What do you call a sleeping dinosaur? A dino-snore! This week we’re all about dinosaurs, so let’s go have a roaring good time.
Let’s start by asking your child a few questions:
- Tell me about dinosaurs!
- What does a dinosaur sound like?
- What’s your favorite dinosaur?
Next, read any book you might have on dinosaurs.
Point the dinosaurs out – discuss their texture (Are they furry? Are they smooth?) and size (How big do you think this one is?). If you don’t have one, make one with your child (see craft below), and/or download one for free with your library card on our Hoopla app.
You can also read the following poem:
Long, long ago, when the Earth was young
Dinosaurs lived here under the sun.
Some were big and some were small
Some were short and some were tall.
Some could swim; some could fly,
Some could stretch up very high.
Don’t you wish they still roamed free?
And lived somewhere that you could see?
Ready to dance?
First, let’s shake our dino head to the tune of “Shake My Sillies Out.”
I’m gonna shake, shake, shake my dino head / Shake, shake, shake my dino head
Shake, shake, shake my dino head / And then go stomping about.
Other verses: Scratch my dino claws, Wiggle my dino foot, Wag my dino tail
Or how about “If You’re a Dinosaur and You Know It” to the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It.”
If you’re a dino and you know it stomp your feet / If you’re a dino and you know it stomp your feet
If you’re a dino and you know it and you really want to show it
If you’re a dino and you know it stomp your feet
Other verses: Swing Your Tail, Show Your Teeth, Let Out a Roar
Ready for some science?
Let’s make dinosaur eggs! This is a more complicated activity, but the results are worth it. Mix flour, used coffee grounds (we all have those right now, right?), sand, salt and water together, and form eggs around a small toy. Let sit over night or bake. Then, have your child bang open the dinosaur egg! Full instructions and measurements are here.
Now for a craft.
A simple, fun and imaginative craft is making a dinosaur out of a paper plate. Cut a plate in half (or just make a semi-circle out of a piece of paper) and paint/color it. Cut out triangles and glue them to the rounded side. Cut out legs for the bottom flat side and a circle head for the front. You made a stegosaurus! What other dinosaurs can you make?
Last, make your own dinosaur book.
- Staple papers together and have each page represent a dinosaur.
- Write (or have your child write) “I’m a ____ dinosaur” (e.g. “I’m a BIG dinosaur. I’m a FLYING dinosaur. Optional, add what actual type of dinosaur it is.)
- Illustrate! (Either draw, color, cut out pictures from magazines, print out pictures, etc.)
We hope you had fun today celebrating dinosaurs with us!
