EYFS Learn About Dinosaurs

Children in the Foundation Unit at Purston Infants School (West Yorkshire), have been learning all about dinosaurs this term.  The enthusiastic teaching team have been busy arranging lots of imaginative activities for the children in Lower Foundation Stage, including a super sensory bin full of pebbles and sand plus little plastic dinosaur skeletons for the children to explore.

Children Learn About Dinosaurs

Colourful prehistoric animals.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

EYFS Learn About Dinosaurs

The fossil expert who visited the school to conduct dinosaur workshops with the children in the Foundation Unit, knows the skeleton models very well.  These little plastic skeletons are great for creative, imaginative play and these skeletons featured in a picture project involving Everything Dinosaur who were challenged to create a “dinosaur bone bed”.

An Imaginary Dinosaur Bone Bed

A dinosaur sensory play area for the children. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Dinosaur Sets

The plastic dinosaur sets that Everything Dinosaur supplies features twelve different prehistoric animals, children really enjoyed searching for their very own dinosaur skeletons.

To see the range of teaching resources supplied by Everything Dinosaur, including replicas of iconic fossil animals: Educational, Dinosaur Themed Toys and Games.

Both the Lower Foundation Stage and the Upper Foundation Stage classrooms had lots of dinosaur displays.  Some children had even made models of prehistoric animals and there were some lovely dinosaur paintings posted up on the walls.

Colourful Dinosaur Inspired Pictures

A decorative dinosaur wall display spotted at the school helping EYFS to learn about dinosaurs. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Budding Palaeontologists

The eager, budding young palaeontologists were keen to demonstrate their knowledge telling our expert all about carnivores and herbivores (well done to Paddy for a fantastic explanation).  The younger children learned that fossils tend to feel cold and that some fossils are small and light, whilst other fossils particularly those of dinosaurs tend to be very big or even “massive” as one child exclaimed as our dinosaur expert encouraged the children to think of “wow words” to describe dinosaurs.

Praising the Everything Dinosaur team member who conducted the workshops, one of the teacher’s stated: “An enjoyable experience, the children were very responsive and enjoyed looking at the resources.”

Comparing Our Bodies to Dinosaurs – Dinosaur Footprint Measuring Exercise

Whilst on a dinosaur workshop visit to a school in West Yorkshire (Bamford Academy), our fossil expert was given the opportunity to see some of the term topic work undertaken by children in Foundation Stage Two.  Artwork and posters on display in and around the classroom indicated that the teaching team had created an imaginative and challenging scheme of work for the children.  There was lots of evidence of children exploring the properties of materials, use of numbers and comparing our bodies to the bodies of other animals, including dinosaurs.

A giant footprint (Tyrannosaurus rex) had been made and the children measured the size of this footprint by placing their shoes into the footprint to see how many pairs of shoes would be required to fill it.

A Novel Dinosaur Footprint Measuring Exercise

Measuring and comparing. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Bamford Academy/Everything Dinosaur

A Dinosaur Footprint Measuring Exercise

The footprint shape is not quite how a large theropod dinosaur’s footprint would have actually looked like.  We were able to supply some drawings of real dinosaur footprint impressions from our collection, this helped form an extension, measuring activity as part of our dinosaur workshop visit.  Our fossil expert also had to alter some of the text that the teachers had put up, but this did not detract from this excellent and novel teaching idea.

The Foundation Stage Two class thoroughly enjoyed their dinosaur workshop.  They enthusiastically took part in the physical activities and one of the teaching assistants stated:

“The fossils were very exciting to touch and hold and the movements and actions made the programme more tactile for Early Years.”

Everything Dinosaur stocks an extensive range of dinosaur themed toys and games including replicas of iconic fossil animals.  To view the range available from Everything Dinosaur: Learning – Dinosaur Toys and Games.

