Today we had a roarsome time celebrating Dino Day at preschool! The children took part in a wide range of exciting dinosaur-themed activities designed to inspire curiosity, creativity and hands-on learning.

Our Dino Dig was a huge success! The children became paleontologists as they explored fossils buried in sand, soil and sensory materials. They used a variety of tools and resources including brushes, scoops, magnifying glasses and even cameras to photograph and document their discoveries. The children discussed their findings, compared sizes and shapes, and worked collaboratively to carefully excavate the “fossils.”

In our messy play area, children explored different textures such as slime “swamps,” muddy dinosaur habitats and sensory trays. This supported fine motor development and descriptive language as they talked about how the materials felt.

The small world area sparked imaginative play, with children creating their own dinosaur lands, building volcanoes and acting out stories. We saw wonderful storytelling, teamwork and expressive language throughout the day.

Math's was woven into our Dino Day as we:

• Counted dinosaur eggs

• Measured and compared dinosaur footprints

• Sorted dinosaurs by size

• Explored concepts such as bigger/smaller and heavy/light

Phonics and literacy were also embedded through:

• Dinosaur name writing and mark making

• Listening for initial sounds (d for dinosaur!)

• Reading dinosaur stories

• Labelling our discoveries

EYFS Links & Benefits

Our Dino Day supported many areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework:

Communication & Language

• Engaging in discussions about discoveries

• Learning and using new vocabulary such as “fossil,” “excavate,” and “habitat”

Physical Development

• Fine motor skills through digging, brushing and mark making

• Gross motor skills during movement activities and role play

Personal, Social & Emotional Development

• Turn-taking and teamwork during group digs

• Building confidence when sharing ideas

Literacy

• Phonics integration and early writing opportunities

• Storytelling through small world play

Mathematics

• Counting, sorting, comparing size and measuring

Understanding the World

• Learning about dinosaurs, habitats and the past

• Using technology (cameras) to record findings

Expressive Arts & Design

• Imaginative role play

• Creative construction and sensory exploration