Materials: large container, sensory bin fillers (preferably colored blue, green and tan), dinosaur figurines, toy trees (optional)
- Determine what you will put your small world set up in (i.e. plastic tub, large tray, empty water table, etc.)
- Determine which sensory items you will fill your small world with to portray water, grass and sand (dyed rice and kinetic sand pictured)
- Pour your sensory items into your small world container to create the look of water, grass and sand
- Add in trees (optional) and dinosaurs
- Allow your child to explore the small world set up and act out what the dinosaurs may be doing
- Discuss with your child where the dinosaurs are (in the water, on the land), what they would have eaten (herbivore/carnivore), how you can tell which dinosaurs ate meat and which ate plants (biped vs. quadruped and sharp vs. dull teeth), how each dinosaur protected itself from predators (horns, ability to run away quickly, large tail to swing, etc.), what would have helped/hindered each dinosaur’s ability to swim or run on land, and any other dinosaur related topics that arise during play
- Kinetic sand also allows for your child to stamp dinosaur footprints
- Enjoy!