International Dinosaur Day | EYFS & KS1 Activity Ideas

**Note: This page is for educational inspiration and is not officially affiliated with International Dinosaur Day. International Dinosaur Day is a popular observance, often celebrated annually (commonly on June 1st) to ignite fascination with dinosaurs, palaeontology, and Earth's ancient history. It is not established by a single global founding organisation, but is widely embraced by museums, educational institutions, and dinosaur enthusiasts worldwide to encourage learning about these magnificent creatures and the scientific study of their past. For information on local events or educational resources, we recommend consulting reputable natural history museums, science centres, or educational websites dedicated to palaeontology.

Monday 1st June 2026

Understanding International Dinosaur Day in EYFS & KS1

Let's roar with excitement and dig into the incredible world of dinosaurs! 🦖🌋🦕

For early years settings, nurseries, preschools, childminders, and Year 1 and Year 2 classrooms, this day provides a wonderfully exciting and engaging theme for exploring history (ancient past), animals (extinct), science (fossils, palaeontology), size and measurement, patterns, creative play, and understanding the world. It's about inspiring children with the awe and wonder of dinosaurs, developing their imagination, and introducing them to foundational scientific concepts. This day offers fantastic planning ideas and inspiration for engaging activities & invitations that truly resonate with young minds, making learning about dinosaurs wonderfully captivating!

Why Is Learning About Dinosaurs Valuable for Young Children?

Integrating International Dinosaur Day and themes of dinosaurs and palaeontology into your practice with young children (aged 0-7) is a fun way to build curiosity, develop critical thinking, and broaden their understanding of the natural world and deep time.

• Sparks Imagination: Dinosaurs are inherently fascinating and encourage imaginative play and storytelling.

• Introduces Scientific Concepts: Provides a tangible way to learn about fossils, extinction, different species, and classification.

• Develops Sense of Scale & Time: Helps children grasp concepts of large sizes and ancient history (millions of years ago).

• Enhances Vocabulary: Introduces complex names and scientific terms in an engaging context.

• Promotes Inquiry: Encourages children to ask questions, research, and seek answers about the past.

• Supports Cross-Curricular Learning: Naturally integrates literacy, numeracy, science, and creative arts.

Engaging Dinosaur Activities for International Dinosaur Day (EYFS & KS1)

Let's stomp, roar and discover for International Dinosaur Day with these playful ideas, provision enhancements and learning opportunities inspired by children's fascination with dinosaurs and the prehistoric world. The focus is on exciting discovery, imaginative play, and hands-on learning about these prehistoric giants!

Many of these early years and year 1 activities can be supported by our dedicated ‘Dinosaurs’ topic page and other related resources.

Here’s some inspiration for celebrating International Dinosaur Day in your setting. The following ideas may be adapted for various EYFS and KS1 settings. In EYFS, these ideas are best viewed as invitations to explore and enhancements to provision rather than activities every child is expected to complete. Practitioners may choose to follow children's interests, questions and play patterns, using these resources flexibly. In KS1, some ideas may also be used within more structured teaching sequences where appropriate. Printable resources to support the following ideas may be found further down this page.

(Please use your own discretion and knowledge of your children to ensure appropriateness of each activity or enhancement and safety concerning any materials given and activity undertaken.)

⛏️ Dinosaur Excavation & Fossil Exploration

Create an exciting dinosaur excavation area using sand, soil, bark, clay or playdough. Hide toy dinosaurs, fossils, shells, bones or natural treasures for children to discover using brushes, scoops, magnifying glasses and clipboards.

Children might:

• Search for hidden fossils and dinosaur bones

• Compare sizes, shapes and textures

• Sort discoveries into groups

• Sequence fossils from smallest to largest

• Match found objects to pictures, words, letters or numbers

• Record discoveries through drawing, mark making or simple tallying

Our excavation-themed ‘Dino Dig’ resources can help extend the play, including fossil letter hunts, number hunts, shape matching activities, puzzles and size-ordering challenges.

Additional Provision Enhancements

• Freeze dinosaurs inside ice blocks and investigate ways to release them

• Create muddy footprints leading to a hidden dinosaur nest

• Add clipboards and pencils for "palaeontologist field notes"

• Provide real rocks, shells and fossils for comparison

• Create a dinosaur bone washing station outdoors

• Use tape measures and string to compare dinosaur lengths

📘 Dinosaur Communication, Literacy & Phonics

Dinosaurs naturally inspire storytelling, vocabulary development and imaginative communication.

