What to Teach Preschoolers About Dinosaurs

If you’re wondering what to teach preschoolers about dinosaurs, you’re in for a dino-mite adventure! Preschoolers are naturally drawn to dinosaurs—these ancient, mysterious creatures spark big imaginations and endless curiosity.

From stomping like a T. rex to digging for pretend fossils, dinosaur activities for preschool are not only fun, but they’re also a fantastic way to build early literacy, math, and science skills.

In this post, we’ll break down age-appropriate concepts your little ones can grasp and explore, plus share simple, hands-on ideas to bring dinosaurs to life in your homeschool or classroom. Let’s get started!

My own grandson is absolutely obsessed with dinosaurs right now—he can’t get enough of T. rex facts and roaring around the living room. It’s love that inspired me to put together this guide!

What to Teach Preschoolers About Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs are a fun and engaging way to spark curiosity in young learners. Below, you’ll find easy-to-understand concepts and playful ideas to help your preschooler explore the world of dinosaurs through learning and play.

Basic Dinosaur Facts for Preschoolers

Dinosaurs were amazing creatures that lived a long, long time ago—even before there were people on Earth! They were ancient reptiles that roamed the land during the Mesozoic Era, a time period that spans millions of years.

There were many different kinds of dinosaurs. Some, like the Tyrannosaurus rex, had sharp teeth and ate meat. Others, like the Triceratops, had flat teeth for munching on plants. You can introduce the terms “meat-eaters” and “plant-eaters” to help preschoolers understand how they are different.

One fun fact your little learners will love: dinosaurs came in all shapes and sizes! Some were as small as a chicken, while others were longer than a school bus. From giant tails to tiny arms, there’s something fascinating about each one!

 

Key Concepts to Introduce

Teaching preschoolers about dinosaurs is the perfect chance to introduce a few fun and simple science concepts:

Size Comparison
Dinosaurs came in all sizes! Some, like the Tyrannosaurus rex, were huge and tall, while others, like the Velociraptor, were much smaller. Use toys, pictures, or even sidewalk chalk to compare big and small dinosaurs and help kids understand size differences in a hands-on way.

Diet: Herbivores vs. Carnivores
Some dinosaurs ate plants—they’re called herbivores. Others ate meat—they’re called carnivores. You can play sorting games with toy dinosaurs or pictures to help children group them by what they ate. Try making it a conversation starter at snack time, too!

Fossils
Fossils are clues from the past! When dinosaurs died, their bones and footprints were buried and turned into rock over time. Scientists, called paleontologists, dig up these fossils to learn all about how dinosaurs looked and lived.

Extinction
Dinosaurs aren’t around anymore—they’ve gone extinct. That means they don’t live on Earth today. You can gently explain that something big changed in the world, and the dinosaurs couldn’t survive. Reassure children that this happened a very, very long time ago.

These concepts lay the foundation for science exploration and keep little learners engaged with dino-themed fun!

Learning Through Play and Activities

Preschoolers learn best when they’re playing, exploring, and having fun. Dinosaur-themed play is the perfect way to combine learning with imagination. Here are some simple, engaging dinosaur activities your little ones will love:

Dinosaur Dig Sensory Bin
Fill a bin with sand, dried beans, or kinetic sand and bury toy dinosaurs or pretend bones. Give kids paint brushes or scoops and let them “excavate” like real paleontologists. It’s a great way to build fine motor skills and spark scientific thinking.

• How to Create a Dinosaur Sensory Bin
• Dinosaur Pasta Sensory Bin
• Colored Rice Dinosaur Sensory Bin

Footprint Stomping Game
Cut out large dinosaur footprints from paper and tape them to the floor. Kids can stomp, hop, or tiptoe from one footprint to the next—try creating patterns for them to follow! This is a fun way to get the wiggles out while reinforcing movement, direction, and coordination.

Dino-Themed Movement Game
Turn on some music and call out dinosaur names. Have kids pretend to stomp like a T. rex, stretch like a Brachiosaurus, or run fast like a Velociraptor. This activity supports gross motor development and lets their imaginations run wild!

This is one of my grandson’s favorite ways to play—he loves pretending to be a Velociraptor and creating fossil imprints to ‘study’ like a real paleontologist!

Fossil Imprints
Give children playdough or air-dry clay and toy dinosaurs or shells. Show them how to press the toys into the dough to make fossil imprints. Talk about how real fossils are made, and let kids create their own “fossil collection.”

• Dinosaur Cookie Fossils

These hands-on activities make dinosaur learning both memorable and meaningful for preschoolers!

Dinosaur Arts and Crafts

Craft time is a wonderful way to reinforce learning while giving preschoolers the chance to express themselves. These dinosaur-themed crafts are simple to set up and packed with opportunities to build fine motor skills, creativity, and even a little math!

Paper Plate Dinosaurs
Turn an ordinary paper plate into a stegosaurus, triceratops, or brontosaurus! Just cut, paint, and glue on legs, spikes, and tails. Kids can customize their dinos with fun colors and patterns.

• Simple Paper Plate Dinosaur

Handprint Dinosaur Craft
Trace your child’s hand and turn it into a dinosaur body—add a googly eye, some spines, and a big smile! It’s a keepsake-worthy activity and a great way to talk about body parts and shapes.

