Before starting a new unit study or lesson, I love creating an invitation to play that sparks curiosity before we even open a book. As we began The Good and the Beautiful’s Bones & Stones Science Unit, I put together these dinosaur activities to encourage exploration, inspire questions, and give my children opportunities to learn independently whenever curiosity strikes.
As we work through The Good and the Beautiful’s Bones & Stones Unit Study, these invitations to play help extend our learning beyond the lesson. Together we’re exploring dinosaurs, fossils, rocks, minerals, volcanoes, and the Earth beneath our feet while connecting science, literacy, math, and geography in a way that’s engaging for children of different ages—all while pointing them back to our incredible Creator.
Whether you’re homeschooling, teaching in the classroom, or simply looking for screen-free learning ideas, I hope these dinosaur activities inspire your next unit study.
Dinosaur Unit Supply List
Before we dive into the activities, here are a few of our favorite supplies that we used throughout this unit. Many of these were used again and again for multiple activities and study units, making them a great addition to any homeschool or classroom supply shelf.
Basic Supplies
- Sensory bin or large tray.
- Play dough (DIY recipe here )
- Baking soda.
- Vinegar
- Food coloring
- Pipettes
- Spray bottles
- Measuring cups
- Magnifying glass
- Digital microscope
Dinosaur Supplies
- Plastic dinosaurs
- Dinosaur eggs
- Dinosaur figurines
- Fossil excavation tools
- Linking cubes
Rocks & Geology
- Geodes
- Rock collection
- GemsVolcano kit
- Child-sized safety goggles (optional)
👉 Shop our favorite dinosaur unit supplies here.
Dinosaur Literacy & Phonics
Reading and writing don’t have to stop when you’re studying science! Here are a few simple ways to incorporate literacy into your dinosaur unit.
Include:
- Tracing letters in sand.
- Dinosaur vocabulary.
- Labeling dinosaur pictures.
- Read-aloud discussions.
- Sort dinosaurs
Dinosaur Math Activities
Math is possible even with dinosaurs and even becomes much more exciting! Here are our favorite activities:
- Measure dinosaurs with linking cubes.
- Compare dinosaur lengths.
- Record their actual measurements and compare.
- Order dinosaurs from shortest to longest.
Dinosaur Science Activities
Our science activities complemented The Good and the Beautiful’s Bones & Stones Unit Study and encouraged lots of hands-on exploration.
- Homemade Fossil Excavation (DIY Fossils here)
- Fizzy Dinosaur Eggs (recipe here)
- Ice Cream cone Volcano Experiment (Recipe here)
- Layers of the Earth (Play Dough)
- Iceberg Activity (video here)
- Earthquake https://www.instagram.com/reel/DcCqGkhhUFD/?igsh=OXRuN2pzcDZ0bG9m&igsi=OXRuN2pzcDZ0bG9m Challenge (video here)
- Learning Resources Volcano
- National Geographic Geodes
Fine Motor & Sensory Activities
Many of our favorite dinosaur invitations strengthened fine motor skills (writing building blocks!) while encouraging imaginative play.
- Feed the Pterodastro
- Dinosaur Wash Station
- Dinosaur Ice Egg Rescue
- Chocolate Gem Mining
- Dinosaur Rescue with Rubber Bands
- Coffee Play Dough
- Sand Slime
- Chia Seed Dinosaur Habitat (it’s also a sensory activity)
- Dinosaur Shadow Tracing
Dinosaur Gross Motor Activities
Learning is even more memorable when children can move their bodies.
- Earthquake Challenge
- Build a tower and test its strength
Russian Language Activities
One of my goals is to weave our heritage language into as many of our homeschool units as possible. If you’re teaching Russian at home, dinosaurs are a fun theme for building vocabulary through games, books, and hands-on activities.
Coming soon:
- Russian Phonics / Beginning sounds packet.
- Dinosaur Egg Reveal
- Early Reader Book
Books & Cards
Dinosaur Book Reccomendations
Of course no study unit / lesson is really complete without some books! Read our favorites as you go through the study unit. These will complete any gaps.in the unit or solidify what you have already learned. I have organized these into fiction, nonfiction, and faith-based sections!
Non-Fiction
Final Thoughts
Whether your children are fascinated by giant dinosaurs, sparkling minerals, erupting volcanoes, or digging for fossils, I hope these dinosaur activities encourage meaningful learning through play.
The best about a family-style unit is watching children of different ages learn alongside one another, each participating at their own level while sharing the same excitement and wonder.
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