Children might:

• Learn and use new dinosaur vocabulary

• Explore sounds through roars, stomps and Phase 1 listening games

• Match letters to dinosaur names

• Create maps to dinosaur habitats

• Write signs for museums, dinosaur parks or excavation sites

• Draw and label their favourite dinosaurs

Our dinosaur word mats, alphabet resources, sound activities and CVC word games can help support these experiences.

Additional Provision Enhancements

• Create a dinosaur museum visitor book

• Add notebooks to role-play areas for "scientists"

• Make dinosaur footprint trails with labels

• Leave mystery eggs with clues inside

• Create story baskets featuring dinosaurs and natural materials

➕ Dinosaur Maths Through Play

Dinosaurs provide countless opportunities for meaningful mathematical exploration.

Children might:

• Count dinosaur eggs, bones or footprints

• Compare dinosaur sizes and lengths

• Sort dinosaurs by type, colour or features

• Create patterns using dinosaur figures

• Measure footprints and compare findings

• Collect information through simple tally charts and pictograms

Our counting puzzles, playdough mats, challenge cards and data-handling resources can support these investigations.

Additional Provision Enhancements

• Create giant footprint trails to measure

• Compare dinosaur lengths using string

• Weigh toy dinosaurs using balance scales

• Build dinosaur enclosures with blocks

• Sort herbivores and carnivores into groups

• Create repeating footprint patterns outdoors

🦖 Dinosaur Imagination, Creativity & Role Play

Support children to bring the prehistoric world to life through open-ended play and creative expression.

Children might:

• Become palaeontologists, explorers or museum guides

• Build dinosaur habitats

• Create dinosaur nests and eggs

• Design their own dinosaur species

• Retell favourite dinosaur stories

• Explore movement through stomping, stretching and roaring

Our museum role-play resources, movement challenges, colouring sheets, puzzles and creative templates can help enrich these experiences.

Additional Provision Enhancements

• Make dinosaur eggs from papier-mâché or playdough

• Create a dinosaur rescue centre

• Build volcanoes in the construction area

• Paint with toy dinosaurs to create footprint artwork

• Create shadow-dinosaur tracing stations

• Use loose parts to build dinosaur habitats

🌞 Dinosaur Displays & Curiosity Corners

Create a shared focus for learning by displaying children's discoveries, artwork, questions and ideas.

You might include:

• Dinosaur fact books

• Real fossils and rocks

• Children's drawings and models

• Dinosaur photographs and information cards

• Maps showing where fossils have been found

• Vocabulary linked to children's interests

• Daily interactive weather calendar

Our display banners, posters and supporting resources can help create an engaging learning environment that evolves alongside children's curiosity.

🔬 Explore More

• To delve deeper into the prehistoric world, please visit our dedicated ‘Dinosaurs’ topic page to access our full range of Dinosaur themed resources. You may also like to explore additional pages covering relevant and/or connected themes such as ‘Animals’, ‘History’, and ‘Zoo’.

These activities and provision enhancements offer great inspiration for making International Dinosaur Day a memorable and impactful experience in your early years and Key Stage One setting, fostering curiosity about the past, scientific exploration, creative play, and a lifelong fascination with these magnificent creatures.

To explore ideas surrounding additional early years events, please visit our 'Special Dates Calendar' page.

Printable resources to support teaching & learning surrounding: ‘International Dinosaur Day’

Free EYFS & KS1 ‘Dinosaur’ printable activities and ideas:

‘Dinosaur’ themed activities and ideas for EYFS & KS1:

(Please visit our ‘Dinosaurs’ topic page to access our full range of Dinosaur themed resources.)

Cartoon style dinosaur activities, games, displays and many more additional educational materials:

Realistic style dinosaur activities, games, displays and many more additional educational materials:

‘Dino Dig’ sand play activities:

Additional Pages you may like to explore which cover relevant &/or Connected themes

More Early Years Event Pages for June

Explore special dates (including awareness dates, festivals, celebrations & events) relevant to your EYFS & KS1 children

Browse our ‘Special Dates Calendar’ page using the link below. You’ll find calendars for every month of the year to aid your planning!

Search ‘Little Owls Resources’ Using the following Menu Buttons…

Disclaimer:
This page is for educational purposes only and is intended to support early years and primary practitioners with ideas and resources related to 'International Dinosaur Day'. It is a popular, informally observed day, and is not established by a single global founding organisation. We do not claim any rights to specific trademarks or official materials associated with any particular group's celebration of this day. For information on local events or educational resources, we recommend consulting reputable natural history museums, science centres, or educational websites dedicated to palaeontology.