Dinosaurs are fun!

Why learn numbers with dinosaurs? Because why not!  My preschool boys are obsessed with dinosaurs right now.  So I did my best to “follow the child” and create a pack that would engage my kids and help them to learn those number names that some of them struggle with.

Counting with Dinosaurs Book

Shout out to Educlips here for creating this adorable clipart!  I love these little dinos and have no doubt I’ll be using them on numerous projects in the future.

This book is a full page PDF, and you will need to cut it in half after printing.  Then, you or your student(s) can layer the book in order and staple to bind.

Each page is black and white and ready to color!

At the bottom of each page is a sentence that reads,” I see (#) dinosaurs.”  A couple pages say, “dinosaur tracks” or “dinosaur eggs”.   Although this is a number packet, the book was a big hit with the kids!  Combining subjects is always an awesome learning opportunity.  The repetition in this book helps students to practice a couple early sight words.  My three year old can now recognize the word “dinosaur”!

Creating a book is a fantastic learning experience because the kids always go back to read these again and again!  It encourages learning through repetition.

Dinosaur Number Puzzles

These puzzles fall into the Montessori category because they are fun, educational, and self-correcting!  The correct clip art side will fit into the corresponding number puzzle piece.  Kids can count the dinosaurs and then match to the correct number.  If they are incorrect, the puzzle won’t fit together and they can keep trying!

Dinosaur Flash Cards

These flash cards print 4 to a sheet.  Cut and laminate for durability.  Each card has one large, easy to read digit and a specific number of dinosaur pictures to match.  These are awesome because they are so versatile.  We use them when we’re working one-on-one learning number names.  We use them to practice number order.  The kids count the pictures on the card to associate a visual representation of a number.  There are so many options for small group and individualized instruction for flash cards!

 

Dinosaur Tracks Tracing Printables

These have got to be my favorite thing in the dinosaur pack.  These printables are each a full page.  They feature dino clip art, but the focus of the page is a large number.  Inside the number are dinosaur tracks!  Additional lines connect the tracks.  The footprints in the numbers trace the number in the direction the number is written – a head start for handwriting.

We have some small dinosaur toys that are just the right size for walking on these number paths!  The kids enjoy walking their dinosaurs along the tracks and tracing the numbers.  Fine motor skills, number recognition, and fun all in one!

My daughter is in kindergarten this year, and she likes to use them a different way!  Since they’re laminated, she likes to use markers to trace the numbers for handwriting practice.  Both options are great for fine motor skills!

Dinosaur Number Sort

These pages are super simple, but effective!  Start off with the flash cards or tracing printables.  Lay them inside a basket, or tape them onto a box or something the kids can use for sorting.  Then, cut out the tracing printables onto cardstock or onto paper and laminate.

This sorting activity would be great for a math center.  Since there are so many copies of each number, the students get a lot of opportunities to get familiar with the number.  Matching the cards to the correct basket gets them used to recognizing the number quickly.

Dinosaur Clip Cards

I had these sitting around for a couple days before I had a chance to laminate them.  Every time my three year old walked by, he asked, “Can we learn these? Pleaseeeeee?”  Clip cards are just a fun activity for early learners!

Once I finally got them laminated, I taught my son how to use the cards.  First, he counted the dinosaurs.  Then, he found the number that matched the pictures and covered it up with a clothespin.  Fun, educational, and fine motor practice!

Dinosaur Number Worksheets

While playing is fun, I do like to always have worksheets available to help me assess the kids’ understand.  Worksheets are also great because they allow the parent to see what we’re learning about, and how much their child is comprehending.  Plus, some of the kids love to do worksheets and beg for more!

These worksheets are all different.  The first asks students to count the eggs and write the number.  The second asks students to complete the ten frame after counting the dinosaurs.  The third asks students which group has more.  The fourth worksheet requires cutting and pasting to complete the number order.  The final worksheet is a number BINGO!

Download Your Dinosaur Number Pack!

If you like what you see, get your own pack!  Everything comes together in one nice little download.  You can use these over and over each year if you do a dinosaur week, or use them as part of your math centers and keep them out year round!