FS2 and FS3 Children Study Dinosaurs

The spring term has got off to an exciting start for the two classes of Reception-aged children at Endeavour Academy (formerly Leigh Primary School), in Hyde.  With the help of their enthusiastic teachers, the children have been learning all about dinosaurs and prehistoric animals.  One of our teaching team members visited the school to conduct some dinosaur workshops in the school’s spacious and well-appointed hall.  The visitor was also give a tour of the tidy Reception area classrooms and shown some of the displays that the children had created.

Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals

In one corner of the classroom the teaching team had created a montage of questions that the children wanted to ask about dinosaurs.  The budding young palaeontologists in FS2 and FS3 had come up with some amazing questions.

Reception Children Think About Dinosaurs

Picture credit: Endeavour Academy/Everything Dinosaur

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

Questions About Dinosaurs

With the help of the teaching team the children were given the opportunity to think up questions about dinosaurs.  The questions were then posted up to make a colourful display.

Some of the Questions from FS2 and FS3

Picture credit: Endeavour Academy/Everything Dinosaur

The children compiled quite an array of questions, our favourites include Annabeth’s how long ago did they live?   Daisy asked are dinosaurs happy?  Zayan enquired do they have friends?

What a super set of questions, the teaching team can use some of these queries to help shape and structure the term scheme of work.

For dinosaur gifts and toys: Dinosaur Gifts and Toys.

Everything Dinosaur

The dinosaur expert who visited Endeavour Academy to conduct the two dinosaur themed workshops with the Reception classes stated:

“Dinosaurs as a spring topic for Reception-aged children can provide an excellent bridge helping the class to transition from free-form play into more structured learning as the children prepare for the summer term and the move up to Year 1.  The topic is certainly popular with the children and it lends itself to plenty of stimulating writing and number exercises.”

With the help and assistance of the dedicated teaching team at Endeavour Academy, the children in FS2 and FS3 are having a “dinotastic” time learning all about dinosaurs and fossils.

To contact a member of the Everything Dinosaur team: Email Everything Dinosaur.

Helping to Develop Fine Motor Skills in Young Children

One of our Everything Dinosaur teaching team members was asked the other day by an anxious mother of a three-year-old about the best way to develop fine motor skills in her child.  Fine motor control is certainly a key skill that will stand your child in good stead when it comes to school, especially when you consider the dexterity required to hold a writing implement and to form letters.  However, the use of pens and pencils are not necessarily required to help your child develop fine motor control. 

As a child explores everyday objects and learns about their properties, then motor control will be improved.  Simply playing with small objects or even rolling out modelling clay will help your child gain confidence and improve their dexterity.

Fine Motor Skills Are an Essential Key Life Skill

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Fine Motor Skills Defined

Fine motor skills or fine motor control as it is sometimes referred to as, involves a coordinated and confident use of small muscles to enable delicate tasks to be completed successfully.  Developing the ability to manipulate and control small objects with the fingers and thumb will be vital as the child begins the process of learning to write.  Motor skills develop over time and effective motor control will help the child with numerous activities, not just those involving academic achievement but tasks that help the child gain more independence and self-confidence, tasks such as dressing and feeding oneself.

Parents wanting to help their toddler with their fine motor control, such as the mother of the three-year-old, can simply encourage the child through creative play at home.  Activities in which the child has to manipulate small objects are very useful, forming letters using modelling clay, playing with small building bricks, tracing shapes in a sand tray, all these activities can help a child build strength in their fingers and dexterity.

Playing with Plastic Dinosaurs Can Help Build Fine Motor Skills

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The two theropod dinosaur figures shown above come from the PNSO model range.

To view this range: PNSO Age of Dinosaurs Models and Figures.

Everything Dinosaur and Developing Fine Motor Skills

Everything Dinosaur’s set of plastic dinosaur skeletons make a great set of resources to help develop fine motor skills.  Our skeleton set features twelve different prehistoric animal models and these little plastic dinosaurs have been used in all sorts of activities to help encourage fine motor control.  From making casts in modelling clay to pretending to excavate a fossil in the sand pit, these sturdy figures are great for imaginative, creative play and just the right size for little hands to manipulate.

To view the skeleton set and the extensive range of learning orientated dinosaur-themed resources available: Everything Dinosaur.

Points to Remember – Top Tips

When it comes to handwriting, some children are going to be able to develop the appropriate skill set more quickly than others, but don’t worry – practice makes perfect.  Children develop at different rates, one sibling may develop more quickly than another.  Many children will need to work on their fine motor skills for some time in order to build up the strength and coordination required to tackle writing.  Parents, guardians and grandparents can assist in his process by encouraging the child through creative, imaginative play with small objects that require manipulation.

For dinosaur themed children’s toys and games: Dinosaur Themed Toys, Games and Gifts.

The Schleich Acrocanthosaurus

The German figure and model manufacturer Schleich have introduced a new dinosaur model into their “The First Giants” model range and this dinosaur model is great for imaginative, creative play.  The Schleich Acrocanthosaurus (pronounced Ack-row-can-tho-sore-us), stands nearly fifteen centimetres high and it measures a fraction over twenty-five centimetres long, an ideal size for little hands.

