Dinosaurs

All of these images & great Dino ideas come from Preschool Playhouse’s Dinosaur Camp

• Dinosaur Paleontologists … discover how hard and how carefully paleontologists have to work to remove dinosaur bones from rock. Hammers would be quicker, but might break the bones!
  1. Freeze plastic dinosaurs in paper cups filled with water (makes a large ice cube).
  2. Give the kids squeeze bottles filled with warm water and have them work to get the dinosaurs out.

• Puffy Stegosaurus
  1. Cut out a simple stegosaurus shape (minus the spikes)
  2. Mix up a batch of homemade puffy paint
     • Mix 3 parts shaving cream + 1 part white glue (then add paint)
     • Let the kids use their hands to paint their stegosaurus and several clothespins (for the spikes)
     • Let dry completely, then feel how smooth and spongy it is.
  3. After it dries, add a googly eye and clip on the clothespin spikes.

• Foam Dinosaur Capsules … you can get these dissolving capsules from Michaels, Amazon, or sometimes the dollar store. Put them in a sink or tub of warm water and the capsules dissolve and a foam dinosaur emerges!

 

• Dinosaur Hats
  1. Fold a large piece of paper in half and cut out a long dinosaur shape, keeping the tail end uncut on the fold (make sense?). Or use two sheets of regular 8.5x11 paper and staple together at the tail.
  2. Let the kids decorate their dinosaur with markers, stickers, googly eyes…
  3. Staple together (near the head/neck) to form a fun dinosaur hat!

• Hatching Paper Mache Dinosaur Eggs … this is quite the project that will take a few days to complete, but looks like so much fun!!
  1. Day 1: Insert a plastic dinosaur (I also thought some small wrapped candies would be fun too) into a small water-balloon-sized balloon.
  2. Blow up and tie.
  3. Make a simple paper mache paste … 1 cup flour + 1 cup water. Then stir in 4 cups boiling water. Mix well, keep in an airtight container.
  4. Cut newspaper strips about 6 inches long.
  5. Dip the strips in the glue, then smooth over the balloon. Cover the entire balloon.
  6. Hang by the balloon knot and let dry overnight.
  7. Day 2 (optional): to make the egg stronger, put a second layer after the first has dried. Let dry one more night.
  8. Day 3: Paint the eggs and let dry overnight.
  9. In the morning, use scissors to cut the knot off of the balloon. The balloon and dinosaur will still be inside the egg!
  10. Have the kids help make a dinosaur nest to put their dry, painted eggs into. Use leaves, grass, sticks…
  11. Hatching Time! Let the kids carefully try to remove their dinosaur (and candy!) from the egg keeping the egg intact.

Dinosaurs

• Dinosaur Puzzles … Use 6" by 9" cards (big, dino-sized cards). Cut the cards in half using zig-zag, swirly or curvy lines. On one half write a number 1-10. On the other half have the kids help put that many dinosaur stickers on. Match the puzzles together.
• Dinosaur Bone Dig
  1. While the kids aren't looking, bury white dog milk-bones in the dirt (or I found a great package of plastic bones at the dollar store around Halloween time).
  2. Give them rakes, shovels, and hand brushes and dig for dinosaur bones!
  3. To make it a little easier for younger kids, place a small “x-marks-the-spot” with twigs over the buried bones.
• Hide the Dinosaur
  1. Hide a plastic dinosaur & search for it.
  2. When you find it, let the kids scream and run away.
• Check out dinosaur books at the library

   

• Read the "How Do Dinosaurs ...." books by Jane Yolen & Mark Teague. There are tons of different ones available here.     
• Fun dinosaur coloring pages (click the picture for the link)

NOTE: This website www.twistynoodle.com is pretty neat. Lots of printable coloring pages and the cool thing is that you can change the text at the top to whatever you want and change it to be trace-able or regular font!

• Paper Plate Dinosaurs … Love this idea from I Heart Crafty Things. Click the link for the original post.

  

1. Follow the great tutorial here from Kids Craft Weekly.
2. Draw the dinosaur template on a paper plate.
3. Color the entire plate any way you want and let dry!
4. Cut out all the pieces.
5. Punch holes to attach tail, lets and head.
6. Assemble with brads so the tail, legs and head move!