Jurassic Spark!

What better way is there to help get kids interested in science than with dinosaur toys? Boys and girls love the ideas of dinosaurs and their intriguing back story… and they’ll soak up dino info at a truly awe-inspiring rate.

Ready to create a Jurassic spark of learning in your home? Here’s a few ways to help your little paleontologists get started…

Keep your museum member pass at the ready

Nearly every community, big or small, has a museum devoted to its natural or local history. If you live in North America, your museum will most likely include narration on local fossil discovery. Explore your museum’s summer or holiday break offerings for camp or workshops. And famous paleontologists, like Dr. Scott Sampson, often tour the country’s museums, giving lectures on how experiences with science and nature are critical to a child’s development.

Game on, Pteranodon!

Educational games that bring together your child’s love of dinosaurs and STEM-related subjects are the best! Turn family game night into a prehistoric adventure with fun board games geared toward their age and skill level.

Pretend play

Ever hand a child some dinosaur figurines? Watch the magic happen. Those lucky dinosaurs will go on adventures from the backyard to bathtub. You’ll see entire prehistoric civilizations pop-up on your child’s bedroom floor. But watch where you step! You don’t want to be the one to wipe out the dinosaur population again.

Books are power

Similar to adults, if you give a child books about a subject matter he or she is interested in, total captivation can happen. A little one will soak up dino facts read to them, and the beginning reader will take more interest in reading when he cares about the book’s contents. Get friendly with your library and load ‘em up!

Your child isn’t the only one learning

So apparently the long-necked brontosaurs you heard about in school 30 years ago is now called the Apatosaurus? The best part of your child making discoveries about the Earth’s history is the new things you get to learn. If you take an active interest in your child’s curiosities with dinosaurs, they feel free to discuss their wonder in a supportive place.

Who knows? Maybe this might turn into something?

It goes without saying that a healthy love of something as a child might very well turn into a career as an adult. Be sure to foster your child’s interest in fossils, dinosaurs, and the prehistoric world because you might never know where it might lead!