Dinosaurs are going to be ruling our next few posts. Usually I like to start off a new Camp Mom session on a Monday... but we decided to get started early because we couldn't wait any longer! On our airplane flight home from vacation yesterday my little guy was glued to the computer watching The Land Before Time.
I really wanted to spend the day working on some nursery rhyme projects... but dinosaurs took over our day... and our activity. I loved this Clothespin Stegosaurus on No Time for Flashcards... so we decided to do our own variation involving some name spelling.
Materials Needed: foam sheets, glue, scissors, pencil, clothespins, foam alphabet stickers (we used two sizes of letters), and a dinosaur template.
Directions:
1. First, cut out your dinosaur template and use it to help you trace a dinosaur onto the foam sheets. Cut out your dinosaurs from the foam.
2. Stick child's name onto your dinosaur using foam stickers. Older kids can do this independently. If your child can't spell his name, this part can easily be done by writing your child's name in pencil on the dinosaur and then having them stick the foam letters on top of the pencil marks.
3. Put several foam letters in a bowl. Have your child search for the foam letters that are on their dinosaur. Stick the letters onto clothespins.
4. Add a googly eye to your dinosaur using tape or glue.
5. Have your child clip the corresponding clothespin letter to the letter on the dinosaur. This will help make clothespin plates on your stegosaurus's back.
We ended up making two of these because my little guy was having so much fun. One for him to do of his sister's name and one of his own name. You know an activity is a success when your child says, "Let's do that again!..." and again and again.
With longer names you'll need to use smaller foam stickers. You could also write the letters with markers /Sharpies if you don't have foam letters... I just don't like how the markers smear on foam sheets. So, if you use markers, maybe use cardstock or painted cardboard for your dinosaurs instead!
This was such a great fine motor skills activity too for little fingers! Strong fingers are a big help when it comes to writing!
Our last clothespin activity was a little hard for my son, so it was great to see him so excited about this one!
How Do Dinosaurs Learn Their Colors by Jane Yolen is our favorite dinosaur book right now... so it was perfect to read along with these very colorful letter dinosaurs.
Do you have a favorite dinosaur book that we should be reading?
love this