School Children Model Dinosaurs and Ancient Birds

Children at Eaton Primary School had a visit from Everything Dinosaur today.  The dinosaur expert explained all about fossils, how they form and what they can tell us about life in the past.  The children enjoyed a very tactile and practical session (appealing to kinaesthetic learners).

Model Dinosaurs and Ancient Birds

The activities, which included a comparison between our hands and the footprints from four types of dinosaur were very well received.  Whilst at the school, our sharp-eyed and observant fossil expert noticed a beautifully made model of a seabird soaring high over a part of the classroom that had been turned into a dinosaur museum.  The children were amazed to learn that some types of dinosaur were very closely related to birds (Aves), Tyrannosaurus rex even had a wishbone (furcula).

Colourful Seabird Model on Display

Comparing a seabird to a flying reptile. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Dinosaur Workshop

During the dinosaur workshop, the evolutionary relationship between Aves and the Dinosauria was touched upon.  The children were keen to show off their artwork and to demonstrate their knowledge by classifying dinosaurs into herbivores and carnivores.  It was certainly a fun morning teaching about dinosaurs and birds in school.

Everything Dinosaur stocks a wide range of prehistoric animal models including numerous replicas of pterosaurs and other flying reptiles.  In addition, our award-winning website also provides customers with the opportunity to purchase some models of prehistoric birds.

To view the models section of the user-friendly Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur Prehistoric Animal Models and Figures.

Reception Class Build a Dinosaur Habitat

The Reception class at Hambleton C of E Primary had a dinosaur day inspired by a visit to their school by Everything Dinosaur.  Whilst our team member was working with Key Stage 1 classes in the morning, the Reception class children built a habitat for their dinosaur toys and they proudly showed off the school’s very own “Jurassic Park” to our dinosaur expert.  Using various resources from the classroom, the children had built a mountain for the dinosaurs to live on, including a cave where they could shelter.  A river flowed passed and our expert was reliable informed that dinosaurs like most animals, needed water to drink and this is where they could quench their thirsts.

Dinosaur Play

Reception Class Build a Prehistoric Playground for Dinosaurs

A habitat for dinosaurs. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Building a Home for Dinosaurs

When it came to the biggest and heaviest dinosaurs climbing up to the top, the children had carefully thought about what could be done to assist them.   As a result, a dinosaur friendly ramp was constructed.  Our expert was told several facts about dinosaurs and the budding young palaeontologists were keen to point out the large lake they had drawn so that the dinosaurs could go for a swim.  This was a great activity, combining creative, imaginative play with elements of the national curriculum involving shapes, vocabulary and animals living today and animals from the past.

This was a wonderful demonstration of kinesthetic learning, the use of a learning style that involves children undertaking a physical activity and “doing” rather than “listening”.

To see the huge range of dinosaur and prehistoric animal themed toys and gifts available from Everything Dinosaur’s user-friendly and award-winning website: Dinosaur Toys and Gifts.

Question – What was the Biggest Dinosaur?

For children in the Reception class at St Joseph’s R. C. Primary, today was an important day for them as they could demonstrate their knowledge about dinosaurs and fossils to the dinosaur expert from Everything Dinosaur who came to visit their school.  Under the guidance of the teaching team, the thirty children in Reception class had set up their very own “Dinosaur Museum” with its own cloakroom and gift shop.  Just like a real museum, the eager, young museum curators had made sure that the correct signs were in use.

Dinosaurs and EYFS

Early Years Foundation Stage Set up Their Own Dinosaur Museum

Come to our dinosaur museum! Dinosaurs and EYFS.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Dinosaurs as a term topic had been brought into the school as the teaching and leadership teams explored the Cornerstones curriculum, providing a more creative approach to the learning objectives for each class.  The children were certainly very excited and keen to handle the fossils that had been brought in.  The theme for the term topic was “which was the biggest dinosaur”?  When the rib bones and skull bones of some dinosaurs were seen, the children could begin to see that some dinosaurs were really very big indeed.

