Just finishing up a dinosaur unit study? These are some ideas for some fabulously fun field trips that all revolve around dinosaurs!
To cap off this Pre-K/K Dinosaur Unit Study, I thought I’d compile a short list of field trip ideas for dino lovers.
Some of the most fun dinosaur attractions can be museums. I’ve compiled a short list of dinosaur museums we think are amazing, but have also decided to include other fun dinosaur field trip ideas below the museum list.
Dinosaur Museums
A few of these places we’ve already visited, and the rest are on our to-see list! Obviously, not everyone’s location is on this list, but I’ve tried (mostly) to stay within the Midwest region, which is where we’re from, and a few other places we’ve visited.
- Sternberg Museum of Natural History (Hays, KS)
- Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center (Woodland Park, CO)
- Field Museum (Chicago, IL)
- Dinosaur National Monument (Colorado, UT)
- Exploration Place (Wichita, KS)
- Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument (Florissant, CO)
- Dinosaur Valley State Park (Glen Rose, TX)
- Cleveland Museum of Natural History (Cleveland, OH)
- Burke Museum (Seattle, WA – there’s a Dino Day coming up!)
- Agate Fossil Beds National Monument (Harrison, NE)
The field trips don’t have to stop at museums! Here’s a list of other local field trip ideas to cap off your students’ dinosaur unit study:
Fossil Dig Site
We don’t have a fossil dig site super close to us, but I found this resource to be immensely helpful in finding the closest one! How fun would it be to dig your own real fossils? Of course, if this isn’t a good option for you (very small children, remote location, etc.), there’s always faux-fossil-digging! …Which brings me to the next idea!
Park with Sand
Why not make a field trip out of a day at the park? Use the sand to bury, uncover and restore your own fossils! Use kid-friendly shovels, brushes and other tools along with small plastic dinosaurs or salt dough fossils to help your kids become little paleontologists at your local park. For more digging inspiration, check out this activity!
A New Library!
Sometimes a different library location can breathe new life into a subject or unit. We love our local library, but when we’ve read all the dinosaur related titles, we look to larger city libraries around us for more inspiration.
Local dinosaur-themed playground
Many of these parks have nice playground equipment with a dinosaur theme – giant eggs to hide in, dino tails to slide down, and sometimes even water features! We have found a few of these near us, and to be honest, I think we live in a pretty remote location! 🙂
Lead a Dino Day with your local coop or school group!
I love this idea because it enables a “field trip” without leaving your local area and can include lots of kids, parents and teachers! You could choose to host it for a small number of families, or pick a location you can use for free or very low rent and spend the day doing fun dinosaur activities! Here are a few ideas to get your started…
- Build a Dinosaur Activity
- Dinosaur Book and Craft Activities
- Dinosaur Track Painting
- Dinosaur Texture Play
- Homemade Dinosaur Bones
- DIY Dinosaur Habitat
- Dinosaur Dress Up
If you’re looking for more, check out my mass list of dinosaur unit study resources I’ll be posting tomorrow. 🙂
While this idea definitely takes more work, it’s sure to be a rewarding experience your kids won’t forget!
When all else fails…
Talk to your community members to see what’s going on in your area! Other teachers, parents, librarians, social media groups, coops and school groups, city and chamber of commerce employees and business owners will be in the know about upcoming events. This can be your biggest and most valuable resource when planning a field trip! I love utilize our local homeschool Facebook group for the goings on in our town, and also follow several other educational social media groups from my area to keep the field trip ideas flowing. 🙂
Hope you have enjoyed and can use some of these great field trip ideas for your dinosaur lovers! Check out my resource list for more fabulous information and learning ideas!
❤
a fresh brewed faith 