Preschool Letter D - Dinosaurs

 Preschool was at our house this week. We had a really fun "D" themed preschool day.

After our usual beginning stuff and "D" Show and Tell, I read a book called "The Dinosaur Museum" to the kids. It goes through the whole paleontological process. From finding fossils, to cleaning them and then putting the bones together to make the dinosaur skeletons.

Then I told them they were going to be paleontologists today. I took them to the garage for them to dig for dinosaurs and fossils. I found at the dollar store toy dinosaurs, dinosaur skeletons, and dog rawhide bones. I had divided them up into 6 disposable containers and then filled them up with dirt. I had a plastic spoon, cheap paintbrush and a bag for each of them.

 First they used their spoons to dig in the dirt looking for fossils.

  Then they used their brushes to gently remove the dirt from their fossils.

 After they cleaned them up they stored them in their bags. They all LOVED digging for fossils and were disappointed when they had found them all! Later in the day Aubrey and Brooke had me hide their bones again. I think Aubrey dug for her bones about 6 more times this afternoon! She's so gentle and meticulous with her little paintbrush too. When she would find a fossil, instead of lifting it up, she would first gently brush away all of the dirt, then she would lift it up and continue to clean it. It was as if they were real fossils! So cute!

 Then they brought their bones inside to make their own fossils. They all got a paper plate and some homemade clay. I had them smoosh out their clay onto their paper plates.

Then they used their dinosaurs and bones to make impressions in the clay.

Aubrey made footprints like the fossil picture we saw in the book.

Next I gave them some paper dinosaur bones for them to glue together to complete their dinosaur skeleton. The had letters a - d on the pieces to help them know where they connected.

 

 Next we did a D animal dot to dot. I found dot to dots online of a dog, duck, deer & dinosaur.

Then I had them pretend to be like D animals. Here they are being dogs.

Now their ducks.

I think their prancing like deer in this one.

Either Dinosaur's or Dragons in this one.

Next they made Ducks and Dogs out of cotton balls and baby food jars.

Here's Aubrey's completed duck.

 

 Here's Brooke's completed Dog.

 

 Then we had a freeze dance.

First I had them freestyle dance, then I named off D animals to dance like.

Then we made Daisy Masks. I just cut out the middle from a paper plate and taped on a craft stick. I cut out some daisy leaves from construction paper and had them glue stick them onto their plate.

This little guy decided to make a duck instead. He made wings coming out of either side.

A Wreath and a Daisy.

My two Daisies!

 

For a snack I served my homemade sugar free Donuts. They were a big hit!

They wanted to read more stories about Dinosaurs instead of playing, so I read until their parents came. Their favorite was "Miss Smith Reads Again."

But they also were very interested in the more educational book, "Dinosaur Fossils." In fact we weren't quite finished when their parents came, and Aubrey insisted I finish it after her friends were gone.

I'm so glad that the kids enjoyed our D themed preschool!