The time of the dinosaurs is such an interesting subject – and this dinosaur activity for Kindergarten really brings that learning to life. Learning about how these creatures lived so long ago and how they were discovered can be a challenging one for our little ones. With words like paleontology, archeological, and prehistoric swirling around their minds as they work to learn all about dinosaurs, I enjoy finding ways they can actually experience this and help make what is learned much more exciting and concrete.
What better way to understand how paleontologists discovered dinosaurs than for kindergartners to go on a dig themselves? If the impending crumbs of this activity seem intimidating you might consider popping it in a container or cookie sheet.
Imagine just how overjoyed your little one will be when they see you pull out the chocolate chip cookies. Using some store bought ones will work just as well as homemade. Just make sure you store them in a good hiding place before this activity! If your child can manage to resist eating those delicious homemade ones, those will work great and give you a great extra activity for you and your little.
As in all of our Kindergarten at Home homes learning themes, you don’t need many materials to learn so much. For this dinosaur chocolate chip cookie excavation you will need: chocolate chip cookies (a few are recommended to do more than one time), a baking sheet to keep the mess at a minimum, and a toothpick to dig out those chocolate chips.
Tell your kindergartner that you are going to be paleontologists and pretend you are digging up dinosaur fossils. You will just melt as their eyes twinkle in delight. Explain that the cookie is the hard rock that fossils are often found in and that the chocolate chips are the fossils. Ask your child to dig out those fossils (a.k.a: chocolate chips) as carefully as they can without damaging much of the cookie.
With caution and meticulousness, encourage your child to take on this challenge. Give them a toothpick and let them dig out all the chocolate chips. This can take some time but they will be so engaged and excited — allow them to run with it!
This dinosaur activity for kindergarten is a great way to develop and strengthen fine motor skills and concentration as they must work with their toothpick and not break any chocolate chips as they carefully remove them from the cookie. This made the activity a little more challenging but still lots of fun.
Once all the chocolate chips are out, count them as you practice your math skills and then enjoy eating them one by one and not to mention the cookie part too! Yummy! What a delicious learning adventure this will take you on.
If you have a child between the ages of 3-6, please check out Kindergarten at Home.
This fun hands on activity is from How Wee Learn’s homeschool program for kindergarten and can be found in the dinosaur unit of this program.
Kindergarten at Home is divided into 18 sessions – these are like unit studies – each with a different, engaging topic – like dinsaurs!
This at home learning program covers all core Kindergarten skills with 3 activities per day in 3 days a week – all through PLAY! Check it out here: Kindergarten at Home
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