Dinosaur Workshop

The dinosaur expert was keen to help the children develop their vocabularies and after some group activities to help reinforce learning the children were challenged to come up with some new words to help describe the various fossils that were displayed.

As for the biggest dinosaur, that is quite a tricky question.  The current “world record holder”, certainly the largest dinosaur scientifically described to date is Argentinosaurus (A. huinculensis).  Although, as the Everything Dinosaur, fossil expert pointed out, that fact may be challenged in the very near future as new fossil discoveries are made.

The Reception class teacher praised Everything Dinosaur stating:

“This was a wonderful session.”

To view the exciting selection of educational, prehistoric animal themed products stocked by Everything Dinosaur: Dinosaur Games, Dinosaur Crafts, Dinosaur Toys.

Feedback from Reception Class

A topic about dinosaurs and prehistoric animals can be a great way to help children in the autumn term of Reception move from learning through play to a more diverse range of activities aimed at developing learning skills and meeting individual learning needs.  Children in the Reception classes at Kensington Primary School had been learning all about dinosaurs and a visit from one of Everything Dinosaur’s experts to show them fossils proved to be the highlight of their week.

Positive Feedback

The focus on this very tactile session, was very much on helping to develop vocabulary and confidence in handling unusual objects.  The children were able to make comparisons and use describing words.  There was lots of activities incorporated into the fast paced session and the children (plus the teaching team), really enjoyed helping our dinosaur expert answer the question of the day – “how big were dinosaurs?”

Feedback from the Reception Class Teacher

Five stars awarded to Everything Dinosaur. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Five Stars for Everything Dinosaur

Whilst we appreciate our star rating system might need a little clarification we were happy to help out at the school and our “5 star” rating was greatly appreciated.

To learn more about Everything Dinosaur’s award-winning range of models and figures: Visit Everything Dinosaur.

As part of our support for the school, Everything Dinosaur pretended to have left some dinosaur eggs for the children to discover. Pictures of the eggs along with some describing words were then posted up on the classroom “Wow wall” to help reinforce the learning.

Everything Dinosaur

The dinosaur workshop for the reception class really helped the teaching team animate and bring to life the dinosaur themed term topic.

For models and replicas plus dinosaur toys and games: Dinosaur Toys, Models and Gifts.

Tactile Fossil and Dinosaur Workshop Extends Vocabulary

Everything Dinosaur staff are busy carrying out lots of dinosaur and fossil themed workshops as the autumn term gets into full swing.  Dinosaurs and exploring fossils makes an excellent autumn topic for reception aged children, as it encourages lots of creative work and it also leads nicely into some of the science themes outlined as key teaching outcomes in Key Stage 1.

Dinosaur and Fossil Workshops

When working with reception aged children, Everything Dinosaur team members try to help the children gain more confidence in speaking.  We endeavour to engage, inform and to help the children learn about materials and the world around them.  All our teaching plans are focused on achieving desired learning outcomes.  Our work with reception classes yesterday demonstrated this approach as we were asked by the teaching team in the short briefing prior to the teaching to help develop the children’s confidence in using adjectives.

To see a blog post that provides feedback on a school visit: Feedback after Everything Dinosaur school visit.

Could the question of the day be answered – were some dinosaurs huge?

English as an Additional Language

The teaching team very often have to help children who do not have English as a first language.  Children at this age soon pick up language skills and our team members do our best to assist.  The feedback received from yesterday’s visit certainly suggests that all our teaching objectives were met.

Typical Feedback from a Teacher (Reception Class)

Genuine feedback from teachers, teaching assistants and members of the senior leadership team.

Everything Dinosaur is grateful for all the feedback we receive.  Such feedback is always treated in the strictest confidence and we encourage teachers and learning support providers to enquire about extension activities as well as providing us with comments, suggestions and feedback.

We look forward to hearing more from the school as the term topic progresses.

To visit Everything Dinosaur’s award-winning website: Everything Dinosaur.