Dinosaurs have once again become a favourite this month in the toddler room at RisingOaks Early Learning | John Sweeney. This re-emerging interest developed very organically. It began with the children pretending to be dinosaurs, stomping and roaring throughout the classroom and outside. We followed their lead, gradually introducing dinosaur figures into the classroom and, as the weather warmed, into the sandbox as well.
The children recalled many of the facts they had learned during our previous dinosaur inquiry and began to focus on dinosaur habitats.
Once the toddlers found their focus, they quickly began building habitats of their own. Tables were pushed together and covered with a sheet to create a cool cave where both toddlers and dinosaurs could play. Myles eagerly pointed out, “We need water!” so a blue carpet was added, and the children brought in other materials to complete their cave.
The desire to build the perfect cave soon spread throughout the classroom and outdoors. Magna tile caves, natural block caves, and sand caves began to appear. The toddlers even built beds for their outdoor dinosaurs in the sand, using dried leaves as blankets.
The children also remembered a wide range of dinosaur vocabulary from months prior and continued building on that knowledge, challenging themselves with more complex names like Parasaurolophus.
We wrapped up this inquiry with dinosaur headbands and a variety of dinosaur-themed art activities, allowing the toddlers’ imaginations to come alive on paper.
Dinosaurs naturally capture children’s attention, blending science and imagination as they explore the world around them. This curiosity about our world is clearly thriving in the toddler room!