Dinosaur Hats or Masks
Make wearable fun with a dinosaur hat or mask. Use construction paper, elastic, and markers to create a T. rex crown or a triceratops mask. Kids love pretending to be dinosaurs, and these crafts bring dramatic play to life.

Build a Dinosaur with Shapes
Use basic shapes—circles, triangles, rectangles—to build a dinosaur on paper. As kids glue their pieces together, talk about the names of the shapes and how they fit together. It’s a sneaky and fun way to introduce early geometry skills!

These dino crafts are perfect for rainy days, classroom centers, or just a little extra creative fun at home.

Literacy & Math with Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs aren’t just exciting—they’re also a fun way to build early reading and math skills. With the right books and playful activities, your preschooler can practice important concepts while staying engaged in a theme they love.

Books About Dinosaurs
Reading together is one of the best ways to support early literacy. Here are a few favorite dinosaur books for preschoolers:

• How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen – A silly, sweet bedtime story with lovable dinosaur characters. We’ve read this one more times than I can count-my grandson even has it memorized and likes to roar along with the story.
• Dinosaur Dance! by Sandra Boynton – A rhythmic, colorful board book perfect for wiggly little learners.
• National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Dinosaurs – Packed with real photos and simple facts, this one’s great for budding paleontologists.

Dino Counting Activities
Grab some toy dinosaurs or dino-themed printables and practice counting them out loud. You can also line them up, group them by color, or count how many legs they have. These simple activities build one-to-one correspondence and number recognition.

Dinosaur Alphabet Match
Create dino eggs with uppercase letters and matching baby dinosaurs with lowercase letters. Have kids find and match the pairs—this helps build letter recognition in a playful, hands-on way.

Dino Graphing and Sorting
Use small dinosaurs or pictures to sort by color, type (meat-eater vs. plant-eater), or size. Then, create a simple bar graph or chart using stickers or crayons to record their results. This encourages early math thinking and observation skills.

With just a few dino-themed tweaks, everyday literacy and math activities become exciting learning adventures!

Songs, Rhymes, and Videos

Add music and movement to your dinosaur theme with fun songs, fingerplays, and short videos! These playful activities help preschoolers build language skills, improve coordination, and stay engaged while learning.

Kid-Friendly Dinosaur Songs

• “We Are the Dinosaurs” by Laurie Berkner – A preschool favorite that gets kids marching and roaring like dinosaurs.
• “Dino Stomp” by The Kiboomers – Great for movement and rhythm while learning dino names.
• “Dinosaur March” by Mother Goose Club – Simple lyrics and actions make this one easy to follow.

Educational Videos About Dinosaurs

• Sesame Street: Ernie Presents: Dinosaur Daycare – A silly, gentle introduction to dinosaurs for young kids.
• National Geographic Kids: Dinosaurs 101 – Short and packed with real facts and exciting images (best for slightly older preschoolers).
• Blippi: Dinosaurs for Kids – Energetic and fun, with lots of visuals and kid-friendly explanations.

These songs and videos are perfect for circle time, transitions, or a quick brain break during the day!

Printable and Digital Resources

Printable activities are a great way to reinforce learning with minimal prep—and preschoolers love having their own “work” to do! Whether you’re teaching at home or in a classroom, dinosaur-themed printables can make learning even more fun.

Dinosaur Printables in Our Shop
Be sure to check out our dinosaur-themed resources in the shop! You’ll find fun and educational printables like:

• Dinosaur Color by Letter Worksheets – Perfect for quiet time or creative expression
• Count and Graph Activities – Practice counting, comparing, and early graphing skills with adorable dino graphics
• Dinosaur Scissor Practice Pages – Great for building fine motor strength and focus

Additional Dino-Themed Worksheet Ideas

• Sight Words Tracing Pages featuring dinosaur images to combine handwriting with fun visuals
• Uppercase and Lowercase Letter Matching using dinosaur eggs and baby dinos

These resources are perfect to use during centers, morning work, or as part of a dinosaur-themed learning week. Just print, prep, and enjoy!

Tips for Teaching Dinosaurs in a Homeschool or Classroom Setting

Teaching preschoolers about dinosaurs doesn’t have to be overwhelming or overly detailed. In fact, the best approach is to let curiosity lead the way!

Follow your child’s curiosity
Preschoolers don’t need to memorize names or timelines—just explore what sparks their interest. If they’re fascinated by a certain dinosaur or love digging in the dirt, start there!

Keep it simple
Use short, clear explanations with words your child understands. Big ideas like extinction or fossils can be introduced gently and with age-appropriate language.

Use visuals and hands-on materials
Books, toy dinosaurs, puzzles, and crafts help make learning come to life. The more they can see and touch, the more they’ll remember!

Encourage pretend play
Dinosaur hats, masks, and imaginative scenarios (like being a paleontologist on a dig) support creativity and reinforce learning through fun. Let kids stomp, roar, and play their way through the dinosaur world!

By combining curiosity, creativity, and playful exploration, your dinosaur lessons will be both meaningful and memorable.

Dinosaurs are more than just a fun topic—they’re a powerful way to spark curiosity, build foundational skills, and make learning exciting for preschoolers. From counting and letter matching to pretend play and hands-on exploration, teaching with a dinosaur theme supports early literacy, math, science, and creativity all at once.