Today we continued learning about the letter “D” and the color green. Dinosaurs were our theme and we had lots of fun.
We read the book Time Flies
Next, we took some plastic dinosaurs and dipped their feet into green paint. Then the children stamped dinosaur tracks all over their folders. It was a fun painting activity. However, I think the children may be wondering if I am going to ever let them use regular paintbrushes. So far they have painted with apples, bubbles, cars, cotton swabs, and now dinosaurs. What will they paint with next week?
We sang this song several times because the kids liked it so much.
I’m a Mean Old Dinosaur
(Tune: I’m a little Tea Pot)
I’m a mean old Dinosaur
(Make a mean face, the kids make the cutest mean faces)
Big and Tall
(Gesture hands big and tall )
Here is my tail, here is my claw.
(Gesture hands behind your back for tail and make claw hands)
When I get all hungry
(rub your tummy)
I just growl
(have the kids exaggerate the grrroooowwwlll)
Look out kids I’m on the prowl.
(Here I tickle each one of the tummy and they all giggle)
We made these cute little dinosaur finger puppets based on an idea I found in the book Rainy Day Activity Book.
Side note: I got this book at our local Goodwill this summer. You never know what you might find at your local thrift store or at yard sales, so it pays to be on the lookout.
To make the finger puppets I cut out a stegosaurus shape from an old cereal box and cut two holes for fingers to fit through. Then I cut some construction paper into 1/2 inch lengths. I let the children help me cut the strips into small pieces.
This was good practice with scissors. Then we spread glue all over the dinosaur body and placed the small paper squares on top. A button eye finished off our dinosaurs. We are going to use these on Friday because they were too wet today.
Later, I got out the play dough and let the kids create with it and the plastic dinosaurs from our painting activity. This was a big hit, and they were quite imaginative. Play dough is great for exercising little hands.
I just had to share a picture of the inflatable dinosaurs I was given by a fellow teacher back when I taught in a public school. They were great for our dinosaur unit today. Can you spot the one who isn’t a dinosaur? (My little boy was having fun with the dinosaurs, too.)
The plastic dinosaurs that were used for painting and play dough fun were from a set my oldest son received a few years ago called Dino Mountain.
Overall, we had a great morning. Friday we will finish our study of the letter “D” and the color green. Check back tomorrow for my latest post in my Real Life Learning series.
