Dinosaur Stomp: A Prehistoric Kindergarten Homeschool Project

Did you know…? That’s usually how our conversations about dinosaurs begin. And the truth is, my answer is usually no. I am far from a dinosaur buff, but for those of us with dinosaur loving kids, the obsession is real. For kids, dinosaurs seem to walk that amazing line between science and fantasy. Kids can imagine a world of giant beasts, and a time that no one has truly seen. That’s why this kindergarten homeschool project is especially perfect for those little dinosaur lovers.

This is one of the Kindergarten homeschool projects found in my Kinder curriculum called, Kindergarten at Home. If you have a little one between the ages of 4 – 6 years old, you have to check it out!

When my son started to express interest in dinosaurs, we bought him a dinosaur encyclopedia and have been exploring different concepts related to dinosaurs. We have the Smithsonian “Dinosaurs: A Visual Encyclopedia”, but there are a lot of amazing non-fiction books out there to learn about dinosaurs. Dinosaur play also provides amazing opportunities to create our own narrative and imagine the world when dinosaurs roamed. We have been talking about what they eat or how big they are. To incorporate art into our learning, we created our own dino-stomp coffee can stilts–this is the perfect child-led kindergarten homeschool project for those of you who are exploring dinosaurs in your own home.

*This fun activity relates to the Kindergarten at Home Curriculum. This curriculum includes everything your child needs for a brilliant foundation in academics, critical thinking, problem solving and emotional wellness. You can find more information here.

Dinosaur Stomp Materials

2 empty coffee cans or similar sized cans
Yarn
Masking tape
Paint or coloured paper to decorate
Nail and hammer to make holes in can

Dinosaur Stomp Process

First, I cut two long pieces of yarn and taped them onto the can. I put the coffee can cap over the string to secure it in place. You can also use a nail to tap two holes through the can and attach the string through the holes.

The kids started off by covering our coffee cans with masking tape. The kids like to rip and stick. My only instruction was to cover the can. This created a leathery texture and a surface for us to decorate.

Next, they got to paint it whatever color they wanted. This created an amazing conversation about the skin on dinosaurs. Again, another “I don’t know” moment. So, we looked it up. We pulled out the encyclopedia, looked online, and watched videos about dinosaurs. Scientists believe that dinosaur skin was “textured with small, pebbly scales”. This was an opportunity to expand our learning through this kindergarten homeschool project. Based on what we learned, we decided to add a “scale” texture to our can by using a toilet paper roll and creating a pattern around the can.

If you don’t want to use paint, you can also wrap the can in paper, or just add claws.

Once our cans were ready to go, I gave the kids 6 triangles—three big, and three little, to create the claws. We taped these down on the bottom, and then it was time to get STOMPING! We took our cans outside to stomp around the yard. It took some serious coordination and balance for the little ones, but once they got the hang of their dinosaur coffee can stilts, they had a blast! We cannot wait to try some other dinosaur inspired kindergarten homeschool projects.

Jessie is a mom of two amazingly creative children–ages 4 and 2. She loves having her home full of sensory play and process art. Jessie also runs her own account, Hands In Handmade where you can find more inspiration for play or check out her sensory kits.