This dinosaur simple craft and activity for toddlers and preschoolers will enhance fine motor skills and school readiness skills – plus they’re so fun!
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*Thanks to Midwestern Moms for the inspiration for an I Spy jar. We added the dinosaurs for a twist!
How To: The Artwork
Supplies:
- Clean jar with a lid (We used Mason jars, but recycled jars work great too!)
- Beads, buttons, sequins, etc.
- Mini dinosaur figures
Directions:
This craft is so simple! First, have the child place the mini dinosaur figures into the jar. Then, allow the child to select the beads/buttons/sequins (whatever you have around) to fill the jar about 3/4 of the way full. Screw on the cap and watch as the child searches for the dinosaur figures. It’s their very own I SPY dinosaur jar!
It’s important to allow the child to use their pincer muscles and develop their fine motor skills. Picking up small items, such as buttons and beads, is a great way to exercise these muscles. Also, choosing his/her own colors and styles allows the child to express creativity and practice decision making.
How To: The Activities
Group Story
We read two really amazing dinosaur books that fit our activities perfectly:
The first book is If da Vinci Painted a Dinosaur by Amy Newbold. This book is so adorable, especially for introducing famous art to toddlers and preschoolers. The author and illustrator modify famous art pieces by incorporating dinosaurs into each page’s illustrations. For example, the Mona Lisa is a dinosaur face instead of a human face. It’s great. With my toddlers, I asked them to find the dinosaurs in each painting.
The second book is Search and Find Dinosaurs by Libby Walden. This book has great illustrations and asks kids to find the different dinosaurs on each page. It’s a beginner search and find book that’s perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. I love it!
Group Activities
We made archeological digs out of sensory bins for endless play:
In bin 1, we buried plastic dinosaur figures under dry noodles.
In bin 2, we buried the figures under craft poms. You could also use cotton balls.
And in bin 3, we buried the figures underneath dry beans.
The kids “dug” for the dinosaurs. For older kids, you can have them use toothbrushes to clean off the dinosaurs.
Then, with the dinosaurs we dug up, we created paintings using the dinosaurs as our paintbrushes. It’s simple – just let the kids dip the dinosaurs into the paint and then onto the paper – however they’d like.
And that was our Tuesday morning full of dinosaur activities!!!
