As I've mentioned B has hit the dinosaur phase!
We were filling out the preschool questionnaire at the beginning of the year. "The communication between home and preschool is important and we'd like to get to know your child."
I asked B to help his parents fill out the form.
Questionnaire: What does your child enjoy?
B: Dinosaurs.
Questionnaire: What makes your child laugh?
B: Dinosaurs.
Me: Maybe they need something else B, more information.
B: (thinks) Dinosaur Train.
Me: hmmm.
Questionnaire: Who are the important people in your child's life?
B: Tiny, Buddy... (Dinosaur Train)
Me: Mummy, Daddy and P?
B: oh yeah.
The first thing B says when he comes into our room of a morning is something along the lines of "Mummy, did you know that T-Rex is the largest dinosaur in the Cretaceous forest?"
Whilst I am no expert on dinosaurs I do know a thing or two about learning. This is the time to harness B's passion. We're there's passion there's plenty of opportunity to learn. Fortunately, thanks to the Internet, there's no limit to the amount of information presented in an age-appropriate manner for B to learn from but people learn best from 'doing' things - hands on experience.
Here are some ideas.
Taronga Zoo (only this summer)
Australian Museum - Carla's Dino Dig has finished for 2012 but the museum has a permanent display of dinosaurs and fossils.
Out of Sydney:
Reptile Park - Gosford
National Dinosaur Museum - Canberra
Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum - Bathurst
Lake Mungo National Park
Ulladulla Fossil Sites
Online resources:
Queensland Museum
ABC Dinosaurs
For the screen:
Walking with Dinosaurs Series (PG)
Dinosaur Train (available on itunes)
Dino Dan (DVD) I bought mine at JB Hifi.
There are many fossil sites across Sydney - in brickwork sites and along the coastline where development hasn't taken over. You only need to search for them online and take some time to visit the sites in person.
Every op-shop I've visited lately has had at least 5 dinosaur books so I've had to be particularly choosy. They must be in good nick (or easily repairable - always my op-shop rule), informative (not 'dumbed down' for kids) and visually appealing. If they contain activities - even better!
I found a near-new book on 'How to Draw Dinosaurs' so we've been sketching them this morning. You can learn so much from what the dinosaur was like just by looking at the dinosaurs' form. I know this forty minutes or so we spent drawing has given B the confidence to draw dinosaurs more freely and confidently without asking for my help.
We'd better go... I think I can hear B digging up 'fossils' in the backyard!
We were filling out the preschool questionnaire at the beginning of the year. "The communication between home and preschool is important and we'd like to get to know your child."
I asked B to help his parents fill out the form.
Questionnaire: What does your child enjoy?
B: Dinosaurs.
Questionnaire: What makes your child laugh?
B: Dinosaurs.
Me: Maybe they need something else B, more information.
B: (thinks) Dinosaur Train.
Me: hmmm.
Questionnaire: Who are the important people in your child's life?
B: Tiny, Buddy... (Dinosaur Train)
Me: Mummy, Daddy and P?
B: oh yeah.
The first thing B says when he comes into our room of a morning is something along the lines of "Mummy, did you know that T-Rex is the largest dinosaur in the Cretaceous forest?"
Whilst I am no expert on dinosaurs I do know a thing or two about learning. This is the time to harness B's passion. We're there's passion there's plenty of opportunity to learn. Fortunately, thanks to the Internet, there's no limit to the amount of information presented in an age-appropriate manner for B to learn from but people learn best from 'doing' things - hands on experience.
Here are some ideas.
Taronga Zoo (only this summer)
Australian Museum - Carla's Dino Dig has finished for 2012 but the museum has a permanent display of dinosaurs and fossils.
Out of Sydney:
Reptile Park - Gosford
National Dinosaur Museum - Canberra
Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum - Bathurst
Lake Mungo National Park
Ulladulla Fossil Sites
Online resources:
Queensland Museum
ABC Dinosaurs
For the screen:
Walking with Dinosaurs Series (PG)
Dinosaur Train (available on itunes)
Dino Dan (DVD) I bought mine at JB Hifi.
There are many fossil sites across Sydney - in brickwork sites and along the coastline where development hasn't taken over. You only need to search for them online and take some time to visit the sites in person.
Every op-shop I've visited lately has had at least 5 dinosaur books so I've had to be particularly choosy. They must be in good nick (or easily repairable - always my op-shop rule), informative (not 'dumbed down' for kids) and visually appealing. If they contain activities - even better!
I found a near-new book on 'How to Draw Dinosaurs' so we've been sketching them this morning. You can learn so much from what the dinosaur was like just by looking at the dinosaurs' form. I know this forty minutes or so we spent drawing has given B the confidence to draw dinosaurs more freely and confidently without asking for my help.
We'd better go... I think I can hear B digging up 'fossils' in the backyard!
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