a great brain work-out! Our Center/Work Station time has space for two kids to work at a puzzle. But, during choice time I see much larger groups of kids working together happily!
7. Invitation to Play: Dinos and Dough
This was the most popular center all week long. The kids loved creating landscapes and areas for the dinosaurs to live. I got some really nice mini dinosaurs in a tube at Micheals, added in some play trees and rocks (I set them out organized in an old Melissa and Doug wooden box) and then set out two tubs of play-dough! One great thing was that the kids began making footprints and "fossils" after our fossil project, so it was a way to further that learning too.
8. Invitation to Play: Dinos and Blocks
I put out our wooden Montessori city blocks and two bins of dinosaurs and let the kids explore and play! I saw all kinds of cooperative and solo stories and set-ups. This was popular all week long.
9. Big Dinosaurs With Wooden Blocks
Most preschools have large wooden building blocks. We always have them out at my school. We also always have a basket of large plastic dinosaurs available for choice time. I paired these two together to make a large Invitation to Play in our circle room for Center/ Work Station time.
10. Dinosaur Stencils
I added these to my art center and the kids could use them if they wanted to. Many of my preschoolers used the stencils (which gets them using their "helper hand"), and then colored and cut them out. A great addition to the art center for the week!
11. Color-Your-Own Dinosaur Stickers
These were fun! I found them at Learning Palace and they were worth the extra dollars. Most kids love stickers, but DINOSAUR stickers THEY get to design!? Awesome and fun!
**Plus, if you give them colored pencils it is a great workout for their growing fingers!
**Plus, if you give them colored pencils it is a great workout for their growing fingers!