- 4 inch – 6 inch dinosaurs of varying colors (at least 1 per child)
- an outside grassy playing area
- boundary markers; cones, ropes etc.
- the book My Dinosaur by Mark Alan Weatherby
Many animals use camouflage to hide within their habitat when they hunt or when they are being hunted. Although scientists don’t know the colors of dinosaurs, it is reasonable to think that they were colored the same ways as animals are today. Bright colors can be warning colors, for example the red eastern newt has poisonous skin. The bright color warns other animals not to eat it.
Camouflaged animals, such as the horned lizard take advantage of their color to blend in to their background. Horned lizards eat mostly ants. They lie quietly near ant mounds, and then catch ants as they crawl past.
Playing the Game
Read My Dinosaur to the children.
After reading, ask the children to look at the illustrations and notice that the author/illustrator has camouflaged the dinosaur to match the forest background.
Elicit ideas about camouflage. Then play the game. Define the playing area using ropes or cones etc. Spread the dinosaurs throughout the grassy playing area. Line the children up at one end of the marked area. Show the children a plastic dinosaur. Explain that they will be going on a dinosaur hunt. When you say “go”, they are to walk out and find only one dinosaur and bring it back to the start.
After the game, talk with the children about which dinosaurs were easiest to find and which were difficult.
Play again letting the children hide the dinosaurs.
Activity provided by:
1111 N. Bellevue Blvd.
Bellevue, NE 68005
Category: Group Activities
Iowa Early Learning Standards:
8.2, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 10.3, 10.4, 11.2, 12.4, 12.5, 13.3, 14.3
Related Kindernature Resources: