What are the benefits of learning about DINOSAURS for kids?!
Like most parents of preschoolers and kindergarteners, you have probably never given much thought to how a healthy interest in dinosaurs can be linked to long-term academic success. Your child is only 3 or 4 years old after all, just let them play, right? In fact, Dinosaurs can help your child’s cognitive development in several ways. Keep on reading to find out 2 unique, and interestsing benefits of learning about dinosaurs, for kids!
Young children are naturally curious about dinosaurs
If your child shows some interest in Dinosaurs, encourage their curiosity with books such as this one, this one, or this one.
Fun fact: I am an elementary school teacher with 17 years of classroom experience. I wrote this post using a blend of research and experience.
1. Dinosaurs encourage curiosity and imagination
According to Edutopia.com
“Children’s brains develop in spurts called critical periods. The first occurs around age 2, with a second one occurring during adolescence. At the start of these periods, the number of connections (synapses) between brain cells (neurons) doubles. Two-year-olds have twice as many synapses as adults. Because these connections between brain cells are where learning occurs, twice as many synapses enable the brain to learn faster than at any other time of life. Therefore, children’s experiences in this phase have lasting effects on their development.”
Since the only place you can physically see what a Dinosaur looked like is a Museum, there is so much left to the imagination, and of course to the questions children will ask. “How big is a T-Rex?”, “What did it smell like during the time of the dinosaurs?”, “Is 245 million years ago a long time ago?”, “Could I touch a dinosaur?”, and “Do dinosaurs talk to each other?”, are a few possible questions that might be asked.
When it comes to dinosaurs, children are naturally curious. It was proven in a recent neurological study that
“curiosity makes our brains more receptive for learning, and that as we learn, we enjoy the sensation of learning.”
During the important first growth spurt of brain development instilling curiosity, and encouraging questions in young children greatly enhances their ability to learn and retain information.
Check out this baby dinosaur coloring book and leave your child to their imagination and curiosity! Don’t forget to read this blog to learn about some of the benefits of coloring for preschoolers and kindergarteners.
Before jumping onto the next benefit of learning about dinosaurs for preschoolers, here is a little secret: Imagination and curiosity become harder to foster in kids as they age. Starting to encourage curiosity early is one of the keys to a happy, healthy, and growing brain.
2. Learning about dinosaurs helps with personality development
If a child is really into something like dinosaurs, or anything for that matter, cognitive scientists call it a form of ‘intense interest’. The term itself is self-explanatory, however, I’d like to explain the benefits of ‘intense interest’ from an elementary school teacher’s perspective.
Having expertise in a particular field helps children feel confident in themselves and their capabilities. According to studies and my own experience, ‘intense interests’ are directly linked with children having a positive self-image and it can also significantly impact the level of resiliency your child will develop.
Playing based learning is a way for kids to explore their curiosity
The website raisingkids.net states that
“Children who are resilient can recover from setbacks and get back to living their lives more quickly. And when children overcome setbacks and problems, it builds their confidence and helps them feel more capable the next time a problem comes up. Resilient children are often good at solving problems and learning new skills. This is because they’re more willing to try again even if things don’t go the way they want the first time. And when things don’t go well and children feel anxious, sad, disappointed, afraid, or frustrated, resilience helps them understand that these uncomfortable emotions usually don’t last forever. They can experience these emotions and know they’ll be OK before too long. Resilient children are less likely to avoid problems or deal with them in unhealthy ways, like getting defensive or …. Resilient children are also likely to have better physical and mental health than children who struggle to be resilient.”
Resiliency is an important skill that can be taught to young children through experience and example.
If your child is naturally curious about the world as it was 245 million years ago, now is a good time to encourage that interest. The benefits will be long-lasting, both in brain and personality development.
This dinosaur-themed activity book is filled with activities for kids that provide opportunities to grow their brains and practice resiliency. It has been specifically designed, by me, to ignite an ‘intense interest’ in learning about dinosaurs for kids.
Stay Curious.
