Dinosaurs, pasta and playdoh!

I had my little brother-in-laws who are six and my son who is 2.5 to entertain.  I gave them a selection and the said dinosaurs . But my son wanted playdoh, so we got both out. I then remembered reading  a post about playdoh and pasta. I then got a selection of different pasta and encouraged them to use it. They seemed shocked but soon got the idea and decided to make armour and extra weapons. 

The were the most focused I have ever seen them. They had been doing about dinosaurs at school. The twins said this is a T-Rex he is a carnivore. I asked them what that was and they said "they eat meat". My son then said " I eat meat too, I don't like carrots" bless him it was very funny. 

My son was interested in making Dino prints.

He also made a plaster for a dinosaur that had been hurt in a fight.

Learning ideas

1. Eating habits of dinosaurs

2. Camoflouge 

3. Armour

4. Making foot prints

5. Make a den or a home for the dinosaurs

6. Play doctor and fix injured dinosaurs

7. Dino battles

8. Count number of dinosaurs

9. Count number of pasta pieces attached

10. Count number of natural spikes, horns, legs  etc.

11. Invent new names for dinosaurs

Extension activities

1. Read a dinosaur book

2. Make fossils of the footprints using plaster of Paris 

3. Draw picture of their favourite 'pimped' dinosaur

4. Make a digital story using pictures

5. Make a comic strip using dinosaurs thy made

6. Use crayons to draw a dinosaurs and glue pasta on to the picture.

7. Dress up as dinosaurs

8. Make a dinosaur mask

9. Make dinosaur noises to go with dinosaur

10 Use instruments to make dinosaur noises

11. Use instruments to make a dinosaur song up

This activity was an on the spot decision, a littl messy but they loved helping tidy up using the dustpan and brush. It kept them busy and having fun for a good 20 mins. They especially liked me recording them taking pictures.