Toddler Programs Chapter
Dinosaurs
Books to Share
- Busy Dinah Dinosaur by B.G. Hennessey.
- Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs by Byron Barton.
- Dinosaur Roar! by Paul and Henrietta Stickland.
- Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp by Carol Diggory Shields.
- We're the Noisy Dinosaurs! by John Watson.
Books to Show and Booktalk
- How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight by Jane Yolen.
- How Do Dinosaurs Clean Their Rooms? by Jane Yolen.
- My First Dinosaur Board Book by Beth Landis.
- My First Jumbo Book of Dinosaurs by Melanie Gerth.
Nametag
Use the dinosaur pattern to create nametags from paper of various colors. Let each child choose a favorite color.
Refreshments
Serve gummy dinosaurs. They are available at many grocery stores or may be ordered online from a variety of sources. Many other snacks are available in dinosaur shapes.
Fingerplays
Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs
Dinosaur, dinosaur, stomp around, (Stomp around)
Dinosaur, dinosaur, show your claws. (Stretch fingers out)
Dinosaur, dinosaur, show you teeth, (Show teeth)
Dinosaur, dinosaur, give a big roar. (Roar)
Dinosaur, dinosaur, take a nap (Lay head on hands)
Songs
Ten Little Dinosaurs
(Adapted by Shelly Lane. Sing to the tune of “Ten Little Indians.”)
1 little, 2 little, 3 little dinosaurs,
4, little, 5 little, 6 little dinosaurs,
7, little, 8 little, 9 little dinosaurs,
10 little dinosaurs
Stomping all around.
Eating
Dinosaurs, dinosaurs,
Eating leaves and fruit.
Take a bite and chew it up,
Spit out the seeds, phooo!
The Dinosaur Pokey
(Sing to the tune of “The Hokey-Pokey.”)
You put your claws in; you put your claws out.
You put your claws in and scratch them all about.
Do the "Dinosaur Pokey" and stomp yourself around.
That's what it's all about!
Additional verses:
You put your teeth in and chomp them all about…
You put your feet in and stomp them all about…
You put your tail in and swish it all about…
Dance and Movement Activities
Play “We are the Dinosaurs” on Whaddaya Think of That by Laurie Berkner. Let the kids pretend to be dinosaurs and march, nap, roar, etc., following the actions in the lyrics.
Audio Recordings
- “If I Had a Dinosaur” on The Singable Songs Collection by Raffi.
- “Let's Sing About Dinosaurs,” “Dinosaur Colors,” and “Big, Bigger, Biggest” on Wee Sing Dinosaurs by Pamela Conn Beall and Susan Hagen Nipp.
Flannel Boards
Five Dinosaurs
(Make this rhyme into a flannel board by cutting out five dinosaurs using the pattern. Remove the dinosaurs one by one as you recite the rhyme until all of the dinosaurs have been removed from the flannel board.)
Five little dinosaurs,
Munching on plants in the swamp.
Yum! Yum!
One jumped into a pool of mud,
And splashed around.
Then there were four little dinosaurs.
Chomp, chomp.
Four little dinosaurs,
Munching on plants in the swamp.
Yum! Yum!
One jumped into a pool of mud,
And splashed around.
Then there were three little dinosaurs.
Chomp, chomp.
Craft
Dinosaur Prints
Materials
- Play-doh® or Model Magic®
- Small Paper Plates
- Plastic dinosaurs
- Plastic Ziploc bags
Directions
Purchase small plastic dinosaurs at a toy store, craft store, or from Oriental Trading Company. The dinosaurs should be large enough for very young children to handle and should not be a choking hazard. In advance, place medium-sized balls of Play-doh® or Model Magic® in plastic ziploc bags. For each child, place one plastic bag and one plastic dinosaur on a paper plate. Let the children press the dinosaur into the playdough and then remove it to expose a dinosaur impression. Model Magic® will dry into a hard finish for a more durable project.
Activities
Dinosaur Dig
Materials
- Large plastic containers or a small child’s swimming pool
- Clean play sand
- Tarp, blanket, or a sheet
- Plastic dinosaurs
- Plastic spoons
Directions
Purchase small plastic dinosaurs at a toy store, craft store, or from Oriental Trading Company. The dinosaurs should be large enough for very young children to handle and should not be a choking hazard. Spread a tarp or sheet on the floor for easy cleanup. Fill the plastic container or small swimming pool with sand and bury some of the dinosaurs. Let the children use their plastic spoons to dig for the dinosaurs. Have enough dinosaurs so that each child can take one home.
Videos/DVDs
Display these videos for home use or show short segments if you have public performance rights.
- Good Night, Gorilla and More Bedtime Stories. (51 minutes) Show the segment, “How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night.”
- The Land Before Time Sing-Along Songs. (30 minutes) Two songs to use during the story hour are “When You’re Big” and “Kids Like Us.”
Professional Resources
Dinosaur Days: Celebrating Dinosaurs with Rhymes, Songs, Projects, Games and Snacks by Durby Peterson.