The New for 2017 Schleich Acrocanthosaurus Dinosaur Model

The new for 2017 Schleich Acrocanthosaurus dinosaur model.  Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

A Tactile Schleich Acrocanthosaurus Dinosaur Model

The skin texture of this dinosaur model is fantastic.  The rough scales are very tactile and the Schleich Acrocanthosaurus is great for sensory play.  We had a go at making some “dinosaur tracks” in sand, the large feet on this replica seemed particularly suited to this type of exploration themed activity.  Designed for children from three years and upwards this model of a big, meat-eating dinosaur certainly proved very popular with the younger dinosaur fans we met recently.

Playing in the Sand with an Acrocanthosaurus Dinosaur Model

A Schleich Acrocanthosaurus dinosaur model playing in the sand.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

A Stable Dinosaur Model

The Schleich Acrocanthosaurus dinosaur model stands up very well.  The feet have been made a little oversized to help young children and the sturdy tail rests on the ground, providing three areas of support for the replica.  The children had no problem handling this dinosaur and they encountered no issues at all with getting the model to stand up, even on the rough sand.

Many dinosaur models are created with the tail lifted off the ground.  This might be the correct anatomical position as far as a palaeontologist is concerned, but for very young children, this can cause problems as they struggle to get the dinosaur to stand up.  No such problems with the Schleich Acrocanthosaurus we are happy to report.  This is one robust and very child friendly dinosaur model!

Everything Dinosaur stocks a huge range of Schleich prehistoric animals, including the new for 2017 Schleich Acrocanthosaurus, to view this range: Schleich Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Models.

The Schleich Acrocanthosaurus

Acrocanthosaurus was a carnivorous dinosaur that lived during the Cretaceous period and its fossils have been found in the United States of America.  Although, not as widely known as the famous Tyrannosaurus rex, this dinosaur may have been nearly as big.  It was certainly a ferocious predator and palaeontologists have even found giant, three-toed footprints that they have assigned to this genus.  Although a predatory dinosaur, we note the attention to detail and care, for example, the teeth in the model are big, will resist tugs and pulls from budding young palaeontologists but these teeth are blunt, so they are unlikely to prick little fingers.

Dinosaur Models in the Sand

Several Schleich Acrocanthosaurus dinosaur models.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Children love playing with dinosaurs and the Schleich Acrocanthosaurus ticks all the boxes when it comes to finding a suitable, large dinosaur model to help encourage exploratory learning and creative, imaginative play.

Visit the award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

In Praise of the Schleich Brachiosaurus Dinosaur Model

It’s big and chunky and great for creative, imaginative play.  Furthermore, the new for 2017 Schleich Brachiosaurus has some beautifully created, giant scales on its body, neck and limbs which make this dinosaur model ideal for exploring the texture of different materials with Foundation Stage children.

The Schleich Brachiosaurus Dinosaur Model

The new for 2017 Schleich Brachiosaurus dinosaur model.  Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Recognising the Differences and Similarities Between Materials

Dinosaur models and toys fascinate young boys and girls alike and team members at Everything Dinosaur use various dinosaur models and replicas in their outreach work with children, particularly those children in Foundation Stages one and two or lower Key Stage one.  The tactile quality of the Schleich Brachiosaurus is a particular favourite as the children feel the model’s rough scales and smooth skin.  We also use the model to help children learn and remember the names for different parts of the body.

Great to Touch – Exploring Properties of Materials

The tactile quality of a Schleich Brachiosaurus dinosaur model. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The Schleich Brachiosaurus Dinosaur Model

The dinosaur model is accurate enough to keep budding palaeontologists happy in the classroom and some of the very youngest children who have participated in our dinosaur themed workshops, enjoy feeling the different textures on the dinosaur model.  The Schleich Brachiosaurus is very well crafted and the scales really stand out, this makes it a very effective item to use in sensory play.  The figure measures around thirty-five centimetres in length and it has a “chunky” feel to it but it can be handled easily by even young children with poor motor skills and hand to eye co-ordination.

A Close-Up View of the Finely Detailed Scales on the Schleich Brachiosaurus Dinosaur Model

The beautiful texture of the Schleich Brachiosaurus is ideal for creative play. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The contrasting surfaces of the hand-painted, plastic figure prove useful when exploring the properties of materials and the feel of different textures.  As it is a dinosaur, there is no problem maintaining focus and attention.

To view the Schleich Brachiosaurus and other Schleich prehistoric animal models available from Everything Dinosaur: Schleich Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animal Figures.

The Classroom Dinosaur

As an extension exercise we encourage the teaching team to go on a food hunt for their plant-eating dinosaur.  Taking children out into the playground or into the school vegetable patch to pick daisies and grass so that the classroom dinosaur can have a good feed.  In addition, we have written simple lesson plan exercises, extensions of creative play in which the children think about which materials would make a good bed for a dinosaur to sleep on.  Once again, this is a great way to introduce basic adjectives such as “rough” or “smooth”, “hard” or “soft”.

At Home in the Classroom (Schleich Brachiosaurus)

Schleich Brachiosaurus dinosaur model.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The Schleich Brachiosaurus dinosaur model with its superb textured skin makes it ideal for sensory play in the classroom or nursery.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.