Our next Camp Au Pair theme is Dinosaurs.
Crafts, recipes, activities, and games related to dinosaurs can all be found here on the Camp Au Pair – Dinosaurs pinboard.
Field Trips can be a great way for kids to learn and have new experiences. Get permission from your host parents before any outings and be sure to take all social distancing precautions.
Field Trip Ideas:
- Children’s museum
- Natural history museum
- Parks with fossil hunting programs
- Play spaces with dinosaur areas
- Science centers
Virtual Field Trips:
- American Museum of Natural History Virtual Field Trip
- La Brea Tar Pits
- Melbourne Museum Virtual Dinosaur Walk
- Smithsonian Natural History Museum Virtual Tour
Toys – Many kids have dinosaur toys already. See what your kids have and think of fun, new ways you can play with these toys with them. Imagine taking a plastic dinosaur and making footprints in play dough to form your own fossils.
Webcam – The Calvert Marine Museum in Maryland offers a webcam where you can watch paleontologists remove rock from around fossils.
Videos – Look for fun videos on YouTube about dinosaurs and fossils. Here are a few to get you started.
Movies – Here are some movies that fit the dinosaur theme.
- Dinosaur
- Dinosaur Island
- Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
- Land Before Time
- Lego Jurassic World
- The Good Dinosaur
- Walking with Dinosaurs
- We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story
For older kids:
- Journey to the Center of the Earth
- Jurassic Park (which is rated PG-13)
Books – Check your kids’ bookshelf for books on dinosaurs. You can also find many read aloud book videos on YouTube.
Photo: krojotak.com
What a fun camp experience! The dinosaur theme sounds like a great way to keep kids engaged while encouraging creativity and exploration. I enjoyed the playful atmosphere of the post—after a day of dinosaur adventures, a quick game of Meowdoku would be a fun way to wind down.
What a fun camp experience! The dinosaur theme sounds like a great way to keep kids engaged while encouraging creativity and exploration. I enjoyed the playful atmosphere of the post—after a day of dinosaur adventures, a quick game of Meowdoku would be a fun way to wind down.
It made me think of how blending play with learning can spark curiosity in kids. Maybe incorporating some fun car games could add a new element to your next camp session?
Maybe incorporating some fun car games could add a new element to your next camp session?
The dinosaur footprint idea with play dough is genius—so simple but kids would absolutely love making their own fossils. I also really appreciate the reminder about getting host parent permission for field trips, that’s such an important tip for au pairs.
My host kids are completely obsessed with dinosaurs right now, so this theme came at the perfect time! I love the idea of using plastic toys to make footprint fossils in play dough; it’s a brilliant sensory activity. The virtual tour of the Smithsonian is also a lifesaver for rainy afternoons. I was actually searching around and testing the choicer voicer free online when I found this post. Thank you for putting all these great ideas in one place!
This dinosaur theme is absolutely perfect! I love the play dough fossil idea, my kids will go crazy for it. I actually found this post while looking for weekend activities and messing with the choicer voicer free online. So glad I did. Thanks for sharing these amazing tips! the choicer voicer free online
I loved reading about the dinosaur-themed camp! It reminds me of my childhood obsession with dinosaurs. I remember pretending to be a paleontologist while digging in the sandbox! Such creative activities can really ignite kids’ imaginations. By the way, if you enjoy casual games, check out 2048 for some fun challenges between activities!