Dinosaur play and learning is so much fun! Combine that with sensory exploration and you will have some very happy kids at home or at school! While teaching 1st grade and preschool, dinosaur week was a hit in our classroom. I would always set up a sensory play center and create a Dinosaur Sensory Play and Learning Bin for students to explore, imagine and learn. Today, I’m excited to share how to create the best dinosaur bin including 7 activities for fun dinosaur sensory learning.
Add in all of the dinosaur fun! Include a variety of mini colorful dinosaurs, dinosaur eggs, dinosaur fossil stress toys, and dinosaur skeletons.
Imaginary Play
Let little ones have fun with dinosaur creative play. They can imagine that they are a paleontologists searching for ancient dinosaur bones and fossils.
Sorting by Colors and Dinosaur Type
Using the dino dig dessert plates, students can sort the miniature dinosaurs by color and kind of dinosaur. Try sorting in different ways: walks on two/four feet, spikes/no spikes, sharp teeth/square teeth, etc.
Sorting by Plant Eater and Meat Eater
After learning about the diets of dinosaurs, you can teach the kids how to sort dinosaurs by what they eat: meat eater, plant eater, or both!
Sizing Small to Large
Size and compare objects from small to large, or large to small. The polished rocks are a great object for this activity.
Counting
Using a sharpie marker, add numbers to the dino dig paper cups. Students can count out the dinosaurs to match the number and add them to the paper cup.
Alpahbet Dinosaur Egg Match
Using a sharpie marker, write upper case and lower case letters on cardstock. Place each letter in a plastic egg. Kids can open up the eggs and find upper and lower case letter matches.
Dinosaur Fossils and Footprints
Little paleontologists can create dinosaur fossils and footprints using the kinetic sand on a paper plate. Press the dinosuar skeletons and dinosaur feet into the sand. Kids will love creating the fossil prints and dinosaur footprints.
Try creating this awesome dinosaur sensory bin in just 30 min! Little learners won’t be able to get enough of the endless dinosaur fun.