Get Ready for Kindergarten with PBS Kids (+ Dinosaur Train Giveaway)

The magic that is Dinosaur Train is not limited to your television. PBS Kids has developed a wealth of information and educational games for kids on the Dinosaur Train website. The site offers a lot of great ideas and activities for parents (and teachers) to engage preschoolers while helping develop skills important for academic thinking and, specifically, basic scientific thinking.

Hands On Learning with Dinosaur Train

I love the Hands On activities on the Dinosaur Train website. My son gets frustrated and bored very quickly if I try to do straight lessons with him. So, I am excited to do some of the Dinosaur Train website because everything is FUN and, much to his surprise, your child will learn something along the way.

Here are some fun suggestions from PBS Kids:

Hands On: Dinosaurs A to Z. Help your child practice the letters of the alphabet while learning about the diversity of dinosaurs that once lived on Earth with the “Dinosaurs A – Z song.”  Basic supplies needed include 26 index cards (4×6 or 5×7), a thick marker, crayons, lyrics to “Dinosaurs A to Z” song and the Printable page of all 26 dinosaurs in the song.

Hands On: Dragonfly. Help your child learn some basic insect anatomy by creating a model of a dragonfly, and learn that some animals seen in the world today also lived at the time of the dinosaurs.  Basic supplies needed include  construction paper, wooden popsicle sticks, strong tape, pipe cleaners, colored markers, glue and glitter (and photographs of real dragonflies from books or the Internet).

Hands On: A Colorful Hypothesis. Help your child understand and apply the term “hypothesis,”  investigate and make predictions about the science of color, using household basics including food coloring, clean food jars/containers, colored markers and a cookie sheet.

Back to Kindergarten Month

August is Back to Kindergarten Month at PBS Kids and they want to help you and your tot get ready for back to school with a generous prize package of Dinosaur Train products.

• Dino Train T-Rex Backpack from Accessories 22 ($14.99). The DINOSAUR TRAIN 16” backpack features our favorite T-rex Buddy.  It also features adjustable padded shoulder straps and 3 easy zippered compartments making it great to carry DINOSAUR TRAIN toys and school supplies as well as mesh side pockets for markers, pencils, etc.
• Dinosaur Train I am a T-Rex from Grossett & Dunlap ($3.99). Buddy has spent his whole life in a pteranodon nest. He knows he’s not a pteranodon, but he’s not sure what he is. When his family decides to visit a new stop on the DINOSAUR TRAIN, Buddy finally learns the truth. He’s a T-rex! This simple storybook is the perfect introduction to the world of DINOSAUR TRAIN!
• Triceratops for Lunch by Golden Books, Illustrated by Caleb Meurer ($3.99). A Little Golden Book about Dinosaur Train! The Triceratops are coming over for lunch. Do you serve them plants or fish? That’s what Buddy and his dinosaur siblings need to figure out before Tank and Trudie Triceratops arrive at the train station.
• Dinosaur Train Take ‘n’ Play Anywhere Go Fishing Magnetic Activity from Patch Products ($12.99). Now kids can help Buddy and his family catch fish! They’ll practice hand-eye coordination and matching skills as they use the magnetic fishing pole to grab fish and try to land them in just the right spot.
• Dinosaur Train Dinosaur Collectible 3-Packs from Learning Curve ($9.99). Perfect for hours of imaginative dinosaur play, these 3-packs feature three detailed DINOSAUR TRAIN character figures and a special collector card.
• Dinosaur Train All Aboard Game from Pressman Toy Corp ($14.99). Join Buddy and his friends on the DINOSAUR TRAIN!  Choose a character and try to move the fastest along the tracks.  Speed through the three dinosaur eras: Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous along the beautiful scenery.

Win! A Dinosaur Train Backpack Full of Dinosaur Train Products for Play, Learning & Fun!

How to Enter: Visit PBS Kids’ Dinosaur Train Activities and let me know one thing you’d like to do with your kids.

Bonus Entries – valid only after completing the first required entry. Please leave a separate comment for each you do.

• Follow The Shopping Mama on Twitter and tweet this giveaway. You may do this everyday, just leave the link when you do.
  Celebrate back to school with PBS Kids – WIN a Dinosaur Train backpack of goodies worth $60 @TheShoppingMama http://bit.ly/agLGLt
• Fan The Shopping Mama on Facebook. Leave an extra comment if you Share on Facebook.
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Giveaway ends September 5. Open to US residents only.

Disclosure: Tthanks to the PR company for providing the giveaway prize. Opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this post.